Two spots in Sussex have been named among Britain's happiest places to live by Rightmove.

The property experts have released their annual 'Britain's happiest places to live' list for 2024.

It features locations from across the country, with Horsham and Hove being included on the overall top 20.

The study, now in its 13th year, was completed by more than 35,000 people across Britain, with residents being asked how they feel about their area.

Residents gave their opinions on topics such as:

  • How proud they feel about where they live
  • Sense of belonging
  • Community spirit
  • Whether or not they can be themselves
  • Whether they can earn enough to live comfortably
  • Public transport
  • Sports and recreation
  • Green spaces
  • Artistic and cultural activities

Woodbridge in Suffolk was named the happiest place to live in Britain, with Horsham in 14th and Hove in 18th.

Elsewhere, the property experts also shared the regional rankings in the study, with the South East's top five being as follows:

  1. Sevenoaks (7 - overall ranking across Britain)
  2. Wokingham (10)
  3. Winchester (11)
  4. Horsham (14)
  5. Hove (18)

The full ranking can be found on the Rightmove website here.

Tips for first time buyers

What makes people happy to live somewhere

The Rightmove study indicated that residents were most happy in rural locations by woodland, forest or a national park.

Alongside that, people said feeling proud to live in an area was the biggest driver of overall satisfaction with a home and community.

Rightmove added that, overall, residents in Scotland, Wales and the South West are most happy with where they live, while those in the East and West Midlands are the least happy.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert said: “For over a decade we’ve been asking residents what makes them feel happy about where they live, as feeling happy is about more than the home itself."

Recommended reading:

He continued: "It’s the intangible factors of feeling proud to live in an area, feeling a sense of belonging, and feeling able to be yourself that are the biggest drivers of happiness.

"There are some interesting trends revealed by the study, such as how those who live in a rural location are more likely to be happy than urban dwellers, who often live in busy cities.

"It’s the younger generation who are most likely to say they would be happier living somewhere else, many of whom have to travel to cities for education or to find their first jobs.”