Exeter tops the list of the happiest places to live in the South West

A recent survey from Rightmove.co.uk has revealed Exeter to be the Number One place to live in the South West in its Happy At Home Index, and in fourth happiest place to live across the whole of the UK.

Rightmove’s index uses 12 distinct factors to measure how the British public feels about where they live, covering their home (investment, well-being, pride and costs) their community (safety, amenities, recreation and neighbourliness) and their property (décor, space, contentment and value). Responses for each of the 12 measures are averaged to provide both a category score and an overall score – the ‘Happy at Home Index’. The result is a unique, nationwide insight into the emotive relationship we have with the place we call home. 

The survey results also highlight a wealth of fascinating quirks and characteristics about towns, cities and regions up and down the UK; from the fact that people in Lincoln are the most house-proud in the country, to those in Hereford feeling the safest about where they live, and Exeter being the happiest place to live in the South West and the most neighbourly in the whole of the UK. Exeter was also deemed to be the 6th safest places to live in the UK and the 4th top places in the UK for recreation. It also came out top in the South West in terms of investment opportunities.

Cllr Rosie Denham, Lead Councillor for Economy and Tourism, said: "It's extremely heartening to know that people are happy living in Exeter. Not only is the city ranked fourth nationally and top in the region, it is also number one for 'neighbourliness', proving how friendly and polite people in Exeter consider their neighbours!

"Feedback like this is invaluable and serves to remind us that all the good work that goes in to making the city a pleasant place to live, work and visit must be paying off."

Rightmove director Miles Shipside comments: “As a nation obsessed with property, our homes represent far more than simple bricks and mortar. What elevates a house to a home is an often complicated relationship of the physical property itself, the emotional sense of well-being it provides and how safe and socially-rooted we feel in our communities. Rightmove’s Happy At Home Index looks to capture how the British public truly feels about ‘home’ and gives us a view of the happiest places in the UK as rated by those who know best – the people who live there.”

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