Skipton is surrounded by scenic views and is a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales.
The bustling market town of Skipton in North Yorkshire has been crowned the happiest place to live in 2025.
With a well-preserved medieval castle overlooking its centre, Skipton is surrounded by scenic views and is a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales.
Attractions within the town include a traditional high street marketplace, a shopping arcade, a museum, and an array of independent shops. Tourists and locals can pop into pubs or chat over cups of tea, or wander down Skipton’s cobbled streets and canal paths.
Rightmove said residents of Skipton ranked it particularly highly for its access to nature and green spaces, the friendliness of the people, and access to essential services such as schools.
Residents also praised Skipton for feeling they can be themselves there, and for the affordability of the area, feeling they earn enough to live comfortably.
Rightmove said it was ranked less highly for its access to employment opportunities and desirable jobs, and residents living nearby to friends and family.
The average asking price for a home in Skipton is £326,093, which is lower than the current national average of £364,833, Rightmove said.
The town took the top spot after being placed at number six in last year’s study, and in second place in 2020.
Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley in Yorkshire, said: “Combining community, countryside and communication – Skipton has it all.
“A highly desirable living environment with immediate access to the Dales and a beautiful setting amidst some of the region’s finest countryside, and only a little more than an hour from the Lake District.
“Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and the M65, with its Manchester links, are all easily accessible for both leisure and business.”
With its principal office located near the castle, Skipton Building Society is a a major employer in the area.
Ian Rigarlsford, who works in corporate affairs at Skipton Building Society, said: “Skipton is a place where community genuinely means something, and that’s what makes living and working here so special.
“The friendliness of the town, the accessibility of green spaces, and the incredible backdrop of Skipton Castle and the Yorkshire Dales all contribute to a quality of life that’s hard to match.
“From lunchtime walks to simply enjoying the views from our office, the balance this town offers is remarkable.
“It’s no surprise Skipton has been named the happiest place to live; it’s a town where people look out for each other, and that spirit creates a truly rewarding place to call home.”
Richmond upon Thames and Camden, both in London, were placed second and third respectively in Rightmove’s 2025 “happy at home” index.
Residents of Richmond also ranked it highly for its access to nature and essential local services, as well as non-essential amenities such as restaurants and shops, Rightmove said.
It added that this year’s study marks the first time Camden has taken a “podium spot” in 14 years of the research being collected.
Amy Reynolds, head of sales at London-based estate agent Antony Roberts, said of Richmond: “You’re never far from green space, whether it’s Richmond Park, the towpath, or quiet pockets of nature tucked between neighbourhoods, yet you still have the cafes, independents, and community hubs that give the area its character. There’s a strong sense of connection here too; people don’t just live in Richmond, they participate in it.”
Stirling was named as the happiest place in Scotland, with Anglesey topping the list in Wales.
Ann Evans Jones, director at Morgan Evans in Anglesey, said: “Anglesey is a beautiful setting and has so much to offer, including stunning coastal walks, beautiful beaches for relaxing and water activities.”
More than 19,500 people took part in Rightmove’s 2025 happy at home survey, which was self-selecting. Rightmove sent the survey to people across Britain who had opted in to receive its communications.
Looking more broadly at this year’s results, on average residents in the South West are the happiest with where they live, and those in the East Midlands are least happy, Rightmove said.
But it added the margins are small, and overall more people across Britain are happy than unhappy with where they live.
Of those who believe they would be happier living in a different area, the South West of England is the most popular destination to want to move to.
People who live in a rural location are more likely to say they feel happy where they lived than urban and suburban dwellers. Riverside, woodland or coastal locations are also more likely to have happy residents.
The study also revealed residents who live close to a national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are typically happier than people who do not.
The study also indicated being happy with where you live tends to increase with age, perhaps partly because people tend to have bigger housing budgets as they grow older.
Residents aged 18 to 24 are the least likely to be satisfied with where they live and people aged 65 and over are the most likely to feel happy about where they live.
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “Each year our study celebrates all the different things that make us feel happy with where we live – our neighbours, green spaces, having access to important services.
“A lot more goes into choosing an area to live other than the home itself. Being within easy reach of nature and green spaces regularly comes out as an important factor for people, along with having friendly neighbours and feeling you can truly be yourself where you live.
“It’s great to see the town of Skipton getting the attention it deserves this year having ranked highly in previous studies.”
Here are the happiest places to live in 2025, according to Rightmove, with the region or nation, the average home asking price and the average asking rent per month:
1. Skipton, Yorkshire and the Humber, £326,093, £1,038
2. Richmond upon Thames, London, £942,522, £3,189
3. Camden, London, £1,036,768, £3,523
4. Harrogate, Yorkshire and the Humber, £394,355, £1,535
5. Woodbridge, East of England, £462,734, £1,309
6. Altrincham, North West, £643,244, £2,968
7. Macclesfield, North West, £344,807, £1,407
8. Stirling, Scotland, £226,547, £1,208
9. Cirencester, South West, £472,990, £1,975
10. Hexham, North East, £331,198, £967
Here are the happiest places to live in the East of England according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Woodbridge (5)
2. Leigh-on-Sea (16)
3. Stevenage (24)
4. Clacton-on-Sea (25)
5. St Albans (44)
Here are the happiest places to live in the East Midlands according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Chesterfield (82)
2. Loughborough (120)
3. Derby (121)
4. Lincoln (133)
5. Kettering (151)
Here are the happiest places to live in the North East of England according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Hexham (10)
2. Newcastle-upon-Tyne (60)
3. Darlington (105)
4. Sunderland (132)
5. Durham (161)
Here are the happiest places to live in the North West of England according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Altrincham (6)
2. Macclesfield (7)
3. Wirral (22)
4. Kendal (30)
5. Chester (39)
Here are the happiest places to live in Scotland according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Stirling (8)
2. Kirkcaldy (56)
3. Edinburgh (69)
4. Inverness (75)
5. Perth (80)
Here are the happiest places to live in the South East of England according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Maidenhead (14)
2. Horsham (15)
3. Tonbridge (17)
4. Winchester (18)
5. Newbury (29)
Here are the happiest places to live in the South West of England according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Cirencester (9)
2. Falmouth (11)
3. Dorchester (21)
4. Weymouth (23)
5. Torquay (36)
Here are the happiest places to live in Wales according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Anglesey (19)
2. Monmouth (20)
3. Llandrindod Wells (34)
4. Llandudno (35)
5. Cardiff (103)
Here are the happiest places to live in the West Midlands according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Leamington Spa (12)
2. Lichfield (13)
3. Stratford-on-Avon (28)
4. Shrewsbury (32)
5. Tamworth (33)
Here are the happiest places to live in Yorkshire and the Humber according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Skipton (1)
2. Harrogate (4)
3. Whitby (27)
4. York (57)
5. Halifax (70)
Here are the happiest places to live in London according to Rightmove, with the overall ranking in brackets:
1. Richmond upon Thames (2)
2. Camden (3)
3. Wandsworth (26)
4. Merton (40)
5. Southwark (51)
