A Berkshire town has been ranked as the most miserable place to live in Britain, according to an annual happiness survey by Rightmove.
Slough, which is equidistant between London and Reading, was bottom of the annual list of the happiest places to live in 2024 – a list that includes around 220 locations.
The study, now in its 13th year, was completed by more than 35,000 people across the country.
Questions included whether they were proud to live in their area, whether they had a sense of belonging and whether they felt they could ‘be themselves’.
Being able to afford to live comfortably, good public transport connections, sports and recreational activities and a sense of community spirit were also important.
While many locations in Britain clearly view their surroundings with fondness, some residents of Slough do not appear to share that view, Rightmove’s analysis shows.
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Rightmove’s Happy at Home Index asks residents how they feel about their neighborhood based on various happiness factors – the index was completed by over 35,000 people this year
Despite this perception among residents, Slough is not a cheap place to live.
The average asking price of a property in Slough is currently £411,820, according to Rightmove, with renters facing an average rental price of £1,824 per property.
Both are above the national average. The typical asking price is £366,592, while for tenants the average rent outside London is £1,348 per month.
But for all the areas where Slough scores poorly, few can dispute its strong transport links.
On its website, Slough Borough Council points out that within a 10-minute drive of Slough is the M25, Europe’s busiest road.
The Council also says that Slough is within a 10-minute drive of Heathrow Airport and a 20-minute train ride to Paddington Station in central London. Slough also has the largest trading area in Europe.
The next most miserable city to live in in Britain, according to Rightmove’s happiness index, is Bradford in Yorkshire and the Humber.
But then again, it’s not all doom and gloom for the people of Bradford. The city has been selected as Britain’s City of Culture for 2025.
According to the Invest in Bradford website, there will be more than 1,000 new performances and events.
Bradford is also much cheaper than most British areas. The average asking price is £181,791, according to Rightmove, while renters can purchase a property for an average of £940 per month.
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My kind of town: you know exactly where you’re going as Slough is equidistant between London and Reading
According to Rightmove, Barking and Dagenham is the third most miserable place to live in Britain.
The East London borough is one of the more affordable parts of the capital, with average asking prices only slightly above the UK average at £375,970.
However, residents clearly believe that you get what you pay for, as this is reflected in the Rightmove index.
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The Least End: Barking and Dagenham ranked 218 out of 220 areas in Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index
Other miserable hotspots include four other larger London boroughs. Croydon, Brent, Newham and Bexley.
Residents of Brent may feel they are not getting value for money, with the average asking price in the North West London borough being £610,182 and the average rental price £2,393.
Three areas in the West Midlands are also in the top 10 most miserable places to live in Britain.
Dudley, Walsall and Birmingham made the list. All three offer property prices below the UK average. The average asking price in Birmingham is £255,410.
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Remorseful? Walsall finished 215 out of 220 areas in Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index
What are the happiest places to live?
At the other end of the scale, Woodbridge in Suffolk has topped Rightmove’s annual list of the happiest places to live in Britain for the first time.
Woodbridge residents scored high mainly because they felt they could be themselves in the neighborhood. They also liked the community spirit and friendliness of the people, and the access to essential services such as doctors and schools.
Woodbridge is close to the River Deben in Suffolk. It is also on the edge of the Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths National Landscape.
In the index as a whole, residents who said they lived near a National Landscape, previously known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, said they were happier in their area than those who did not.
The average asking price for a house in Woodbridge is £441,569, while the average advertised rent is £1,478 per calendar month.
Smug: Woodbridge in Suffolk tops Rightmove’s annual list of the happiest places to live
Robin Sanders, Mayor and Leader of Woodbridge Town Council, said: ‘It was a pleasure to hear that Woodbridge has been ranked as the happiest place to live.
‘The cheerful mood of the residents is a reflection of the vibrant town center with numerous listed buildings, occupied by many independent shops, pubs and restaurants, a long-established and film industry renowned independent cinema and, not least, a thriving historic and unique riverside area to enjoy views of the beautiful and internationally designated and protected environment of the tidal river Deben estuary.
‘City residents with children have access to excellent state and public schools in the city, well-managed sports facilities and all residents enjoy and participate in frequent cultural events organized and supported by the council in the parks and public areas.’
The London borough of Richmond upon Thames came second after topping the rankings last year, while Hexham in Northumberland, a previous winner, came third.
Monmouth is once again the happiest place to live in Wales, while Stirling tops the list for Scotland.
| Rank | Place | Average asking price | Average rent (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wood bridge | £441,569 | £1,478 |
| 2 | Richmond-upon-Thames | £939,329 | £3,131 |
| 3 | Hexham | £313,147 | £840 |
| 4 | Monmouth | £320,974 | £1,335 |
| 5 | Harrogate | £394,312 | £1,439 |
| 6 | Skipton | £263,479 | £1,030 |
| 7 | Seven oaks | £881,061 | £2,924 |
| 8 | Leigh at sea | £465,542 | £1,796 |
| 9 | Cirencester | £384,013 | £1,495 |
| 10 | Wokingham | £590,949 | £2,120 |
| 11 | Winchester | £578,760 | £2,069 |
| 12 | Stirling | £214,441 | £1,227 |
| 13 | Stratford-on-Avon | £413,115 | £1,604 |
| 14 | Horsham | £458,641 | £1,983 |
| 15 | Kendal | £285,645 | £966 |
| 16 | Kensington and Chelsea | £1,667,573 | £5,345 |
| 17 | Chorley | £197,199 | £883 |
| 18 | Hove | £555,193 | £1,993 |
| 19 | Wandsworth | £865,205 | £3,159 |
| 20 | Hitchin | £510,612 | £1,730 |
| Source: RightMove |
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