THE TOP 10 HAPPIEST TOWNS...

Sharon Dale reports.

Houses for Sale ANYONE trotting out the old saying “it’s grim up north” can officially be told to put a sock in it thanks to the latest piece of research from Rightmove.

The property portal surveyed the 25,000 people in a bid to find the happiest and unhappiest places to live.

Northern towns dominate the happiest top 10 with Carlisle taking first place followed by York, Huddersfield and Harrogate, which makes Yorkshire positively blissful and certainly the most contented county.

Nine out of 10 of the unhappiest areas are in the south with East London at number one followed by Ilford. Oldham is the sixth most miserable.

The survey questioned people about their level of contentment with everything from the size, value and decor of their homes to friendliness of their neighbours, safety of their area and the quality of local amenities.

Carlisle’s appeal seems to lie in its reasonably-priced housing, community spirit, its attractive centre and its proximity to the coast, the Lake District and Scotland.

Miles Shipside, commercial director of Rightmove, says the study shows people’s perception of the attractiveness of an area goes beyond the strength of the housing market and other financial considerations. 1. Carlisle; 2. York 3. Huddersfield 4. Harrogate 5. Chester 6. Llandudno 7. Norwich 8. Derby 9. Dorchester 10. Exeter