Choosing a place to live isn't just about finding a house. It's about discovering a community that supports your well-being.
Economic conditions, safety, health, the environment and access to services can all be relevant to wellbeing. Combining selected indicators creates one way to compare places, but it does not directly measure how happy every resident feels.
This article preserves our original July 2024 composite ranking of 123 English local-authority areas. Its source list identifies 2021 Health Index data and earnings inputs from 2020–2023. It is a historical publisher study, not an official ranking or a new assessment of happiness in 2026.
The index combines five categories: economy, environment, health, safety and connectivity. The categories use selected indicators such as earnings, life expectancy, pollution, crime and access to services. Scores depend on the chosen measures, weights and rescaling, rather than representing percentages or direct units of happiness.
The original rankings and category scores are retained below. They describe the areas in the study using its historical inputs; they do not establish current local conditions, rate healthcare providers or prove that a place causes better mental health.
Key Findings
- Wokingham ranked first in this publisher index (79.78), followed by Rutland (79.34) and Buckinghamshire (79.27).
- Blackpool ranked last in this index (64.78), followed by Nottingham (65.14) and Hammersmith and Fulham (65.88).
- Category scores were rescaled to run from 50 to 90. The endpoints do not mean the highest-scoring area is 1.8 times happier, healthier or safer.
- Westminster takes the lead in connectivity (90), and Herefordshire (50) comes in last.
- Northumberland has the best environmental score (90), while Tower Hamlets has the worst (50).
- The economic rankings place West Berkshire (90) in first place and Middlesbrough (50) in last.
- Harrow (90) holds the top spot for health in the rankings, with Peterborough (50) ranking last.
- Rutland (90) leads in safety, while Westminster (50) is at the bottom.
- Westminster has the highest connectivity score (90), and the lowest safety score (50).
- Rutland has the highest safety score (90), and the third-lowest connectivity score (61.62).
- Shropshire has the second-best environment score (81.98) and the second-worst connectivity score (58.13).
Original Composite Ranking: English Areas
20 Highest-Scoring Areas in the Original Index
1. Wokingham
Wokingham ranked 1 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 79.782. Its published category scores were connectivity 76.89, economy 87.72, environment 65.79, health 81.26 and safety 87.25. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Wokingham’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
2. Rutland
Rutland ranked 2 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 79.342. Its published category scores were connectivity 61.62, economy 85.3, environment 74.92, health 84.87 and safety 90. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Rutland’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
3. Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire ranked 3 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 79.272. Its published category scores were connectivity 75.77, economy 82.03, environment 70.35, health 82.65 and safety 85.56. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Buckinghamshire’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
4. Bromley
Bromley ranked 4 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.934. Its published category scores were connectivity 82.75, economy 76.89, environment 70.36, health 84.8 and safety 79.87. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
5. Trafford
Trafford ranked 5 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.876. Its published category scores were connectivity 84.82, economy 77.87, environment 73.59, health 77.92 and safety 80.18. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
6. Central Bedfordshire
Central Bedfordshire ranked 6 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.854. Its published category scores were connectivity 75.84, economy 81.54, environment 69.97, health 82.93 and safety 83.99. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
7. East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire ranked 7 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.81. Its published category scores were connectivity 73.33, economy 82.28, environment 80.11, health 74.2 and safety 84.13. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
8. West Berkshire
West Berkshire ranked 8 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.778. Its published category scores were connectivity 73.54, economy 90, environment 70.3, health 74.68 and safety 85.37. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
West Berkshire’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
9. Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset ranked 9 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.774. Its published category scores were connectivity 81.43, economy 78.46, environment 75.24, health 74.61 and safety 84.13. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
10. Stockport
Stockport ranked 10 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.572. Its published category scores were connectivity 84.3, economy 77.23, environment 71.16, health 79.87 and safety 80.3. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
11. North Somerset
North Somerset ranked 11 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.478. Its published category scores were connectivity 76.81, economy 86.64, environment 77.01, health 68.47 and safety 83.46. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
12. Bracknell Forest
Bracknell Forest ranked 12 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.35. Its published category scores were connectivity 78.51, economy 83.67, environment 67.2, health 78.19 and safety 84.18. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
13. Windsor and Maidenhead
Windsor and Maidenhead ranked 13 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.324. Its published category scores were connectivity 80.69, economy 78.76, environment 64.53, health 84.17 and safety 83.47. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
14. South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire ranked 14 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.298. Its published category scores were connectivity 79.5, economy 85.25, environment 70.16, health 74.21 and safety 82.37. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
15. Harrow
Harrow ranked 15 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.21. Its published category scores were connectivity 84.87, economy 68.2, environment 64.99, health 90 and safety 82.99. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
16. Dorset
Dorset ranked 16 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 78.192. Its published category scores were connectivity 70.77, economy 78.36, environment 78.84, health 76.07 and safety 86.92. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
17. Cheshire East
Cheshire East ranked 17 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 77.862. Its published category scores were connectivity 74.07, economy 84.3, environment 69.85, health 76.67 and safety 84.42. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
18. Bexley
Bexley ranked 18 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 77.744. Its published category scores were connectivity 84.66, economy 74.83, environment 68.59, health 79 and safety 81.64. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
19. Havering
Havering ranked 19 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 77.74. Its published category scores were connectivity 82.21, economy 74.93, environment 69.45, health 81.59 and safety 80.52. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
20. York
York ranked 20 in the highest-scoring group in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 77.738. Its published category scores were connectivity 80.97, economy 85.46, environment 79.54, health 61.64 and safety 81.08. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
20 Lowest-Scoring Areas in the Original Index
1. Blackpool
Blackpool ranked 1 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 64.782. Its published category scores were connectivity 84.86, economy 52.4, environment 67.69, health 54.14 and safety 64.82. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
2. Nottingham
Nottingham ranked 2 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 65.148. Its published category scores were connectivity 83.62, economy 50.16, environment 66.55, health 56.12 and safety 69.29. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
3. Hammersmith and Fulham
Hammersmith and Fulham ranked 3 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 65.882. Its published category scores were connectivity 87.9, economy 64.7, environment 58.76, health 60.24 and safety 57.81. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
4. Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ranked 4 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 66.164. Its published category scores were connectivity 81.51, economy 50, environment 73.92, health 61.14 and safety 64.25. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Middlesbrough’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
5. Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea ranked 5 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 66.29. Its published category scores were connectivity 89.34, economy 56.03, environment 51.61, health 78.96 and safety 55.51. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Kensington and Chelsea’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
6. Portsmouth
Portsmouth ranked 6 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 66.794. Its published category scores were connectivity 85.26, economy 71.45, environment 55.13, health 60.28 and safety 61.85. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Portsmouth’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
7. Westminster
Westminster ranked 7 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 67.062. Its published category scores were connectivity 90, economy 64.33, environment 50.73, health 80.25 and safety 50. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
8. Knowsley
Knowsley ranked 8 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 67.518. Its published category scores were connectivity 81.22, economy 50.56, environment 67.31, health 59.32 and safety 79.18. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
9. Birmingham
Birmingham ranked 9 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 68.12. Its published category scores were connectivity 82.32, economy 52.24, environment 61.51 and health 71.38. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
10. Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull ranked 10 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 68.164. Its published category scores were connectivity 84.25, economy 70.1, environment 70.35, health 56 and safety 60.12. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
11. Sunderland
Sunderland ranked 11 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 68.518. Its published category scores were connectivity 82.04, economy 61.4, environment 63.78, health 61.48 and safety 73.89. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
12. Southwark
Southwark ranked 12 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 68.922. Its published category scores were connectivity 87.34, economy 65.79, environment 56.81, health 69.84 and safety 64.83. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
13. Southampton
Southampton ranked 13 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.076. Its published category scores were connectivity 83.93, economy 65.01, environment 65.52, health 63.19 and safety 67.73. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Southampton’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
14. Peterborough
Peterborough ranked 14 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.392. Its published category scores were connectivity 77.97, economy 71.2, environment 75.19, health 50 and safety 72.6. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
15. Leicester
Leicester ranked 15 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.554. Its published category scores were connectivity 83.93, economy 54.32, environment 64.72, health 71.84 and safety 72.96. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
16. Islington
Islington ranked 16 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.556. Its published category scores were connectivity 89.24, economy 67.23, environment 55.47, health 75.31 and safety 60.53. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
17. Hackney
Hackney ranked 17 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.842. Its published category scores were connectivity 86.87, economy 73.05, environment 57.41 and safety 54.99. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
18. Sandwell
Sandwell ranked 18 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.95. Its published category scores were connectivity 83.84, economy 66.52, environment 62.36, health 64.25 and safety 72.78. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
19. Salford
Salford ranked 19 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 69.98. Its published category scores were connectivity 81.52, economy 59.82, environment 70.79, health 62.18 and safety 75.59. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Salford’s profile reflects the measures and weights selected for this study. The health category combines population-health indicators; it does not measure healthcare-provider quality. Access and environmental averages can also conceal differences between neighbourhoods and individual households.
20. Manchester
Manchester ranked 20 from the bottom in the original publisher index, with an overall score of 70.03. Its published category scores were connectivity 83.97, economy 59.65, environment 67.46, health 68.46 and safety 70.61. These are historical composite scores, not current measures of residents’ happiness.
Connectivity: Top 5 vs Bottom 5 Areas
Westminster scored 90 and Herefordshire scored 50 on this rescaled category. These are the chosen endpoints of the index, not a 1.8-fold difference in the underlying outcomes.
Westminster had the highest connectivity score in this study, 90. The historical inputs reported median distances to GP services, pharmacies and leisure facilities of 0.53 km, 0.36 km and 0.34 km respectively, and 0.02% of premises unable to receive 10 Mbit/s broadband. These measures do not guarantee service availability for every resident.
Herefordshire had the lowest connectivity score, 50. The study reported median distances of 2.75 km to GP services, 4.42 km to pharmacies and 1.09 km to leisure facilities, with 4.19% of premises unable to receive 10 Mbit/s broadband. These are historical inputs, not current coverage or travel-time estimates.
Economy: Top 5 vs Bottom 5 Areas
West Berkshire scored 90 and Middlesbrough scored 50 on this rescaled category. These are the chosen endpoints of the index, not a 1.8-fold difference in the underlying outcomes.
West Berkshire scored 90 for economy. The study’s historical inputs included median hourly pay of £20.88, pay growth of 22.18% between 2020 and 2023, a sustained education/employment measure of 96.26% and an unemployment measure of 2.99%. Different indicators refer to different populations and periods; these are not current wage or employment estimates.
Middlesbrough scored 50 for economy. The study reported median hourly pay of £15.13, pay growth of 8.46% between 2020 and 2023, a sustained education/employment measure of 88.84% and unemployment of 7.25%. These retained historical inputs do not establish current job prospects for an individual.
Environment: Top 5 vs Bottom 5 Areas
Northumberland scored 90 and Tower Hamlets scored 50 on this rescaled category. These are the chosen endpoints of the index, not a 1.8-fold difference in the underlying outcomes.
Northumberland scored 90 for environment. Historical inputs reported in the study were a population-weighted annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5.08 µg/m³, 2.64 noise complaints per 1,000 people and 2% overcrowded households. An index score of 90 means the highest rescaled score among the areas studied, not a perfect environment.
Tower Hamlets scored 50 for environment, with reported historical inputs of 9.48 µg/m³ for population-weighted annual mean PM2.5, 25.54 noise complaints per 1,000 people and 12.70% overcrowded households. These indicators describe different environmental and housing conditions, rather than one direct pollution rate.
Health: Top 5 vs Bottom 5 Areas
Harrow scored 90 and Peterborough scored 50 on this rescaled category. These are the chosen endpoints of the index, not a 1.8-fold difference in the underlying outcomes.
Harrow scored 90 for health in the original index. Inputs from the 2021 Health Index dataset included life expectancy of 83.96 years, mean life satisfaction of 7.69 and an age-standardised emergency self-harm admission rate of 89.16 per 100,000. Its age-standardised suicide rate was 5.4 per 100,000 for 2019–2021. The blood-pressure input, 17.91%, is a weighted GP Patient Survey measure based on respondents reporting high blood pressure, not a count of all residents with hypertension. Underlying observation periods vary; this composite does not rate healthcare facilities.
Peterborough scored 50 for health. Inputs from the 2021 Health Index dataset included life expectancy of 80.55 years and mean life satisfaction of 7.27. Its age-standardised suicide rate was 11.2 per 100,000 for 2019–2021. The blood-pressure input, 56.85%, is the dataset’s weighted GP Patient Survey measure, with received surveys as its denominator; it is not evidence that 56.85% of all residents had high blood pressure. These historical population and survey measures do not establish healthcare-provider quality.
Safety: Top 5 vs Bottom 5 Areas
Rutland scored 90 and Westminster scored 50 on this rescaled category. These are the chosen endpoints of the index, not a 1.8-fold difference in the underlying outcomes.
Rutland scored 90 for safety. Historical inputs reported in the study were 1.51 low-level crimes and 23.57 personal crimes per 1,000 people, plus 0.11 reported road crashes per km². These use different denominators and are not interchangeable measures of an individual’s safety.
Westminster scored 50 for safety. The study reported 12.54 low-level crimes and 75.83 personal crimes per 1,000 people, plus 53.25 reported road crashes per km². Area-based counts and resident-population rates need care in places with large commuter and visitor populations; the score is not a direct measure of how safe residents feel.
Conclusion
This index compares selected historical indicators across 123 English areas. It cannot establish a causal connection between a place and residents’ happiness, or show that changes in an index score will produce a particular improvement in mental health.
The results can be read as one published comparison, alongside direct wellbeing surveys and more recent local information. The rankings depend on the data available, indicator definitions, weights and rescaling choices. They should not be used as a current official league table of the best or worst places to live.
Methodology
The original methodology ranks 123 English local-authority areas using five categories. The areas include boroughs, unitary authorities and counties; they are not 123 counties or states. The categories are:
- Health : This category focuses on factors impacting the physical and mental well-being of residents.
- Economy : This category focuses on factors that influence the financial stability and economic circumstances measured for the area.
- Safety : This category focuses on factors that impact the overall security and well-being of residents.
- Connectivity : This category focuses on factors that influence the ease and efficiency of transportation and communication for residents.
- Environment : This category focuses on factors that impact the natural surroundings and overall environmental quality for residents
Data Acquisition and Normalization
The study combined historical indicators from several sources. Its source list identifies the 2021 Health Index dataset, with earnings comparisons through 2023. The Health Index’s underlying observation periods vary by indicator. The original method describes transforming inputs to a common 40–100 scale before weighting; the transformed values are index points, not percentages.
Scoring and Weighting
Each category combines selected metrics with weights chosen by the publisher. Such choices are judgements about the model, not scientifically established shares of happiness. Different weights or indicator definitions can change the rankings; the original weighting table is retained below.
Calculating the Final Score
- The original category calculation involved:
- Normalizing the individual data points within the category.
- Multiplying each normalized value by its corresponding weight.
- Summing the weighted values.
- The original method then rescales category scores to a 50–90 range and combines them into an overall score. A score of 90 is the upper endpoint of this scale, not 90% happiness; dividing 90 by 50 does not yield a meaningful ratio of wellbeing.
- Areas are ordered by the resulting composite score. The table preserves the original results rather than recalculating them with current data.
Methodology: Further Details
