‘Happiest’ places to live in Scotland revealed as picturesque town tops list

A PICTURESQUE town in the Borders has been named the “happiest” place to live in Scotland.

The Happy at Home study carried out by Rightmove was completed by over 26,000 residents across the UK.

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The property website asked people how they feel about where they live and used the data to compile a list of the “happiest” places in Britain.

The study revealed: “The results of this year’s study showed that the most important contributors to happiness were feeling a sense of pride, belonging and community.

“Access to green space and nature is also important to residents, with those living in a rural area near a national park, or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, more likely to feel happy where they live.”

According to the poll, Rightmove named Galashiels in the Scottish Borders as the “happiest” place to live in Scotland.

The picturesque town was also placed 15th in the UK.

Adam James, director at James Agent in the Scottish Borders, said the town is “the hub of the Scottish Borders, with something to love for every resident,” the Cumnock Chronicle reports.

“The friendly people, strong community and good value for money means it remains popular with families each year, while the university, good choice of entertainment and job opportunities also makes it a favourite among younger people too.

“This is reflected in the different types of homes for sale – Galashiels has everything from large Victorian-era homes to affordable flats for first-time buyers.

“We also see a number of buyers making the journey up from the south to settle in Galashiels, attracted by the rural location and peaceful lifestyle on offer. Nothing quite beats some of the rural walks on offer in Galashiels and other locations in the Borders.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve seen the popularity of the area rise even further with the introduction of the Waverley line, which makes transport to Edinburgh much easier. So not only do residents of Galashiels have everything they could want on their doorstep, but for those also looking for some of the attractions of a larger city, they can also get that too.”

Inverness was named second on the Scottish list, with Dumfries in third place.

Dundee was ranked fourth and Perth in fifth place.

The capital city was placed on the list in ninth place and Glasgow was just outside the top 10 in 11th.

Nationwide, Richmond upon Thames in London was crowned the happiest place to live by those that live there – the first time an area in the capital has taken the top spot.

The city of Winchester in Hampshire was second, and Monmouth in Wales ranked third.