Happiest places in Britain

by Neil Stacey

So Costa Rica might ‘officially’ be the happiest place in the world, but let’s be honest, that doesn’t help us out that much.

Sure we can all jump on a plane and take a holiday there, but it’s unlikely that we’ll all pack up and move to this Central American gem.

So we’ve taken a look a lot closer to home, to try and find the happiest place in the UK – pretty confident that Elephant & Castle won’t be troubling those at the top.

Using data collected during interviews for the British Household Panel Survey, researchers compiled a league table of the least and most happy regions.

Amazingly enough, the happiest place in Britain was in Wales!

Wales?!

Blessed with beautiful scenery, the county of Powys stretches from the Brecons in the south to the borders of Snowdonia in the north, and the people who lived there are insanely happy – like something from a fairytale.

By contrast, the unhappiest place is Edinburgh.

Despite the city’s reputation as a lively centre of arts, politics and a fringe festival, the study suggests the locals are dour and miserable – in short your stereotypical Scots.

Admittedly the figures come from 2008, so if you’re thinking of upping and leaving for Wales after you graduate, you might want to think again.

As in all things, good places can go bad, and bad places almost disappear off the map.

And anyway, happiness is just a state of mind.

Surely it’s the person and not the place that dictates how you feel.

The list

1. Brecknock, Montgomery and Radnor

2. Manchester

3. East Staffs and Staff Moorland

4. West Lothian

5. Cunningham, Ayrshire

6. Chelmsford