Hexham named among Britain's top 10 happiest places to live

Hexham Abbey from the Sele Park <i>(Image: EWishart)</i>
Hexham Abbey from the Sele Park (Image: EWishart)
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HEXHAM has once again been named among the ten happiest places to live in Britain.

The Northumberland market town ranked tenth in Rightmove's 2026 Happy at Home Index, keeping the same position as last year and once again topping the North East.

More than 24,000 people took part in this year's self-selecting survey, which asked residents about different aspects of where they live.

The average asking price for a home in Hexham now stands at £317,332, according to Rightmove, compared with £331,198 in last year's survey.

The town is known for its historic centre, green spaces and large number of independent shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses.

Richmond upon Thames was named Britain's happiest place to live for 2026, followed by Harrogate and Cirencester.

Last year's winner, Skipton, remained in the top ten but dropped to seventh.

Across Britain, 81 per cent of those surveyed said they were happy with where they live.

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