Richmond upon Thames has claimed the title of the happiest place to live in London, according to new data.
Rightmove’s ‘Happy at Home’ survey, which asked over 35,000 residents about their local area, found Richmond to be the happiest place in London, and the second happiest place in all of Britain behind Woodbridge, Suffolk.
But while the area may have an exceptional quality of life, it comes at a steep price.
Richmond renter Clara Scott, 22, said: “I absolutely love living in Richmond. The park, the river, the high street, it’s all amazing.
“But honestly, with property prices so high buying here feels impossible.
“It’s a real shame because it is such a lovely area, but unfortunately, unless you have external financial support, it is out of reach for most people my age.”
The average house price in Richmond upon Thames was £745,000 in November 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics and HM Land Registry.
That made it the fourth-highest in London, sitting well above the capital’s average of £511,000, and even further above the national average of £292,000.
However, data shows that house prices in the area rose by only 1% on-year, which is a similar rate to properties in the rest of the country year-on-year.
Private rental rates are rising at a much higher rate in Richmond, going up by 14.3% to £2,122 per month in December 2024, from £1,858 in December 2023.
This was higher than the rise in average rental prices in London, which was only 11.5% over the year.
Richmond’s desirability as an area to live is a significant factor in these rises.
The area is known for its abundant green spaces like Richmond Park, and its access to the river Thames on two sides.
It is also one of the safest areas in London, with 62 crimes per thousand people annually, according to data from data.police.uk.
This is well below the London average of 104.
Featured image credit: Ruth Gledhill via Unspa
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