Hitchin and St Albans are among the happiest places to live in Britain, according to a study by Rightmove.

Now in its 13th year, the annual study was completed by more than 35,000 people across Britain, with residents asked how they feel about their area.

People expressed opinions on topics such as how proud they feel about where they live, their sense of belonging, community spirit, whether they can be themselves, whether they can earn enough to live comfortably in their area, public transport, sports and recreation, green spaces, and artistic and cultural activities.

Subsequently, Hitchin is ranked 20th in the list of happiest places to live in 2024, with Woodbridge in Suffolk taking the top spot and London's Richmond-upon-Thames placed second.

Rightmove has also divulged that the average asking price for a home in Hitchin is £510,612, while the average monthly rent is £1,730.

Meanwhile, Hitchin is ranked third happiest place to live in the East of England, and St Albans is ranked fourth, with the cathedral city coming 50th in the list of happiest places to live in Britain.

Rightmove's research indicates that the type of environment that made residents most happy was a rural location by woodland or a forest, or being near a national park or national landscape.

Rightmove’s analysis found that feeling proud to live in an area was the biggest driver of overall satisfaction with a home and community, out of the factors it looked at, while living near to family and friends was the smallest driver.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, added: "It’s the younger generation who are most likely to say they would be happier living somewhere else, many of whom have to travel to cities for education or to find their first jobs."