North Yorkshire's Skipton and Harrogate named among the happiest places in Britain by Rightmove study

The North Yorkshire beauty spot came second to Cornwall's St Ives in this year's Happy at Home Index, with Harrogate registering at ninth.

In rankings specific to Yorkshire, the towns were followed by York, Halifax and Leeds.

People living in rural and coastal areas were found to be happier with where they live than respondents living in cities and urban areas, which reflects a nationwide trend of people desiring better access to outdoor spaces, says Rightmove.

Rightmove’s director of property data, Tim Bannister, said: “Our latest research shows that despite all the challenges that this year has brought, many people have been able to reconnect with their local area and community which has had a positive effect on how they feel about where they live.

"Overall, I think lockdown has enabled people to rediscover what’s on their doorstep, and spending more time in their local areas has made people value their surroundings and communities so much more.

"This year’s study shows a greater appreciation for green spaces and nature, and a strong correlation between people living in coastal and rural areas and how happy people are where they live. Since lockdown we’ve since a trend towards more people looking to live in smaller communities, and so it’s very fitting to see that the picturesque town of St Ives has taken the top spot in 2020.”

The average asking price for home ownership in Skipton is £226,130, with the rent at £549, while in Harrogate house prices increase to £336,968 and renters on average asked to pay £821 for two-bed properties per month, according to Rightmove.

The study - which 21,631 people responded to - also found that people living in rural and coastal locations were more likely to have developed a greater affinity with their local area during the initial lockdown period, with the study suggesting that access to green spaces made people more appreciative of where they live.

Of the people who plan to buy or rent in the next 12 months, over half (56 per cent) claimed they now place greater importance on access to nature and green spaces when deciding on the area and home they want to live in.

The trend is most notable among younger home-movers in the 18 to 34 age group, said the company.

Overall, the experience of spending more time at home and in their local area this year has positively impacted how much people like where they live.

Over one third said they now like their area more, 46 per cent said there has been no change in how they feel, and only 18 per cent said they now like their area less.

The Rightmove study, now in its ninth year, asks residents to report how they feel about where they live, as well as asking them to rank ten happiness factors.

The ten factors range from how friendly the neighbours are and how good the local services are, to the sense of belonging and the quality of nature and green spaces in the area.