Altrincham has surged up the charts in this year's Happy at Home survey, jumping an impressive 23 places to be named the sixth happiest place to live in Britain.
The Greater Manchester town has rocketed from 29th place last year to sixth in Rightmove's annual study, making it the happiest place to live in the North West.
Skipton in North Yorkshire claimed the top spot overall, dethroning last year's winner Woodbridge in Suffolk. The market town, known as the 'Gateway to the Dales', was praised by residents for its proximity to green spaces, friendliness of locals and access to essential services.
Richmond upon Thames took second place, followed by Camden, which reached the top three for the first time in the survey's 14-year history. Harrogate and Woodbridge completed the top five, with Altrincham close behind in sixth ahead of Macclesfield in seventh.
Stirling, Cirencester and Hexham rounded out the top 10.
Rightmove's study measures happiness across 15 factors, including residents' sense of togetherness within their community, access to green spaces, and the feeling of belonging that a place fosters.
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert, said: "Each year our study celebrates all the different things that make us feel happy with where we live - our neighbours, green spaces, having access to important services. A lot more goes into choosing an area to live other than the home itself."
The research found that residents in the South West of England were, on average, the happiest with where they live, while those in the East Midlands were the least content. People living in rural locations, particularly near national parks, woodland or coastline, reported higher levels of satisfaction than those in urban or suburban areas.
