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Skipton named the happiest place to live in North Yorkshire

Tuesday, 28 October 2025 15:53

The town was ranked highest in the county and placed second overall in a list of 75 locations across the UK.

The survey considered factors such as access to green spaces, attractive surroundings, good state schools, affordable housing, and local amenities including pubs, restaurants, independent shops and cultural attractions.

Skipton’s historic castle, regular market and popular town centre were highlighted as reasons for its strong performance, along with state secondary schools Ermysted’s, Skipton Girls’ High School and The Skipton Academy.

The town’s connections to films and TV productions, including Calendar Girls, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and All Creatures Great and Small, also contributed to its appeal.

Harrogate placed second in North Yorkshire, followed by Guisborough, Helmsley and Ripon. The survey was carried out by online furniture retailer Furniturebox, which polled 5,000 people across the UK with panels in each major city and county.

A spokesperson for Furniturebox said the top-ranked locations demonstrated how quality of life matters more than wealth when it comes to happiness, noting that many areas in the top 75 offer access to more affordable homes.

The national list placed Norwich at number one.

The full rankings are available to view in Furniturebox’s guide to the UK’s 75 happiest places.

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