Kirkcaldy revealed as 'happiest place to live in Scotland'
Accolade places Lang Toun ahead of Perth, Inverness, Dundee and Galashiels
Kirkcaldy has been named the happiest place to live in Scotland.
The accolade came in a UK-wide annual survey conducted by Rightmove.
The Lang Toun took the honours for north of the Border, ahead of second placed Perth.
Third spot went to Inverness, Dundee came fourth and Galashiels fifth.
Overall, Kirkcaldy was listed 18th happiest place to stay in the UK.
The accolade comes on the back of it hosting its biggest ever public art trail - 17 giant sized Wemyss Ware cats, all designed by Fife artists which drew thousands of visitors, and sold for auction for a cumulative £100,000.
The town centre has also witnessed a boom in giant artworks on a number of buildings, adding colour to the main shopping thoroughfare.
These include a massive portrait of a young Adam Smith looking out to sea, and a celebration of Kirkcaldy’s world-leading role as the home of linoleum.
The town is also fine tuning its masterplan to invest £20 million from the UK government’s Growth Mission Fund which is designed to kickstart a transformation of the town centre and its waterfront.
Richmond upon Thames was named the happiest place to live in Britain as a whole.
But with easy access to central London and residents being able to stroll down the Thames pathways, spot roaming deer, and enjoy boutiques and cafes, living in Richmond comes at a price – with the average asking price for a home there standing at more than £1 million.
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Harrogate in North Yorkshire was placed second, while Cirencester in Gloucestershire was third. In Wales, Monmouth was the highest ranked.
Last year’s winner, Skipton in North Yorkshire, remained among Britain’s top 10 happiest places to live, ranking seventh in this year’s study, which collected responses from more than 24,000 people.
Richmond upon Thames returned to number one after previously winning in 2023 and finishing second last year.
The leafy London borough ranked particularly highly across several aspects of local life, including access to nature and green spaces, essential local services, shops and restaurants, employment opportunities and desirable jobs, as well as residents’ pride in their area, Rightmove said.
Fans of hit TV series Ted Lasso will also recognise filming locations in Richmond.
Second-placed Harrogate also ranked highly for access to nature and green spaces, as well as residents’ agreement with the statement “I can be myself”, according to the study.
Across Britain, four-fifths (81 per cent) of people who took part in the survey said they are happy with where they live.
Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “Richmond stands out for offering a combination many people value: easy access to nature and green spaces, without having to give up local services, places to eat and shop, or employment opportunities.
“That balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings.
“Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important.
“This year’s results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren’t simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both.”
People took part in the research after being emailed via Rightmove’s database, so the survey was self-selecting.
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