Bexley borough has been named the ninth most miserable place to live in the UK, according to a new survey by property website Rightmove.
The study, now in its 13th year, gathered responses from over 35,000 people across Britain, asking them about their satisfaction with their local area.
The findings revealed that Bexley borough residents are among the least happy in the country, ranking just below Newham and ahead of Birmingham.
The survey explored various factors that contribute to residents’ happiness, including a sense of pride in the community, feelings of belonging, access to green spaces, public transport, and cultural activities.
Despite its suburban charm and reputation for being one of London’s quieter boroughs, Bexley appears to be struggling to win the approval of its locals.
Bexley’s inclusion on the list places it alongside several other London boroughs that ranked poorly in the study, such as Croydon (fifth), Brent (seventh), and Newham (eighth).
The top spot for the most miserable place went to Slough, followed by Bradford, Barking & Dagenham, and Dudley.
In contrast, the happiest place to live in Britain was Woodbridge in Suffolk, followed by Richmond upon Thames, which secured the second spot.
Residents expressed opinions on topics such as how proud they feeI 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.
The Gen-Z generation (18 to 24-year-olds) were the most likely to say that they thought they would be happier living in a different area, while those aged 55-plus were the least likely.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “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.”
The research also indicated 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.
Here is the full list of the unhappiest places to live:
1. Slough2. Bradford3. Barking & Dagenham4. Dudley 5. Croydon6. Walsall7. Brent8. Newham9. Bexley10. Birmingham