The 14 happiest locations to reside in Scotland have been identify by Rightmove as a part of its eleventh annual Completely satisfied at Dwelling Index.
Galashiels within the Scottish Borders topped the Scottish checklist and got here second on this yr’s British checklist, which is the primary time an space from Scotland has been ranked within the prime three since 2016.
Residents of Galashiels scored it significantly extremely on the friendliness and politeness of the individuals, and it got here prime on this space throughout Nice Britain.
Different Scottish entries that made the highest 10 checklist in Britain embody Perth, which ranked fifth and Stirling which got here in at ninth.
Scotland's prime 5 additionally included Dundee within the fourth spot and Inverness in fifth.
Alice Brown, Valuer at Rettie & Co. Borders mentioned: "It's no shock that Galashiels is so beloved by its residents. It's the largest of the Border cities, with a inhabitants of circa 15,000.
"Its central placement within the Borders makes it a preferred location for households, giving a relaxed lifestyle whereas being in a commutable distance of Edinburgh through both the Borders Railway, bus or automotive.
"Steeped in historical past, Galashiels has all kinds of housing from basic interval properties to new builds, providing one thing for each kind of purchaser. The countryside surrounding Galashiels additionally has a lot to supply, particularly for these with an curiosity in rural pursuits comparable to strolling, path working, biking, wild swimming, and so on.
"By way of leisure, quite a lot of facilities are on the doorstep, together with a cinema, gyms, a swimming pool, supermarkets, impartial retailers, cafes, a retail park, eating places and well-regarded faculties. The not too long ago established Heartland Market brings collectively the city and native companies."
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Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s Director of Property Science feedback: "This yr’s Completely satisfied at Dwelling survey actually reveals that the issues that make individuals completely happy to reside of their space will not be a lot the bodily facets of that space however extra the private facets, comparable to our sense of belonging, the neighborhood and the individuals.
"The previous couple of months have undoubtedly been troublesome for a lot of, and as we discovered throughout one other troublesome interval in 2020, that is usually once we look to our native space and neighborhood for help and happiness."
The happiest locations to reside in Scotland
| Place | Regional Rank | Nationwide Rank |
| Galashiels | 1 | 2 |
| Perth | 2 | 5 |
| Stirling | 3 | 9 |
| Dundee | 4 | 37 |
| Inverness | 5 | 42 |
| Falkirk | 6 | 77 |
| Paisley | 7 | 83 |
| Glasgow | 8 | 105 |
| Edinburgh | 9 | 131 |
| Kirkcaldy | 10 | 135 |
| Ayr | 11 | 139 |
| Motherwell | 12 | 151 |
| Kilmarnock | 13 | 156 |
| Aberdeen | 14 | 172 |
This yr’s research was carried out because the cost-of-living squeeze rises, which was mirrored within the survey outcomes.
One in 5 (22 p.c) renters mentioned they deliberate to maneuver within the subsequent 12 months to get higher worth for cash of their space, together with 16% of patrons. One in ten renters (11 p.c) mentioned they have been transferring to scale back power prices, rising to 12 p.c for patrons.
When contemplating what was most essential in regards to the property they could transfer to, a backyard is most essential to patrons (29 p.c), nonetheless renters are extra involved in regards to the power prices of the property (20 p.c).
Outdoors of Scotland, the checklist was topped by St Ives in Cornwall, with Woodbridge within the East of England and Hexham within the North East additionally making the highest 5.
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