A new study has revealed the “happiest” places to live in Scotland.
Choosing where to settle down can be a difficult decision that can depend on a range of factors, from house prices to the quality of amenities. At the end of the day, though, how happy you will be is the most important thing to consider when picking a place to live.
Experts at furniture company Furniturebox polled 5,000 people across the country in order to find where Scots are the happiest, with panels in each major city and county. According to the results, Aboyne is the most happy place in Scotland to live.
Aboyne is an Aberdeenshire village located at the edge of the Highlands, approximately 30 miles out of Aberdeen. Once a popular Victorian country resort, the village sits on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park and features large a green at its centre.
Aboyne features a wide range of cafés and restaurants such as the cosy Black Faced Sheep and Indian eatery Nurtaj, as well as numerous independent shops. Situated near the Glenshee and Lecht Ski Resorts, the village is also a top destination for outdoor activities.
According to the experts, Aboyne Lodge Junior Mixed and Infant School is rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. Meanwhile, The Boat Inn is highly rated by locals and tourists alike.
A Furniturebox spokesperson commented: “Aboyne is the happiest place to live in Scotland. All 70 places on the list would have been worthy winners and show why the UK is such a wonderful place to live, loved by visitors from all over the world.
“Most of the locations in the top 70 are not the most affluent in their localities and have access to some affordable housing. The survey shows that the happiest places are not defined by wealth but by the quality of life within them.”
Meanwhile, coming in second place for Scotland on the survey is Melrose in the Scottish Borders. The picturesque and historic town is located along the River Tweed at the foot of the scenic Eildon Hills.
Rounding out the top five happiest places to live in Scotland according to the survey results are Kinross in Perthshire and Biggar in South Lanarkshire. Other destinations in the top 10 include New Town in Edinburgh, Dunfermline, and Dunblane.
When putting together the survey, the experts considered a number of factors. These included the beauty of the surroundings and green spaces, provision of good state schools and affordable housing, and access to good-quality pubs, restaurants, independent shops, and cultural attractions.
More information and the full list of the UK’s 70 happiest places to live can be found on the Furniturebox website.
Top 10 happiest places in Scotland
- Aboyne, Aberdeeshire
- Melrose, Scottish Borders
- Newton Mearns – Glasgow
- Kinross, Perth and Kinross
- Biggar, South Lanarkshire
- New Town – Edinburgh
- Dunfermline, Fife
- Inverness, Highland
- Dunblane, Stirling
- Kelso, Scottish Borders
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