We all know that money can't really buy you happiness – a landmark study published in 2016 found that sound mental health and relationships are far more important.
But at the same time, serious money worries can be absolutely devastating – as anyone who's experienced them knows. The cruel shame that surrounds debt makes it difficult to talk about and can have a severe negative effect on your mental health.
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In Winchester, the UK's happiest city according to the ONS, the average salary comes in at just over £35,346. In Lichfield, the second happiest city, the average salary is £33,360; and in Chichester, the third-happiest, it's £31,894.
St Albans, the UK's fifth happiest city, has the highest average salary of anywhere in the top 20 – £47,507, which is more than £6,000 higher than the London average of £41,220. St Albans also has the highest life expectancy – 83.7 years – narrowly ahead of Winchester, where it's 83.6 years.
The capital, incidentally, is the UK's 12th happiest city according to the ONS. Average life expectancy there is 82.6 years.
Overall, the average salary across the UK's 20 happiest cities is £33,864. This is around 10% higher than the nationwide average salary of £30,420 (or £585 a week), suggesting there is possibly a slight link between money and happiness in the UK. You can check out the infographic below.
Kevin Mountford, Co-Founder of Raisin UK, said of the results: “While our research suggests money can help ease the stresses of daily life, leading to a longer life expectancy and subsequently allowing you to buy happiness, it’s not always the case in real life.
"Our research can help you decide which city across the UK and country in the world to live in to maximise your chances of being the happiest you possibly can, but it’s up to you to make your own happiness."