Work is a big part of our lives — we have to find happiness in our daily roles. Businesses can support employee happiness through measures like corporate wellness programs, promoting inclusivity and employee recognition. But happiness at work goes beyond your company culture and office space.
The city you live in can have a huge impact on your mental health too. Smooth public transport, less traffic, cleaner air and access to health and fitness facilities are all examples of how location impacts wellbeing.
Using these and other important metrics, we’ve researched and ranked the best cities to live and work in to improve your mental health.
Population Density
Newcastle has the fewest people per square metre
Did you know that the higher the population density, the likelier people are to suffer from mental illness? Research shows a 21% increase in the likelihood of depressive symptoms for those living in densely populated areas.
This isn’t an issue in Newcastle: The Northern city is one of the best places for mental health thanks to having the lowest population density of any city in the UK, with fewer than 600 people per square kilometre.
| City | Population Density (People Per Square Kilometre) | Ranking |
| Newcastle | 584 | 1 |
| Northampton | 673 | 2 |
| Leeds | 1,472 | 3 |
| Bradford | 1,491 | 4 |
| Sheffield | 1,513 | 5 |
| Sunderland | 1,995 | 6 |
| Manchester | 2,248 | 7 |
| Bournemouth | 2,470 | 8 |
| Cardiff | 2,572 | 9 |
| Middlesbrough | 2,671 | 10 |
Source: 2021 Census data
Air Pollution
Southampton has the freshest air
Good air quality is crucial for both physical and mental health in cities, preventing organ damage, risk of mental disorders and even preventing dementia.
IQAir ranks the air quality scores of different locations to track air pollution levels and risks, with 1 being the best, cleanest air, and 100 being the worst. IQAir ranks Southampton with an air quality score of 3 — almost the best it can possibly be — making it a clear winner regarding low air pollution.
We’re also delighted to see all our Work.Life locations appear in the top 10 places for air quality!
| City | Air Pollution Score | Ranking |
| Southampton | 3 | 1 |
| Bristol | 5 | 2 |
| Manchester | 7 | 3 |
| Leeds | 9 | 4 |
| Reading | 10 | 5 |
| Plymouth | 12 | 6 |
| London | 13 | 7 |
| Sheffield | 14 | 8 |
| Bradford | 15 | 9 |
| Brighton | 17 | 10 |
Source: IQAir
Traffic Congestion
Coventry has the least traffic
There’s nothing worse than being in a rush to a meeting or to see an important client, only to find yourself stuck in seemingly never-ending traffic.
If you want to avoid the agitation of traffic, road rage, and slow commutes, Coventry is the place to be, with the lowest traffic congestion level in the UK (although we note Reading is a close second, where our Work.Life King’s Road shared workspace is based).
| City | Traffic Congestion Level | Ranking |
| Coventry | 299 | 1 |
| Reading | 295 | 2 |
| Stoke | 293 | 3 |
| Middlesbrough | 257 | 4 |
| Southampton | 237 | 5 |
| Leeds | 193 | 6 |
| Bradford | 193 | 7 |
| Sheffield | 189 | 8 |
| Nottingham | 184 | 9 |
| Sunderland | 182 | 10 |
Source: TomTom
Unemployment Rates
Reading has the best employment rate
Naturally, having a safe and secure source of income is an important aspect of mental health. No one enjoys worrying about finances or where their next pay check is coming from, and having work you enjoy and which offers progression is a key part of feeling accomplished.
Named ‘the UK’s Silicon Valley’, Reading has the best employment rate overall, with only 2.8% unemployment. (No wonder Work.Life’s Reading branch is such a bustling hub of activity, creativity and collaboration!)
| City | Unemployment Rate | Ranking |
| Reading | 2.80% | 1 |
| Bristol | 2.80% | 2 |
| Plymouth | 3.40% | 3 |
| Bournemouth | 3.40% | 4 |
| Southampton | 3.50% | 5 |
| Portsmouth | 3.50% | 6 |
| Brighton | 3.70% | 7 |
| Cardiff | 3.80% | 8 |
| Nottingham | 4.10% | 9 |
| Sheffield | 4.20% | 10 |
Source: Centre for Cities
Average Disposable Income
Londoners have the most disposable income, averaging over £30,000 per year
Those with higher household incomes experience higher levels of happiness, with more financial resources to fund a comfortable home, holidays abroad, and luxury items like a nice car or fashion items. While there’s said to be a drop-off point for the happiness money can bring (estimated at $75,000 USD per annum, or £62,000 in the UK), the link between disposable income and wellbeing is nonetheless there.
Unsurprisingly, London is top when it comes to disposable income. Londoners receive higher wages, taking home an average of £30,256 in disposable income per year to enjoy the entertainment the capital offers.
| City | Average Gross Disposable Income | Ranking |
| London | £30,256 | 1 |
| Reading | £23,203 | 2 |
| Brighton | £23,142 | 3 |
| Bournemouth | £21,652 | 4 |
| Northampton | £20,947 | 5 |
| Bristol | £20,249 | 6 |
| Leeds | £18,634 | 7 |
| Southampton | £17,529 | 8 |
| Cardiff | £17,431 | 9 |
| Plymouth | £17,343 | 10 |
Source: Office of National Statistics (ONS)
Fitness
Reading is the fittest UK city
Studies show that doing 30 to 60 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times per week can give you significant mental health benefits. Even if you’re a busy professional, there are ways to find time to fit this in. For example, all our Work.Life coworking spaces provide secure bike storage so you can cycle to work, and we provide free weekly yoga classes for our members to get an exercise fix during the day.
Reading is the city most committed to exercising, with the highest amount of gyms per person compared to other UK locations.
| City | Number of Gyms | Population | People per Gym | Ranking |
| Reading | 89 | 161,780 | 1,818 | 1 |
| Brighton | 125 | 277,200 | 2,218 | 2 |
| Leicester | 145 | 357,394 | 2,465 | 3 |
| Bristol | 136 | 467,009 | 3,434 | 4 |
| Nottingham | 91 | 331,297 | 3,641 | 5 |
| Manchester | 140 | 553,020 | 3,950 | 6 |
| Liverpool | 106 | 496,784 | 4,687 | 7 |
| Leeds | 80 | 792,525 | 9,907 | 8 |
| London | 162 | 1,607,000 | 9,920 | 9 |
| Birmingham | 89 | 1,149,000 | 12,910 | 10 |
A number of gyms per location sourced by searching Google Maps.
Wellness
Brighton is the UK’s wellness hub
Brighton is also the best city to work in for those committed to holistic wellness. The city has more health and wellness centres per person than anywhere else. So, if you’re wondering where to head for your next spa break, Brighton could be the one!
| City | Spas and Wellness Centres | Ranking (Weighted by Population) |
| Brighton | 53 | 1 |
| Southampton | 26 | 2 |
| Portsmouth | 22 | 3 |
| London | 893 | 4 |
| Manchester | 55 | 5 |
| Cardiff | 46 | 6 |
| Reading | 15 | 7 |
| Liverpool | 41 | 8 |
| Bournemouth | 39 | 9 |
| Leeds | 57 | 10 |
Source: TripAdvisor
Life Expectancy
Londoners live the longest
Looking after your mental and physical well-being can contribute to a longer life and a happier one. On average, Londoners live longer than people from other UK cities, at around 82 years, reflecting the good quality of life residents of the capital enjoy. Must be all those steps to the tube keeping us active!
| City | Average Life Expectancy | Ranking |
| London | 82.31 | 1 |
| Bournemouth | 82.03 | 2 |
| Brighton | 81.25 | 3 |
| Northampton | 81.04 | 4 |
| Reading | 80.64 | 5 |
| Plymouth | 80.64 | 6 |
| Bristol | 80.59 | 7 |
| Sheffield | 80.47 | 8 |
| Portsmouth | 80.42 | 9 |
| Cardiff | 80.4 | 10 |
Source: Office of National Statistics (ONS)
Work Stress
Northampton is the most stress-free city
Online search data shows the cities most and least concerned with their stress levels. Laid-back Northampton is the best UK city to work in when it comes to living a stress-free life, with the fewest internet searches for ‘stress’ per population.
| City | Work Stress Level | Ranking (Weighted by Population) |
| Northampton | 10 | 1 |
| Bradford | 10 | 2 |
| Bournemouth | 10 | 3 |
| Newcastle | 20 | 4 |
| Sunderland | 10 | 5 |
| Brighton | 10 | 6 |
| Plymouth | 10 | 7 |
| Hull | 10 | 8 |
| Stoke | 10 | 9 |
| Southampton | 10 | 10 |
Source: Google Ads
THE RESULTS: What is the best city to live and work in for mental health?
| City | Total Score | Weighted Total Score | FINAL RANKING |
| Reading | 69 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Brighton | 65 | 7.2 | 2 |
| Southampton | 64 | 8.0 | 3 |
| Plymouth | 65 | 8.1 | 4 |
| Northampton | 65 | 8.1 | 5 |
| Bournemouth | 72 | 9.0 | 6 |
| Leeds | 91 | 9.1 | 7 |
| Bristol | 95 | 10.6 | 8 |
| Sheffield | 88 | 11.0 | 9 |
| Portsmouth | 88 | 11.0 | 9 |
| Cardiff | 90 | 11.3 | 10 |
| London | 103 | 11.4 | 11 |
| Newcastle | 94 | 11.8 | 12 |
| Bradford | 108 | 13.5 | 13 |
| Manchester | 139 | 13.9 | 14 |
| Sunderland | 115 | 14.4 | 15 |
| Liverpool | 150 | 15.0 | 16 |
| Coventry | 120 | 15.0 | 16 |
| Nottingham | 155 | 15.5 | 17 |
| Derby | 125 | 15.6 | 18 |
| Stoke | 125 | 15.6 | 18 |
| Birmingham | 163 | 16.3 | 19 |
| Leicester | 147 | 16.3 | 19 |
| Middlesbrough | 144 | 18.0 | 20 |
| Hull | 163 | 20.4 | 21 |
Reading is the best city for mental health at work in 2022
With the most gyms to offer per person, to high average disposable income rates and the lowest unemployment rate in the UK, there are plenty of reasons why workers in Reading are among the happiest. The city prides itself on being a tech hub, with plenty of jobs alongside good links to opportunities in London, which is just a 30-minute train journey away. As a result, it’s the best UK city to work in for your mental health in 2022!
Our Work.Life Reading branch has all the necessities to make each working day as happy and productive as possible. Offering hot desking packages for professionals on the go and private office spaces for your growing business, our shared workspaces include super-fast WiFi, fully-stocked kitchen areas with unlimited coffee, and all-essential socials, exercise classes and pizza nights for you to network and make new connections.
Happiness at Work.Life’s shared workspaces
At Work.Life, fostering happiness at work is a staple of our values! Our co-founders built our shared workspaces with people’s wellbeing at the forefront: we’re all about creating positive workspaces for collaboration and community — the best environment for happiness, productivity and creativity to thrive!
Check out Work.Life shared workspaces today, or learn more about our B Corp certification and how we put people, community and sustainability first.
Method
Locations were ranked on each metric, with 1 being the best. Rankings for each city were added and weighted to account for instances where data was unavailable and, where relevant, to consider population. These were then ranked from low to high to reveal the best locations across all metrics.