A study by NatCen for BBC 4’s Woman’s Hour has revealed that women in Islington report having some of the lowest levels of happiness, the least life satisfaction and among the highest levels of anxiety in the UK. In second place for lowest quality of life for women was Blackpool, and third was Corby in the East Midlands. The study was conducted on the basis of income, personal well-being and culture in each area, with 380 local authorities being included in the research.
The analysis by the National Centre for Social Research also showed that Islington has among the highest pollution levels, least access to green spaces, and has some of the least affordable housing in the UK. With the median house price in Islington being 16 times the median income, it’s one of the least affordable places to buy a home in the country, impacting heavily on feelings of life satisfaction in women. The borough scored some of the lowest rankings for women’s safety, while issues of the gender pay gap and education were also factors.
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Since the broadcast, women have taken to Twitter to defend London as their ‘best place’ for reasons such as being accepted for their sexuality and pride in their communities:
In better news, the study’s shown that Scottish women are overall the happiest: topping the ranks to be crowned the best place in the UK to live for women was East Dunbartonshire in Scotland, which scored high in areas including education, equal pay and quality of the local environment. Second best ranking was awarded to East Renfrewshire in Scotland, with West Oxfordshire coming third.
London life definitely isn't for everyone, but it seems that despite issues of affordability, environmental concerns and lack of access to nature suffered by living in London compared to the rest of the country, the diverse culture, events and opportunities there mean that plenty still love it as their #WHbestplace.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.