[title]
‘Peaceful’ isn’t a word most people might associate with London – but our city has more capacity for rest and relaxation than you might think. In fact, a new study from property company Sell House Fast reckons that one London borough is actually in the top five most peaceful places to live in England.
In order to figure out where the country’s most relaxing areas are, Sell Homes Fast analysed data on a range of criteria including noise complaints, air quality, access to nature, and light pollution. Only one London borough made it into the top 10, while the rest were mostly split across the Midlands, the north, and the southwest.
According to Sell Homes Fast’s numbers, Bromley is the capital’s most laid back borough. There were only four noise complaints per 1,000 people in the area, while Bromley also had low levels of light pollution, no sewage works, and pretty low levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
Overall, Bromley received a ‘sensory disturbance’ score of 2.72 out of 10, earning the borough fifth place nationally. There wasn’t much in it though – Solihull, which came in first, only scored 2.28, and Wiltshire took second place with 2.31.
Although their overall scores were similar, both Solihull and Wiltshire did much better in the air quality category. In fact, most high-scorers beat Bromley when it came to greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, it seems that the Big Smoke is living up to its name.
Richmond-upon-Thames, which was just named the second happiest place in the UK, didn’t make the top 10. In fact, nowhere else in London made it into the list of the nation’s chillest places, but Wokingham, a town within commuting distance of the capital, did. It came seventh overall.
The most relaxing places to live in England
Here are the top 10 most relaxing areas in England according to research from Sell House Fast.
- Solihull, Birmingham
- Wiltshire
- Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
- South Gloucestershire
- Bromley, London
- St. Helens, Merseyside
- Wokingham, Berkshire
- Shropshire
- Wigan, Greater Manchester
- Cheshire West and Chester
London tube fares are going up massively in 2026 – here’s when they increase and by how much.
Plus: The posh neighbourhood that is officially the happiest place to live in London in 2026.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.