Rightmove’s Happy at Home study, carried out last year, asked over 21,000 people how they feel about where they live.
The results show that having a sense of belonging to your local area is the most important contributor towards happiness, along with having a strong sense of community, and polite and friendly residents.
Below are some of the things that make Hastings the seventh-happiest place to live in Sussex, including its rich history, diverse culture and jam-packed calendar of fun, family events.
13. Pirate Day
Another popular date in the calendar for residents to get dressed up and have fun is Pirates Day. The event, which has been going since 2009, sees the town filled with people in colourful costumes. There is live music, pirate acts, storytelling, quizzes and treasure hunts, with pirate fun taking place across the town in pubs, venues and attractions. Photo: Roberts Photographic
14. Art scene
Hastings is known for its vibrant art scene, demonstrated by this mural in St Leonards, as well as its selection of galleries such as Hastings Contemporary and the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. Photo: staff