24 July 2012 Last updated at 10:28 ET

Article written by Mark Easton Home editor

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What are the top five happiest parts of the UK?

 

The BBC's Mark Easton says well-being is about a lot more than money

I need more time to digest the new statistics on national well-being, but one finding got me sitting bolt upright in my chair today.

Among the four questions asked as part of the survey is "Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?" Respondents must pick a score between 0 and 10 with any score below three being regarded as indicative of a pretty chilled-out individual.

So where are the most relaxed places in the UK? You take the high road and head north.

The least anxious area is the most northerly - Eilean Siar, Orkney & Shetland. In the outer isles some 71% scored three or less. Next is Moray. Then Aberdeenshire followed by Angus and Highland. The five most laid back places in Britain are all in the north of Scotland.

And the region doesn't just do well on its anxiety rating. Eilean Siar, Orkney & Shetland also comes out top when people were asked how happy they were yesterday and how worthwhile they considered their life.

The only category in which the remote islands off our most northerly coasts failed to come top was when asked to rate their life satisfaction - they came second behind Bath and North Somerset.

It is not pots of money or a fancy car. It is clearly not the weather. There is something about a simple rural lifestyle that is associated with high levels of well-being. Is porridge a factor?

Now have a look at the five most anxious places: Leicestershire, Inner London, Middlesbrough, South Ayrshire and Peterborough. It is much harder to discern any clear pattern with this group but I have no doubt that with a bit of digging academics will unearth the important correlations.

I thought it might be useful to list the top and bottom five places for each of the four questions asked as part of the Subjective Well-Being Annual Population Survey. What conclusions can we draw?

Do you feel the things you do in life are worthwhile?

Top five	0-6	7-10
Rankings: 0 = not at all, 10 = completely
Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney & Shetland	11.32%	88.68%
Rutland UA	12.81%	87.19%
Aberdeenshire	14.03%	85.97%
Highland	14.14%	85.86%
Warrington UA	14.16%	85.84%
Bottom five	0-6	7-10
West Midlands Met County	25.15%	74.85%
Stoke-on-Trent UA	25.43%	74.57%
North Ayrshire	25.69%	74.31%
Torfaen	25.85%	74.15%
Glasgow City	26.01%	73.99%

Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?

Top five	0-6	7-10
Bath and North East Somerset UA	14.63%	85.37%
Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney & Shetland	14.82%	85.18%
Rutland UA	14.86%	85.14%
Aberdeenshire	16.25%	83.75%
York UA	17.01%	82.99%
Bottom five	0-6	7-10
Merthyr Tydfil	30.30%	69.70%
West Midlands Met County	30.47%	69.53%
Blaenau Gwent	31.23%	68.77%
North Ayrshire	31.24%	68.76%
Torfaen	32.76%	67.24%

Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday

Top five	0-6	7-10
Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney & Shetland	17.15%	82.85%
Rutland UA	19.21%	80.79%
Anglesey, Isle of	22.73%	77.29%
Wiltshire UA	22.87%	77.13%
West Berkshire UA	22.96%	77.04%
Bottom five	0-6	7-10
North Ayrshire	34.01%	65.99%
Blaenau Gwent	34.14%	65.86%
Swansea	34.25%	65.75%
County Durham UA	34.72%	65.28%
Blackpool	36.55%	63.45%

Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?

Top five	0-3	4-10
* Note difference 0-3 and 4-10
Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney & Shetland	70.71%	29.29%
Moray	67.98%	32.02%
Aberdeenshire	67.95%	32.05%
Angus	67.71%	32.29%
Highland	67.56%	32.44%
Bottom five	0-3	4-10
Peterborough UA	54.49%	45.51%
South Ayrshire	54.29%	45.71%
Middlesbrough UA	54.23%	45.77%
Inner London	53.96%	46.04%
Leicestershire	51.71%	48.29%

Let me know your thoughts.