Amersham and Chesham named best place to retire in Britain
It's based on factors such as health, financial stability and access to nature
Amersham and Chesham in Buckinghamshire have been named the best place to retire in Britain, according to new research from Legal & General (L&G).
The Retirement Happiness Index, compiled using a wide range of national data and survey responses, highlights the area’s strong health outcomes, financial security, and access to nature as key contributors to a happy later life.
The study scored each area against six key pillars: housing, health, social and community, financial security, access to nature, and local amenities.
These were measured using Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, census results, housing reports and findings from a survey of 3,000 UK retirees conducted in April 2024.
Health and financial stability a key draw
“Financial security in particular is an enabler for many of the other measures, giving people the freedom to choose where and how they want to live in later life,” said Lorna Shah, Managing Director for Retail Retirement at L&G.
Speaking about the wider findings, she added: “This research gives us a more complete picture of what shapes a happy later life. It’s not just about one factor – it’s the combination of health, social connections, environment, and financial security that all play a part in retirement wellbeing.”
L&G reported that Amersham and Chesham performed "exceptionally well" on its health indicator, reflecting a high proportion of over-65s in good physical and mental health.
Why residents love the area
Hilary McCann, a retired resident of Amersham, moved to the area in 2000 after leaving London to raise her children in a setting with strong educational opportunities and a better quality of life.
“I wanted to make sure that they could be brought up, if possible, in an area where there was grammar schools,” she said. “Looking at the communication network out of Centre of London, it made most sense to look around Buckinghamshire.”
She praised the mix of old and new in the town: “Old Amersham down in the valley dates back to Saxon times, and then with the coming of the Metropolitan line, Amersham is the last station. The facilities are fantastic, so it’s got this wonderful mix of the old and the relatively modern.”
Ms McCann also highlighted the natural surroundings and strong community life: “There are lots of walks. It is green and leafy, and there’s so much going on in Amersham and Chesham. There’s so much volunteering, so many activities, concerts, weekends, stuff for young and old. The music scene here is absolutely wonderful.”
Room for improvement
While residents were overwhelmingly positive, some concerns were raised around the lack of ethnic diversity - a sentiment echoed by Ms McCann, who said: “That’s more of a problem for Amersham as opposed to Chesham. During the Second World War, a lot of people were brought over from the Indian subcontinent, and they’ve set their stamp on Chesham.”
The increasing cost of housing was another frequently mentioned issue. “The affordability of housing is really a negative factor. Especially for youngsters,” she said. “There isn’t the building programmes going on here like there are, for example, in Aylesbury, to provide more affordable housing.”
Top rankings across Britain
In addition to Chesham and Amersham taking the top national spot, nearby Beaconsfield ranked second.
Other high-ranking places included Dorking and Horley, Godalming and Ash in Surrey, and Suffolk Coastal.
In Wales, Monmouthshire was named the top area, while Mid Dunbartonshire led the list for Scotland.
L&G also noted strong regional performances in housing, nature and amenities.
London constituencies such as the Cities of London and Westminster, and Holborn and St Pancras, performed well in access to amenities, while areas in Essex, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire scored highly for access to nature.