People in Angus and the Mearns are some of the least stressed in the UK, according to a new government happiness survey.
A report by the Office of National Statistics into the nation’s well-being placed residents in Aberdeenshire third and Angus fourth most relaxed in the UK.
As part of the findings, league tables have been drawn up to show the best and the worst areas in terms of anxiety, happiness, satisfaction and the extent people feel their lives are worthwhile.
When asked the question: How anxious did you feel yesterday?, more than two-thirds of respondents (Aberdeenshire 67.95% and Angus 67.71%) placed themselves in the lowest stress bracket (0-3 out of 10).
The report looked into a number of factors which contribute to people’s feelings of well-being, including housing, security, levels of crime, access to services and green space, as well as community involvement.
It read: “Where we live can have a significant impact on our sense of well-being. Homes which meet our individual needs and provide us with shelter and security are made all the better by having easy access to local shops and services and green spaces to walk or play in, which in turn can help people to live healthier and happier lives.”
Angus deputy provost Alex King said he was only surprised Angus was not the most releaxed place to live.
He said: “I would say the majority of people in Angus don’t have a lot of anxiety in their life and find it easy to live in Angus.
“People know we have a very good standard of living and we are very comfortable. Crime is low and people are just very happy with where they live.”
Mr King, who came to the area more than 50 years ago, said the number of people who transfer to the area because of work and end up staying is an indication of the quality of life, as is the number of people who return to their Angus roots when they retire.
He said the country lifestyle was a benefit but people in Angus also have access to the city if they want.
Aberdeenshire’s provost, Bill Howatson, also welcomed the findings and said the county often scores highly in satisfaction surveys.
He said: “Aberdeenshire is a beautiful natural environment and a pleasant, friendly place to live. One of the reasons I expect we have scored highly is because there is a great deal of community pride in Aberdeenshire and we have a long history of active community groups.
“This is a very encouraging compliment to life in Aberdeenshire and I’m sure people will work towards making it an even better place to live for the future.”
All five top spots for most laid-back people were in Scotland with the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland in first place, Moray second, followed by Aberdeenshire, Angus and Highland.
There is perhaps something about a quiet rural lifestyle that is associated with high levels of well-being as the report notes: “There is some relationship with local area satisfaction and life satisfaction.
“Living in an area which is continually exposed to unacceptable levels of noise can be associated with a wide range of adverse impacts on health, quality of life and well-being.
“Conversely, a quiet area with an absence of unnecessary or inappropriate sounds can benefit well-being and may improve creativity, problem solving, mental health, concentration and undisturbed sleep.”
Does Angus deserve its high rating? Tell us why below, or email arbroath@dcthomson.co.uk.