Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire has been named the best place to retire in Britain, according to a new ranking from Legal & General (L&G). The commuter-belt constituency

topped the list out of 632 areas nationwide for retirement wellbeing.

The study, published on Wednesday, assessed each area across six key pillars: housing, health, community, finances, nature, and access to amenities. Each constituency was given a score out of 100 to determine where retirees are most likely to enjoy a fulfilling later life.

Chesham and Amersham earned an overall score of 74/100, excelling in the health category with a near-perfect score of 93. L&G highlighted the strong proportion of over-65s in good physical and mental health and excellent access to local GPs. The area also performed strongly in financial security and across the other pillars, making it a balanced environment for retirement.

Some areas excelled in individual categories but did not rank in the overall top 20. For instance, Sheffield Hallam (South Yorkshire), West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Aberdeenshire), and Tatton (Cheshire) scored particularly well in the financial pillar, which covered pension income, cost of living, housing affordability, and deprivation levels.

A previous study by L&G and Denmark’s Happiness Research Institute found that the happiest retirees typically have an average monthly income of £1,700. However, only 38% of retirees meet or exceed this threshold. The research also found that having a stable income leads to higher satisfaction and fewer affordability concerns.

For housing, Bristol Central, Gloucester, and Bournemouth East topped the charts, taking into account access to care homes and the availability of suitable housing for older residents.

In terms of social and community connections, Fylde (Lancashire) ranked highest, followed by Lowestoft (Suffolk) and Dorking and Horley (Surrey). Meanwhile, Castle Point (Essex), South Holland and The Deepings (Lincolnshire), and South Cambridgeshire led the way for access to nature, based on factors such as air quality, outdoor space, and the number of summer days.

Many parts of London scored poorly for financial security but fared better in access to amenities. This helped some London constituencies climb the rankings, including Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, which secured 14th place overall. Photo by Steve Daniels, Wikimedia commons.