'Life satisfaction' drops in Cambridge, study says

People in Cambridge reported the lowest scores in the county for life satisfaction and wellbeing

It has the most physically active people, the biggest voluntary and community sector and the least deprivation – but Cambridge has the unhappiest residents in Cambridgeshire, a study suggests.

The city's self-reported "life satisfaction" rate averages 6.5 out of 10, compared to the national average of 7.4, according to the "State of the Region" report, put together by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

The study, which includes data on health, wellbeing, employment and connectivity, suggests that physical health and wellbeing is poorest in Peterborough and Fenland, but that people in Cambridge find the least meaning in their day-to-day life in the county.

East Cambridgeshire is the happiest place in Cambridgeshire, according to the document, reporting an average of eight out of 10 for life satisfaction.

It is not clear why Cambridge has the lowest average or why it appears to have declined between 2021 and 2023, the most recent reporting year of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) annual population survey.

"Notably, the data for Cambridge reports a remarkable decline in life satisfaction from 2021, falling to 6.46 in 2023 (below the England score of 7.44)," the report said. "This was the lowest recorded score in the region across the entire period."

The data suggests a "remarkable decline" in life satisfaction in Cambridge

It has neither the highest rates of self-reported anxiety or loneliness, with both of these being most prevalent in Peterborough.

Fenland, meanwhile, has the highest smoking rates (24%), obesity rates (35%) and inactivity rates (32%), defined as completing fewer than 30 minutes of physical activity per week.

Cambridge has higher than average earnings, employment rates and active travel rates, with some 79% of residents able to work either at home or within 5km of it.

But, as well as reporting the lowest levels of life satisfaction, Cambridge also reported the lowest levels of overall wellbeing, defined as the "extent to which the population believed things in their lives were worthwhile". Its most recent average was 7.4 out of 10, with East Cambridgeshire once again reporting the highest average (8.3).

Cambridge does, however, have the most expensive houses and the least affordable private rents in the county, the report suggested. It also has the most rough sleepers.

'Less reliance on consultants'

The report is intended to serve as a resource for "stakeholders, policymakers, and community leaders" to identify "pathways for growth and prosperity", Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority documents said. It could also be used in putting together investment proposals.

It will be updated regularly, the documents added, and is aimed at helping the authority reduce its reliance on external consultants for expertise.

Last year's report was produced by consultants, who provided technical training to authority staff to help produce this year's report, which will be presented to its board on 24 September. It will be discussed by the authority's overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

Most of the data comes from the government, but there are also figures from councils and universities.