Chichester named among England’s friendliest cities
Chichester has been named among England’s friendliest cities in a new study.
The city scored 82.80 out of 100 in the ranking of 55 English cities, placing it firmly among the country's top 10 for neighbourhood friendliness.
The study, carried out by Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, used five measures from the Government's 2025/26 Community and Engagement Survey to assess community spirit, including how often residents speak to their neighbours, their sense of belonging and levels of trust.
Chichester's seventh-place position puts it ahead of several other historic cathedral cities, including Salisbury, which ranked eighth, Hereford in ninth and Wells in tenth.
Only Winchester, Ripon, St Albans, Ely, Truro and Lichfield achieved higher scores.
Winchester topped the table with 93.15, with almost three-quarters of residents (74.2 per cent) saying they speak to their neighbours at least once a month. A further 73.4 per cent believe people in their local area pull together to improve their neighbourhood.
Ripon came second, while St Albans took third place.
One of the most striking findings was that every city in the top 10 was a cathedral city, suggesting that historic communities and established local identities may play a part in fostering a strong sense of neighbourhood connection.
Nine of the top 10 cities also recorded monthly neighbourly conversations among at least 70 per cent of residents.
Natalie Buchwald, a spokesperson for Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, said everyday interactions could make a significant difference to how connected people feel.
“Friendliness at neighbourhood level is often built through small, repeated interactions. Saying hello, stopping for a brief conversation or recognising familiar faces can gradually create trust and a stronger sense of connection,” she said.
She added that local events, volunteering, community groups and accessible shared spaces could all help bring residents together.
“Feeling that you belong and that people around you would help when needed can also support emotional wellbeing.”
At the other end of the rankings, Norwich came last with a score of 26.37, while Southampton ranked 54th and Lincoln 53rd.
The City of London was placed 50th, despite having the highest proportion of residents who felt people from different backgrounds got along.