Australia’s happiest suburbs to live in have just been revealed and there are some very unusual and surprising selections.
According to the latest liveability index from iSelect “Australia’s happiest places to live aren’t just postcard-perfect locations. They’re shaped by a mix of jobs, housing pressure, health access and how connected people feel in their communities”.
The study compared 88 regions across the country, analysing 10 factors: belonging, employment, housing affordability, health, mental wellbeing, healthcare access, work-life balance, environment, social connectedness and safety.
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What makes an area a great place to live? Picture: Jonathan Ng
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Amid the key findings of the study, were that “Australia’s most liveable places are shaped by a combination of lifestyle, environment, and community factors, rather than a single defining metric.
“Regions that rank highly offer strong work – life balance, access to green and blue spaces, low crime rates, supportive health services, a sense of belonging, housing affordability, and flexible work options.”
AUSTRALIA’S HAPPIEST PLACES TO LIVE 2026
1. Sutherland Shire, Sydney
The Sutherland Shire in Sydney’s south was ranked as Australia’s happiest place to live because it is “excelling in low unemployment, coastal access, and a strong sense of community, making it ideal for balanced living”.
“It takes the top spot due to its strong performance across a range of factors,” the study read.
“Rather than leading in just one area, Sutherland Shire stands out for its balance, combining the lowest unemployment rate in the top 10 (2.3 per cent).
“A strong sense of belonging (measured by the share of residents who have lived at the same address for more than five years), close proximity to blue spaces with the coast just 5.1 km away, and relatively low crime rates.
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The Sutherland Shire has been named Australia’s happiest place to live. Picture: Toby Zerna
“While longer commute distances (15.2 km) may affect work – life balance, the overall mix of lifestyle, environment, and economic stability suggests that no single factor defines liveability on its own.”
2. Central and Hills area, Adelaide
This area scored highly on the liveability index. for work – life balance, shorter commutes, and excellent healthcare access, allowing residents more time for leisure and social connection.
“It performing especially well for work – life balance,” the study from the health comparison experts at iSelect revealed.
“It ranks in the top 10 for this factor due to its shorter commutes (8.1 km) and fewer people working long hours, giving residents more free time for hobbies and social connections. “Strong access to medical practices (2,665.3 GPs per 100,000 people) also indicates that residents may have both the time and support to look after their health and wellbeing.”
The Adelaide Hills came in at No. 2 Photo: Supplied
3. Northern Beaches, Sydney
The hugely popular Northern Beaches, where home prices have boomed in recent years – Manly’s median house price has skyrocketed 22 per cent alone in the past 12 months according to PropTrack, came in at 3rd.
“The Northern Beaches take third place, performing consistently well across safety, life expectancy, and environmental factors,” the study reads.
“Known for its coastal lifestyle, the area offers easy access to popular spots like Manly Beach and Palm Beach, which likely contribute to its strong lifestyle appeal.”
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Manly is all its glory.
4. Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury, Sydney
The appeal of the Hills District has grown in recent years on the back of new infrastructure such as the Sydney metro which has cut communting times significantly, The Hills Shire is also coveted for its lifestyle and green space.
Further afield the growth of working from home has boosted the appeal of Hawkesbury, which boasts a laid-back, holiday-style lifestyle.
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The Hills District has big appeal.
5. Perth
Perth’s relatively small population, ease of access, cheaper housing and quieter lifestyle has led to a growth in appeal and continued increasing interest of East Coasters looking to it for more affordable living.
Warrnambool and South West Victoria came in at number six on the study, followed by North Sydney and Hornsby in Sydney at No.7. Then it was Western Australia’s Wheat Belt and No. 8, Melbourne’s Outer East at number and rounding out the top 10 was Brisbane’s West.
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You can see why Perth is high on the list.
THE MOST LIVEABLE PLACES IN NSW 2026
NSW dominated the Australia’s most liveable list with four regions and the study also broke down the most liveable places in NSW.
“New South Wales emerges as one of the stronger-performing states overall. Both metropolitan and regional areas appear throughout the rankings, although they tend to stand out for different reasons,” the study read.
Alongside Sutherland, Northern Beaches, Baulkham Hills, and Hawkesbury, all of which feature in the overall national top 10, the North Sydney and Hornsby region is the next-highest-ranking in the state.
It recorded the highest life expectancy in New South Wales (86.8 years) and has the lowest affordability score among the top 10.
The Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn. Picture: Jonathan Ng
“This suggests that while health outcomes are strong, housing costs may place added financial pressure on residents.
“Several regional areas in NSW also perform well. The Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, and Blue Mountains benefit from access to green space and lifestyle factors, while the Richmond-Tweed region stands out for its work – life balance.
“By comparison, Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs ranks lower than might be expected in 11th place. While the area is highly sought after, higher housing costs, lower affordability, and more limited access to green space appear to impact its overall well-being scores.
“Longer working hours and denser urban living may also reduce opportunities for social connection and recreation, highlighting that desirability alone may not translate to higher liveability.
“At the other end of the rankings, regions such as the Hunter Valley, Sydney City, Inner South, Far West and Orana recorded lower overall scores.
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The Southern Highlands of NSW.
“Across these areas, factors such as higher unemployment, reduced housing affordability, more limited access to healthcare, and fewer green or coastal spaces may all play a role.”
The most liveable places in NSW, according to the study are:
1. Sutherland Shire
2. Northern Beaches
3. Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury
4. North Sydney and Hornsby
5. Capital Region
6. Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven
7. Ryde
8. Sydney Outer West and Blue Mountains
9. Richmond-Tweed
10. Illawarra
11. Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs
12. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
13. Sydney’s Inner West
14. Riverina
15. Central Coast
Newcastle has plenty of appeal too.
16. Sydney’s Inner South West
17. Mid North Coast
18. Central West
19. Coffs Harbour
20. Blacktown
21. Sydney’s Outer South West
22. Murray
23. Parramatta
24. New England and North West
25. Sydney’s South West
26. Far West and Orana
27. Sydney Inner City and Inner South
28. Hunter Valley excluding Newcastle
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