PEOPLE living in market towns have the highest levels of life satisfaction, suggests new statistics.

Large market towns possess all the factors leading to the highest levels of well-being and happiness, according to a bulletin from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The bulletin presents experimental statistics from the second Personal Well-being Annual Population dataset, covering April 2012 to March 2013.

Overall estimates of personal well-being are provided for each UK country, as well as for lower level geographies in England, Scotland and Wales.

Personal well-being improved in the UK between 2011/12 and 2012/13, the data suggests.

The ONS Measuring National Well-being Programme aims to produce accepted and trusted measures of the well-being of the nation – and how the UK as a whole is doing.

Chris Wade, chief executive of national charity Action for Market Towns (AMT), said: "Market towns' community spirit has been born out of doing things for themselves and decades of self reliance.

"Many have faced the challenging economic climate with community-led ideas that involve and engage their residents, helping them to thrive, and to be great places to live and to work.

"We're now seeing the lessons that AMT has shared from working with market towns for 15 years benefiting other communities and high streets.

AMT is due to hold its flagship Towns Alive event in Congleton on 6-7 November.

The event will see the winners announced of the charity's Towns Alive Awards, which reward community spirit, creativity and the drive to make projects happen that increase economic and social vitality.

"We've rewarded projects created by communities from all sorts of towns," said Mr Wade.

"We can't wait to announce our national winners next month at Towns Alive, where market towns will share their happiness secrets with small and large towns, and even cities from all over the UK."