Proud to call it home: 83% of people in Northern Ireland are proud to live in their town

In the first HomesNI.com ‘Living Local’ survey, 34% of people ‘absolutely love’ their local town, with 49% saying that they enjoy living in their town ‘most of the time’.

As the fastest-growing property portal in Northern Ireland, HomesNI surveyed residents across Northern Ireland in a bid to discover people’s views on towns and cities across Northern Ireland, how and why they choose to live in their town, and what the key factors are when it comes to where people call ‘home’.

Commenting on the community values of their local town, a significant 65% of respondents believe that their community had either a ‘very strong’ (27.3%) or ‘somewhat strong’ (37.7%) sense of community.

The data confirmed that family and roots are still the top reasons that determine where you live, with 44% of people living in their town due to ‘family connections’ and a further 41% saying they were born in the area. Other top reasons include ‘quality of life’, ‘natural surroundings’, ‘close to work/studies’ and ‘community and social life’.

Confirming the importance of family, when asked ‘what do you most like about living in your town’, over 1 in 2 people said: ‘proximity to family and friends’.

Founder of HomesNI, Stephen Cousins explains: “These findings show just how deeply people care about where they live. It’s not just about houses or postcodes - it’s about connection, identity, and community values.”

The HomesNI.com ‘Living Local’ survey also discovered:

• One in three people are either ‘definitely’ or ‘possibly’ moving in the next five years (36%)
• More affordable housing was the top reason for people considering moving, followed by improved amenities/facilities.
• The number one reason people disliked living in their town was ‘poor transport links’ (32.4%), followed by ‘limited job opportunities’ (27.9%) and lack of amenities (25.9%)

With the cost of living still challenging for many households, 26% of respondents said that their town doesn’t offer good value for money in terms of housing, however, over half disagreed, saying local housing was good value for money (52.5%), and 22% were unsure.

Asked about the importance of local amenities (shops, parks, schools, etc.), only 2.1% said they weren’t important, with an overwhelming 69.4% of people saying that they are ‘very important’.

Founder of HomesNI, Stephen Cousins continues: “The importance of local amenities consistently being cited as ‘very important’ or ‘important’ for homeowners to live where they do, underscores the need for ongoing investment in our local towns - in public realms, high streets and shared spaces.”

Stephen continues: “A strong sense of community adds real value to a place. It’s a reminder that a continued focus on well-designed, well-connected local areas benefits everyone, from long-term residents to those looking to make a move.

“When people feel part of something, they’re more likely to stay, invest locally, and contribute to the life of the area. That’s good news not just for communities, but for the local property market too.”

The first HomesNI.com ‘Living Local’ survey was conducted with 500 homeowners from across Northern Ireland in March and April 2025.