This European Capital Was Named the Happiest Metropolis within the World—and It is Surprisingly Not in Finland

When you’re on the lookout for just a little extra happiness in your life, think about transferring to Denmark, residence to the happiest metropolis on the planet.

Every year, the Institute for High quality of Life releases its Glad Metropolis index, rating cities “dedicated to cultivating and rising happiness” based mostly on elements similar to schooling, inclusive insurance policies, the economic system, environmental safety, and entry to inexperienced areas. General, the group seems at 82 totally different indicators of pleasure, together with particular person interviews with residents in cities throughout the globe. 

And this 12 months’s record is topped by Copenhagen. In response to the findings, the Danish capital ranks excessive due to its “dedication to schooling and innovation,” in addition to its transparency in governance, sustainability, and entry to well being care. 

“Well being and well-being are cornerstones of life in Copenhagen,” the report famous. “Town boasts common well being care protection, with each resident insured and entry to 4.4 medical doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. Life expectancy stands at 79.9 years, supported by a well-balanced life-style that features a mean workweek of 37 hours.”

Zurich, Switzerland, was second, adopted by Singapore. One other Danish metropolis, Aarhus, which topped the rating in 2024, is fourth, and Antwerp, Belgium, is fifth. Denmark, which was named the second-happiest nation on the earth earlier this 12 months after Finland, has seven cities within the prime 50 alone.

The best-ranking U.S. cities on this 12 months’s record are New York, which got here in at No. 17, and Minneapolis, which is thirtieth.

Nonetheless, the Institute for High quality of Life notes, “If there’s one takeaway from our intensive analysis, it’s this: no single metropolis could be labelled as the very best at making certain the happiness of its residents over the lengthy haul […] At finest, we would spotlight cities for particular achievements or enhancements in a given 12 months. However that’s not our predominant purpose. We’re all about uncovering and celebrating optimistic traits that enhance happiness world wide.” 

See the complete rankings and particulars of every metropolis at happy-city-index.com.