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

If you happen to’re searching for slightly extra happiness in your life, think about shifting to Denmark, house to the happiest metropolis on the planet.

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

And this 12 months’s checklist is topped by Copenhagen. Based on the findings, the Danish capital ranks excessive because of its “dedication to training 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. “The town boasts common well being care protection, with each resident insured and entry to 4.4 docs per 1,000 inhabitants. Life expectancy stands at 79.9 years, supported by a well-balanced life-style that features a median 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 very best-ranking U.S. cities on this 12 months’s checklist 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 in depth analysis, it’s this: no single metropolis might be labelled as the best possible at guaranteeing the happiness of its residents over the lengthy haul […] At greatest, we’d spotlight cities for particular achievements or enhancements in a given 12 months. However that’s not our essential purpose. We’re all about uncovering and celebrating constructive tendencies that increase happiness all over the world.” 

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