Full list of the world’s 30 happiest cities – two incredible countries dominate
The happiest city in the world has been found as the recently released 2025 Happy City Index ranks cities based on the happiness of their citizens with this European gem being found to be number one.
To define a city as being among the happiest, several factors are taken into consideration to find the happiest of all. These can include a region’s environment, governance, mobility and its citizens and can also stretch into factors such as cultural institutions on offer and education. Each year, the Happy City Index releases their intricate report which ranks cities and their happiness element with the 2025 results finally revealed.
The index, run by the London-based organisation Institute for Quality of Life, ranks a total of 200 cities using a whopping 82 indicators across six broad categories. The sixth category is a new one on the list for 2025 and is based around the theme of health, including mental health, nutrition, safety, and work-life balance.
The happy city report then ranks each place on three different lists of either gold, silver or bronze based on the main criterias with the top 31 being deemed “gold cities.”
And it's good news for the US as two cities featured in the top 31 rankings with New York City scoring 17th in the happiest cities index thanks to it being a “hub of innovation” with Minneapolis also being featured as number 30 and was praised for having an abundant access to clean air and green spaces.
Of course there can only be one winner with Copenhagen earning the top spot and deemed as being the happiest city of all with the list also revealing how Denmark is the clear winner when it comes to being happy as Aarhus in Denmark features in the top 5 too.
“There is no single perfect place to live that guarantees happiness for all its residents,” wrote the authors of the report.
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Adding: “However, some cities implement urban policies with remarkable wisdom, continuously analysing their effectiveness, and their results are clearly reflected in the data.”
Dr. Bartosz Bartoszewicz, Director and Co-creator of the Index spoke to CNBC and said: "What is amazing about Copenhagen? First of all, its ability to be open for innovation.
“Its educational system is of very good quality and it's affordable.”
Copenhagen in Denmark, ranked number one on the Happy City Index with a total score of an impressive 1,039.
According to the Happy City Index, The top 30 happiest cities
- Copenhagen
- Zurich
- Singapore
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Seoul
- Stockholm
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Munich
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Vancouver
- Vienna
- Paris
- Helsinki
- Aalborg, Denmark
- Berlin
- New York City
- Dresden, Germany
- Brussels
- Geneva
- Porto, Portugal
- Barcelona
- Oslo
- Dublin
- Milan
- Roskilde, Denmark
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Adelaide, Australia
- Minneapolis
