This European Capital Was Named the Happiest City in the World—and It’s Surprisingly Not in Finland

If you’re looking for a little more happiness in your life, consider moving to Denmark, home to the happiest city on the planet.

Each year, the Institute for Quality of Life releases its Happy City index, ranking cities “committed to cultivating and growing happiness” based on factors such as education, inclusive policies, the economy, environmental protection, and access to green areas. Overall, the organization looks at 82 different indicators of joy, including individual interviews with residents in cities across the globe. 

And this year’s list is topped by Copenhagen. According to the findings, the Danish capital ranks high thanks to its “commitment to education and innovation,” as well as its transparency in governance, sustainability, and access to health care. 

“Health and well-being are cornerstones of life in Copenhagen,” the report noted. “The city boasts universal health care coverage, with every resident insured and access to 4.4 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. Life expectancy stands at 79.9 years, supported by a well-balanced lifestyle that includes an average workweek of 37 hours.”

Zurich, Switzerland, was second, followed by Singapore. Another Danish city, Aarhus, which topped the ranking in 2024, is fourth, and Antwerp, Belgium, is fifth. Denmark, which was named the second-happiest country in the world earlier this year after Finland, has seven cities in the top 50 alone.

The highest-ranking U.S. cities on this year’s list are New York, which came in at No. 17, and Minneapolis, which is 30th.

However, the Institute for Quality of Life notes, “If there’s one takeaway from our extensive research, it’s this: no single city can be labelled as the absolute best at ensuring the happiness of its citizens over the long haul […] At best, we might highlight cities for specific achievements or improvements in a given year. But that’s not our main goal. We’re all about uncovering and celebrating positive trends that boost happiness around the world.” 

See the full rankings and details of each city at happy-city-index.com.