The Happy City Index, published by the Institute for Quality of Life, is out for 2025, and Canadians may be surprised to learn that Vancouver made it to the top of the list.
According to its website, the Institute conducts research on various aspects of quality of life, monitoring and analyzing areas related to community decision-making, the creation of social policies and public services, and the ability to address new challenges.
“Human happiness depends on many factors,” explains the Institute. “A sense of security, family relationships, and the fulfilment of dreams are only a small part of a much larger picture. Cities also play a role in ensuring the happiness of their residents.”
Thus, the index categorizes global cities (with reliable, measurable, and comparable data) into groups: Gold, which recognizes the world’s “happiest cities,” Silver Cities, and Bronze Cities.
It’s likely no surprise that two cities in the top 5 are in Denmark, followed by cities in Singapore, Sweden, and Switzerland. But Vancouver didn’t do too shabby, ranked just under the top 10 in the 11th spot on the list of happiest cities out of 200.
Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City were ranked in the Bronze category.
How are the world’s happiest cities ranked?
Cities are ranked according to several themes: Citizens, Governance, Environment, Economy, Health, and Mobility. Citizens refers to the cities with the greatest social advancements and achievements, while Governance assesses the quality of urban management, including support for the non-governmental sector and active citizen participation in decision-making.
Health is a new addition to the index, introducing new areas such as mental health, safety, nutrition, and work-life balance.
Here are the top 25 happiest cities in the world, according to the 2025 index:
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Singapore, Singapore
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Seoul, South Korea
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Munich, Germany
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Vancouver, Canada
- Vienna, Austria
- Paris, France
- Helsinki, Finland
- Aalborg, Denmark
- Berlin, Germany
- New York, United States
- Dresden, Germany
- Brussels, Belgium
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Porto, Portugal
- Barcelona, Spain
- Oslo, Norway
- Dublin, Ireland
- Milan, Italy
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