In a world where happiness can be as elusive as it is subjective, how do we determine which cities stand out as the happiest? The 2024 Happy City Index aims to crack that code by evaluating thousands of quality of life factors to rank the world’s cities. These factors are grouped into five main categories: citizens, governance, environment, economy, and mobility. The results? Brisbane has emerged as the happiest city in Australia, ranking 21st globally and making it the only Australian city to feature in the top 25.
The Happy City Index: A Comprehensive Measure of Joy
The Happy City Index, created by the Institute of Quality of Life, is a comprehensive study that assesses cities based on criteria believed to directly impact happiness. The 2024 Index revealed Brisbane’s strength in providing a joyful living experience, thanks to its sunny climate, proximity to heritage rainforests, a burgeoning food scene, and natural beauty.
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Melbourne followed Brisbane as the second happiest Australian city, ranking 41st globally. Perth and Hobart also made the list, positioned at 61 and 87, respectively. Notably, Sydney, often considered a prime destination, surprisingly failed to crack the top 100, landing at 116 out of 250 cities surveyed worldwide.
Global Rankings and Brisbane’s Standing
The 2024 Happy City Index categorizes cities into Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers based on their scores. The top 37 cities, including Brisbane, were placed in the ‘Gold’ category, with Denmark’s Aarhus claiming the number one spot globally. Zurich in Switzerland and Berlin in Germany secured the second and third spots, respectively. Other notable mentions in the top five include Gothenburg, Sweden, and Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Golden Happiest Cities
| CITY | COUNTRY | CIT. | GOV. | ECON. | ENV. | MOB. | TOTAL SCORE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOLD | Aarhus | Denmark | 384,2 | 339,3 | 343,1 | 366,4 | 316,2 | 1749,2 |
| GOLD | Zurich | Switzerland | 385,7 | 315,5 | 382,8 | 314,3 | 338,7 | 1737,0 |
| GOLD | Berlin | Germany | 383,9 | 314,2 | 374,9 | 316,6 | 331,0 | 1720,6 |
| GOLD | Gothenburg | Sweden | 376,8 | 331,7 | 332,8 | 371,3 | 307,0 | 1719,5 |
| GOLD | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 377,4 | 368,5 | 336,6 | 298,1 | 337,9 | 1718,5 |
| GOLD | Helsinki | Finland | 352,5 | 352,9 | 330,6 | 362,2 | 316,4 | 1714,7 |
| GOLD | Bristol | United Kingdom | 337,6 | 371,6 | 386,2 | 328,8 | 285,6 | 1709,8 |
| GOLD | Copenhagen | Denmark | 367,2 | 352,3 | 367,6 | 307,7 | 312,4 | 1707,2 |
| GOLD | Geneva | Switzerland | 363,7 | 333,5 | 372,3 | 300,6 | 324,9 | 1695,0 |
| GOLD | Munich | Germany | 361,9 | 332,2 | 364,4 | 302,8 | 317,3 | 1678,6 |
| GOLD | Stockholm | Sweden | 359,8 | 344,7 | 357,3 | 312,5 | 303,3 | 1677,5 |
| GOLD | Rotterdam | Netherlands | 370,4 | 311,5 | 366,1 | 299,4 | 329,1 | 1676,5 |
| GOLD | Oulu | Finland | 370,5 | 380,9 | 355,1 | 303,5 | 262,7 | 1672,7 |
| GOLD | Vienna | Austria | 315,8 | 369,6 | 372,1 | 317,3 | 295,6 | 1670,4 |
| GOLD | Edinburgh | United Kingdom | 365,6 | 369,6 | 365,7 | 310,1 | 256,8 | 1667,8 |
| GOLD | Reykjavik | Iceland | 329,5 | 384,1 | 325,1 | 365,1 | 260,1 | 1663,9 |
| GOLD | Aalborg | Denmark | 334,2 | 384,3 | 325,6 | 347,7 | 267,4 | 1659,2 |
| GOLD | Minneapolis (Minnesota) | United States | 360,9 | 317,9 | 386,7 | 266,3 | 315,9 | 1647,7 |
| GOLD | Basel | Switzerland | 370,7 | 350,5 | 320,3 | 285,6 | 319,9 | 1647,0 |
| GOLD | Alesund | Norway | 372,7 | 385,8 | 366,7 | 292,2 | 228,0 | 1645,4 |
| GOLD | Brisbane | Australia | 331,5 | 365,2 | 384,6 | 310,4 | 252,6 | 1644,3 |
| GOLD | Bruges | Belgium | 320,6 | 367,4 | 368,7 | 302,8 | 277,7 | 1637,2 |
| GOLD | Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 305,5 | 357,1 | 327,4 | 362,4 | 283,9 | 1636,3 |
| GOLD | Bordeaux | France | 355,1 | 326,2 | 320,9 | 305,9 | 325,0 | 1633,1 |
| GOLD | Cork | Ireland | 380,9 | 299,6 | 380,0 | 305,1 | 265,3 | 1631,0 |
| GOLD | Cologne | Germany | 368,9 | 349,2 | 312,4 | 287,8 | 312,3 | 1630,6 |
| GOLD | Eskilstuna | Sweden | 346,8 | 376,7 | 340,3 | 317,5 | 248,3 | 1629,5 |
| GOLD | Utrecht | Netherlands | 362,4 | 353,5 | 314,1 | 279,4 | 319,1 | 1628,5 |
| GOLD | Innsbruck | Austria | 318,8 | 332,6 | 316,6 | 348,5 | 311,9 | 1628,4 |
| GOLD | Espoo | Finland | 327,5 | 367,9 | 353,1 | 303,5 | 272,7 | 1624,7 |
| GOLD | Osaka | Japan | 325,2 | 313,0 | 340,0 | 317,2 | 325,5 | 1621,0 |
| GOLD | Christchurch | New Zealand | 332,9 | 383,7 | 369,2 | 289,6 | 245,3 | 1620,8 |
| GOLD | London | United Kingdom | 362,6 | 351,6 | 308,7 | 295,1 | 301,8 | 1619,8 |
| GOLD | Singapore | Singapore | 355,1 | 282,8 | 383,6 | 297,8 | 298,6 | 1617,8 |
| GOLD | Jonkoping | Sweden | 364,8 | 309,7 | 342,3 | 305,0 | 295,8 | 1617,5 |
| GOLD | Seoul | South Korea | 362,4 | 319,7 | 347,4 | 273,0 | 311,0 | 1613,5 |
| GOLD | Ottawa | Canada | 370,7 | 305,8 | 364,7 | 269,8 | 301,7 | 1612,7 |
The Index emphasizes that it isn’t about pinpointing a single “happiest” city but rather recognizing a spectrum of high-ranking cities across different categories. While Brisbane shines as the happiest in Australia, it competes globally among a diverse array of cities that prioritize quality of life.
Why Brisbane?
Brisbane’s ranking as the happiest city in Australia is attributed to its balanced lifestyle, excellent public services, and community engagement. The city’s governance has been praised for its transparency and effectiveness, while its economy has shown resilience and growth. Moreover, Brisbane’s emphasis on sustainable living and mobility options contributes to its residents’ overall well-being.
The Broader Context
The Happy City Index offers valuable insights into what makes urban environments thrive. While Brisbane leads the way in Australia, the rankings highlight a global trend towards recognizing cities that invest in their citizens’ well-being. As urban planners and governments strive to create happier and healthier cities, the Happy City Index serves as a crucial benchmark for measuring success.
For those interested in delving deeper into the methodology and full list of ranked cities, the complete Happy City Index report provides a detailed breakdown of the factors contributing to these rankings.
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Conclusion
Brisbane tops as the happiest city in Australia underscores the importance of focusing on quality of life factors that matter most to residents. As cities worldwide continue to evolve, the Happy City Index will remain an essential tool for gauging urban happiness and guiding future improvements.
For further details and the full list of cities ranked, visit the Happy City Index here.
