A city’s environment, governance, and infrastructure play a big role in shaping the well-being of its residents. The cities that manage to balance all these factors often attract global visitors.
Denmark continues to lead the way in happiness. According to the Institute for Quality of Life’s Happy City Index 2025, Copenhagen has been ranked the world’s happiest city with an impressive overall score of 1,039 points. The city scored particularly high in environmental performance (192) and citizen engagement (237), securing its top position.
Another Danish city, Aarhus, also found a place in the top five. Ranked fourth, Aarhus stood out for its citizen engagement score of 233, strong governance (173), and environmental efforts (170).
European cities dominate the top 10 list. Antwerp in Belgium claimed the 5th spot with the highest citizen engagement overall, while Stockholm, Sweden, ranked 7th, topped citizen participation with a score of 270. Munich in Germany and Rotterdam in the Netherlands also secured positions in the top 10, showcasing Europe’s strong emphasis on community, governance, and sustainable living.
Asia is not far behind. Singapore took the 3rd spot, while Seoul, South Korea, came in at 6th. Taipei, Taiwan, ranked 8th, became the only city in the top 10 to lead in governance.
Interestingly, no city from the United States, the United Kingdom, or China made it into the top 10.
The Happy City Index 2025 shows the importance of good governance, and sustainable environments in shaping urban happiness.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
