This Is the Happiest City in the World

Copenhagen is known for its Michelin-starred food, its colorful canal houses, and an arts and design scene that’s easy on the eyes. But what truly defines the city is how seamlessly it weaves all these things into everyday life.

Given that, it should come as little to no surprise that Copenhagen is the world’s happiest city, according to the London-based Institute for Quality of Life’s recently released 2025 Happy City Index.

What makes Copenhagen, Denmark, the happiest city in the world?

While the Institute for Quality of Life recognizes in its methodology that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to happiness and that cities are constantly changing, the report notes that it is possible to look at various indicators that affect citizens and their overall happiness.

With that in mind, the organization identified six categories it believes have the most direct impact on happiness, including citizens, governance, environment, economy, health, and mobility. Within those themes are 26 subcategories, which assess areas such as the availability of green space, educational systems, inclusive policies, and access to culture, including libraries. Through open data and interviews with residents, the institution then combined the qualitative and quantitative information to rank cities on a point system.

What it found is that the world’s happiest cities are “committed to cultivating and growing happiness, where education, inclusive policies, the economy, mobility, environmental protection, access to green areas, and innovation are not only important components of official policies but are also evident in the solutions implemented,” according to the index.

Based on these factors, Copenhagen, Denmark, achieved the highest score, particularly excelling in the categories of citizens and the environment.

Only cities with reliable, measurable, and comparable data were considered. “We have no doubt that there are many beautiful places to live around the world, as well as cities that deserve to be part of our analysis. However, in some cases, we have been unable to find sufficient information on their achievements and performance,” the Happy City Index stated in the methodology section of its report. Of the cities considered, only the top 200 were recognized, split into three groups: gold (the top 31), silver (cities 31 through 100), and bronze (cities 101 through 200).

Here’s how the happiest cities in the world ranked.

Photo by Henrique Ferreira/Unsplash

The 20 happiest cities in the world

1. Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Zurich, Switzerland
3. Singapore
4. Aarhus, Denmark
5. Antwerp, Belgium
6. Seoul, South Korea
7. Stockholm, Sweden,
8. Taipei, Taiwan
9. Munich, Germany
10. Rotterdam, Netherlands
11. Vancouver, Canada
12. Vienna, Austria
13. Paris, France
14. Helsinki, Finland
15. Aalborg, Denmark
16. Berlin, Germany
17. New York City, United States
18. Dresden, Germany
19. Brussels, Belgium
20. Geneva, Switzerland

The only stateside cities to earn a “gold” rating were New York City and Minneapolis, Minnesota (the latter ranked 30th, but it was the highest-ranking U.S. city on the Happy City Index in 2024). However, recognized as silver cities were Baltimore, Columbus (Ohio), the District of Columbia, Los Angeles, Nashville, San Antonio, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. Bronze U.S. cities included Boston, Houston, Indianapolis (Indiana), Orlando (Florida), Phoenix (Arizona); Portland (Oregon), and San Jose (California).

Jacob Lisbygd/Visit Copenhagen

Why now is the time to visit Copenhagen

The findings further underscore many of the things we already knew to be true about the Danish capital, including that Copenhagen is bursting with charm, culture, and a thriving culinary scene—and it’s never been easier to visit for North American travelers. Last year, American Airlines launched a brand-new flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Denmark’s capital city, and both Delta and SAS are launching new routes this May from Minneapolis and Seattle, respectively.

Situated on the coast (technically spread across two islands, Zealand and Amager), Copenhagen’s waterfront has become an attraction unto itself. Here, visitors will find photogenic canal houses, bustling harborside cafés, open-air swimming spots, and quiet stretches perfect for a sunset cruise (GoBoat offers the opportunity to steer yourself, while Hey Captain is a guided tour that encourages socializing among guests). Visitors can also paddle the canals in a GreenKayak; it’s free to use as long as you promise to pick up trash in the water along the way.

You could easily spend an entire day exploring the city’s myriad museums. The National Museum of Denmark traces the country’s history from Viking times to modern life. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, just north of Copenhagen, houses an extraordinary collection of modern and contemporary art, including works by Picasso. Smaller venues, such as the Design Museum of Denmark and The Workers Museum, reveal how design, craftsmanship, and everyday life have shaped the Danish identity.

To really feel like a local, consider renting a bicycle. The city has an extensive web of bike lanes, making it easy to pedal from leafy neighborhoods to lively squares (companies like Cycling Copenhagen and the Bicycle Chef also offer tours). The King’s Garden, anchored by Rosenborg Castle, and the sprawling Frederiksberg Gardens are popular parks for leisurely strolls, laid-back picnics, and open-air concerts in summer. Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world and the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Disneyland theme park in California, is another fun stop filled with antique rides.

Photos by Lyndsey Matthews

To get ahead of your hunger, reserve a table at a Michelin-starred eatery—Copenhagen is home to 15 of them. The famed Noma restaurant put Copenhagen’s culinary scene on the map, but other restaurants, like Jordnær and Geranium, are worth checking out, too (if you can nab a table—they often book up months in advance). For a more casual setting, check out one of the many incredible bakeries in Copenhagen, such as Lille Bakery, Hart Bageri, Juno the Bakery (do yourself a favor and get the cardamom bun), or Andersen & Maillard (helmed by a former Noma chef). Alternatively, the Reffen Street Food market is a lively space on the water that is packed with stalls selling a wide selection of global cuisine, from tacos to traditional Danish smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches). There is also a slew of incredible breweries in Copenhagen, ranging from Carlsberg, which was founded in 1847, to newer heavy hitters like Mikkeller and Warpigs, both known for their innovative and experimental craft beers.

As for where to stay while you’re in town, consider Villa Canada, a former Canadian embassy reimagined as a luxe villa rental with seven maximalist suites, offering English brass soaking tubs in the bathrooms and a range of amenities, including a private spa room, a small gym, and a kids playroom with Lego sets. Another option in the heart of the city is one of the newest and hippest hotels in town, Hotel Bella Grande. The decor is straight out of a Wes Anderson movie, and the on-site Donna restaurant is the place to see and be seen while fueling up on delicious Italian dinner fare. For something quieter, book Kaj Hotel, a single floating hotel room on a canal that offers two kayaks to guests for getting around.

This story was originally published in September 2024 and was updated on April 29, 2025, to include current information.