Copenhagen has been ranked as the most livable city in the world for the second year in a row, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The Danish capital beat out Vienna, which previously held the top spot for three years. The EIU ranked 173 cities around the world based on factors such as education, stability, healthcare, infrastructure, and culture.
Global Rankings
Copenhagen received perfect scores in three categories: stability, infrastructure, and education. The city’s success can be attributed to its winning combination of excellent scores in stability and infrastructure, great culture and environment, and high-quality public services. Melbourne, Australia, ranked third, while Sydney, Australia, jumped to fourth place.
In the United States, Honolulu ranked as the highest city, despite falling two places to 25th position. New York rose three places to 66th, thanks to a significant improvement in its stability scores due to falling crime rates and perceived lower risks of terrorist attacks. Vancouver, Canada, was the only North American city to crack the global top 10, ranking ninth.
Regional Trends
The rankings also reflected regional trends, with Western Europe ranking as the strongest region for livability. However, its average score was slightly lower than in 2025. Asia’s average score rose by 0.3, largely due to stronger healthcare scores, particularly in Chinese cities such as Fuzhou, which climbed seven places to 93rd.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
