After a couple years on Covid lockdown, are you in the mood for a change of scenery? Maybe a new town with some new adventures? Well, good news. The Economist’s annual list of the world’s most “livable” cities is here to guide your hunt for a new town to call home. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2022 measures the stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure of 173 major cities and ranks which ones treat its citizens best and which, well, don’t.
Vienna, Austria scored the top spot. In past years, Vienna has often ended up at or near the top of the list, though its Covid response knocked it down several notches over the last couple years. But with Covid quickly entering city officials’ rearview mirror, the city has reclaimed its spot, knocking Copenhagen, Denmark down to number two and Zurich, Switzerland to number three.
Europe and Canada dominated the top ten, with Calgary and Vancouver rounding out the top five cities. Geneva, Switerland; Frankfurt, Germany; Toronto, Canada; and Amsterdam, Netherlands came in sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth place. Melboune, Australia and Osaka, Japan tied for tenth, the only non Canadian or European cities of the top ten.
The U.S. didn’t crack the top ten this year, but Los Angeles did surge up 18 places over 2021’s placement, to 37th place. Meanwhile, Houston fell 25 points, to 56th place. So, what are you waiting for? The world’s livable cities are out there waiting for you.
