Researchers considered quality of life based on stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure and culture.
WASHINGTON — There’s a new most livable city in the world, according to an annual list from the Economist Intelligence Unit.
The 2025 Global Liveability Index ranked 173 cities around the world based on how comfortable they are to live in.
This year, Copenhagen topped the list, dethroning Vienna’s three-year run at the top.
“Copenhagen achieved perfect scores of 100 for stability, education and infrastructure, moving up from second place to become the world’s most comfortable city to live in,” the Economist Intelligence Unit said.
The index scored cities across five key categories – stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure – using over 30 qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess overall quality of life.
What are the top 10 most comfortable cities in the world to live in?
Where did U.S. cities rank?
Honolulu, Hawaii, was the highest-ranked U.S. city, coming in at No. 23 overall on the EIU list. It was followed by Atlanta (29th), Pittsburgh (tied for 30th), Seattle (34th), and Washington, D.C. (38th). New York City and Los Angeles ranked lower at 69th and 57th, respectively.
While no cities in the United States cracked the top ten, many did jump up in ratings.
Fourteen U.S. cities improved their rankings compared to last year, with Miami, Portland, Oregon, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, North Carolina, among the biggest movers. Each of those four cities climbed three spots in the global rankings.
Miami and Portland now share the 44th position with a livability score of 90.4 out of 100, while Indianapolis and Charlotte are tied for 50th, each scoring 89.4.
U.S. cities generally performed well in education, earning an average score of 84.4, but ranked lower in stability, which looked at more crime and safety related concerns.
Overall, the 25 cities reviewed in North America did see its livability score decline by 0.1 percent compared to 2024.