Despite the wildly temperamental weather, the Tube carriages that are filled to the brim with body odour and passive aggression, or the sheer cost of – well… literally everything; London has somehow managed to nab itself a spot on a recent list of the happiest cities in the whole world. And yes, we’re just as surprised as you are, to be quite honest.
Every year, the happiness-hunters over at the Institute for Quality of Life assess hundreds of cities across the globe to determine which are the jolliest of all. Based on a variety of factors, the cities are ranked in order of happiness-levels, and are compiled into a handy little (well, actually rather lengthy) list: The Happy City Index.
This year’s index has just been released. And my some miracle, London has just about manage to squeeze itself into the ‘gold’ category. What does that mean, I hear you ask? Please allow me to explain…
For the 2025 edition of the Happy City Index, 200 cities across the globe were evaluated. Based on factors and categories that heavily contribute to overall happiness (including social achievements, environmental awareness, governance, economy, health, and transport), the cities were sorted into three groups: gold, silver, and bronze.
The top 31 happiest cities in the world earned themselves the coveted ‘gold’ status, and – landed at exactly number 31 on the list – London narrowly earned itself a sparkly gold crown. Achieving a score of 842 in total (and moving up two places from last year, hooray), London was hailed ‘a city where history meets innovation’ and ‘a global intellectual hub’. London topped the charts for its ‘extensive and efficient’ transport network, and got some pretty impressive scores in the education, inclusivity, and environmental protection departments, too.
The top 10 happiest cities in the world:
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Singapore, Singapore
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Seoul, South Korea
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Munich, Germany
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
So, if you’re in desperate need of a dopamine-boost, it turns out that those happy hormones can actually be found a whole lot closer to home than you might have expected. But if you’re in need of a city break, may we suggest on of the oh-so happy holiday destinations above?
You can peruse the full Happy City Index 2025 here.