List is here: https://archive.ph/fF4ct or https://web.archive.org/web/20240611152445/https://happy-city-index.com/ (data tables might not fully display properly)
Note: this is not a "are you happy here" survey, but rather calculations using factors that "research says" make city folk happier.
A few highlights:
Top 3 overall are 1. Aarhus, Denmark 2. Zurich, Switzerland and 3. Berlin, Germany.
Top 3 from America are 18. Minneapolis, MN 38. Boston, MA and 57. Baltimore, MD.
Tops from some Commonwealth countries (I know some of you are out there, frens): 7. Bristol, GBR 21. Brisbane, AUS 25. Cork, IRL 37. Ottawa, CAN.
Obviously, you'll want to know what criteria they used in their assessment.
https://archive.ph/Sclj3 or https://web.archive.org/web/20240516041602/https://happy-city-index.com/HCI/happycityindex.html
Their explanation has a bunch of word salad, but they do give a somewhat concise listing of their intended dimensions towards the end. 24 "areas" sorted into 5 seemingly weighted categories. Each factor is very easily quantifiable and definitely all contribute to a functional and comfortable living environment.
[Please pardon the formatting]
AREA CATEGORY
- educational system CITIZENS
- social inclusion of residents CITIZENS
- Gross Domestic Product and Productivity ECONOMY
- involvement of residents in decision-making processes GOVERNANCE
- transparency in operation and openness of data GOVERNANCE
- accessibility of public e-services GOVERNANCE
- management of natural resources, including renewable energy sources ENVIRONMENT
- innovation and creativity of residents CITIZENS
- conscious strategies GOVERNANCE
- use of information and communication technologies in transport MOBILITY
- innovation and creativity of enterprises ECONOMY
- anti-pollution ENVIRONMENT
- waste, wastewater management and recycling ENVIRONMENT
- accessibility and efficiency of public transport MOBILITY
- availability of green areas ENVIRONMENT
- access to culture, including libraries CITIZENS
- entrepreneurship ECONOMY
- safety of the transport system MOBILITY
- labour market flexibility and unemployment ECONOMY
- ICT [information and communication technology] area as a sphere of activity and its availability in enterprises ECONOMY
- protection of biodiversity ENVIRONMENT
- openness of transport data MOBILITY
- availability of multimodal transport MOBILITY
- internationalisation of enterprises ECONOMY
In a related global happiness index, I believe Denmark was rated as the happiest nation. That same study also indicated that Denmark had high levels of anti-depressant use. If you're on anti-depressants, you're not actually happy.
Most commonly prescribed anti-depressants ( SSRI ) don't have a mesurable effect if you include studies that don't get covered because they didn't give the results the researchers wanted. So the alleged positive effect are data-massging, placebo effect allowed to surface from bad methodology, and random noise which was not identified because of cheery-picking only positive studies. ( The Soyence works in mysterious ways. )
But they do have mesurable negative side-effects.
Most doctors are aware of this to varying extents but won't stop prescribing them, because ''that's what everyone does'' and acting out of line on certain subjects is dangerous for your job security ( can't badmouth mRNA injections or you lose your job ).