A strong focus on sustainability, accessible health care, and overall quality of life helped this destination rise to the top.

If boosting your happiness is on your wish list, you may want to look toward Denmark — home to the world’s happiest city.

The Institute for Quality of Life has released its latest Happy City Index, which evaluates cities that actively work to improve residents’ well-being. The index considers 82 indicators related to happiness, including education and economic vitality, environmental efforts, inclusive public policies, and the availability of parks and green spaces. Interviews with locals across participating cities also inform the final scores.

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This year’s top spot goes to Copenhagen. The Danish capital performed exceptionally well, thanks to its strong emphasis on education, innovation, open governance, environmental stewardship, and robust health care access.

“Health and well-being are cornerstones of life in Copenhagen,” the report states. The city offers universal health insurance, an average of 4.4 doctors per 1,000 people, and a life expectancy of nearly 80 years. Residents also benefit from a balanced lifestyle, with a typical workweek of around 37 hours.

Coming in behind Copenhagen is Zurich, Switzerland, followed by Singapore. Another Danish hub, Aarhus — last year’s No. 1 — takes fourth place, while Antwerp, Belgium, secures fifth. Denmark, which ranked second-happiest globally earlier this year (just behind Finland), boasts seven cities in the top 50.

Among U.S. destinations, New York City lands at No. 17, with Minneapolis following at No. 30.

Still, the Institute cautions against declaring any single city the ultimate champion of happiness. “No city can be seen as the undisputed leader in long-term citizen happiness,” the report explains. “What we aim to highlight are positive trends and meaningful improvements that contribute to well-being around the world.”

The complete list and detailed city profiles are available at happy-city-index.com.