Loading...U.S. News and World Report recently unveiled its ranking of the best countries for quality of life, with Denmark securing the top spot. Canada and New Zealand also ranked in the top 10.
To determine the rankings, U.S. News and World Report, in collaboration with global marketing company WPP and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, surveyed nearly 17,000 people worldwide between March 22 and May 23, 2024, assessing 89 countries based on key metrics:
- Affordability
- Good job market
- Economic stability
- Family-friendly policies
- Income equality
- Political stability
- Safety
- Well-developed public education system
- Well-developed public health system
Notably, the United States was absent from the top 10, ranking 22nd for quality of life. However, it achieved its highest position ever in the overall best countries ranking, coming in at No. 3. Despite its strong ranking overall, the U.S. performed poorly in certain quality of life metrics, ranking 57th in affordability and 49th in bureaucracy, according to U.S. News reporter Elliott Davis. “They did well in terms of a good job market, placing 13th, but overall perceptions of quality of life in the U.S. lag behind other countries,” Davis explained.
Denmark ranked No. 1 for quality of life, rising from 4th place in 2023. Part of Scandinavia, Denmark excels in areas like education, healthcare, political and economic stability, providing its citizens with a high quality of life. Despite high taxes—up to half of their income—Denmark’s residents benefit from free healthcare, subsidized childcare, free university education, and pensions for the elderly.
In addition, Denmark was ranked as the top country where expats are most satisfied with job opportunities, work-life balance, and overall career satisfaction, according to a 2024 Expat Insider survey. An impressive 84% of expats in Denmark are happy with their work-life balance, compared to the global average of 60%.
Denmark also ranked as the second happiest country globally in this year’s World Happiness Report, thanks to its focus on equality and social welfare—two key drivers of happiness. Here’s, the list of top 10 world best countries to live.
Top 10 Countries for Quality of Life in 2024:
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Canada
- Finland
- Germany
- Australia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
Sweden, previously No. 1, ranked second this year. Similar to Denmark, Sweden offers free healthcare and education and boasts one of the world’s highest life expectancies at 82.8 years. While Sweden dropped in the rankings, it still excelled in areas like human rights and environmental care. However, like Denmark, Sweden ranks low in affordability. It also offers generous parental leave, with 480 days of paid leave per child, split equally between two parents.
Despite Sweden’s relatively high cost of living, it remains 9.4% lower than in the U.S., with rent averaging 47.5% lower, according to Numbeo. Davis also noted that four Nordic countries made it into this year’s top 10 for quality of life.
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