A new study by VAAY, a German CBD and wellbeing brand has listed the best cities to live in for mental wellbeing. Using various metrics such as; crime levels, gender and minority equality, population density, air pollution, noise pollution, traffic congestion, unemployment rates, local purchasing power, social security structures, and the government’s response to the pandemic, VAAY compiled an index revealing the best places to live. The company assessed more than 500 cities, before removing those without reliable data, leaving just 100.
The winner was Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, likely thanks to a number of recent initiatives. This month they trialled a four-day working week, which analysts described as an ‘overwhelming success’, whilst they have also led the way in boosting participatory democracy as well as cutting substance abuse among teens. The country has also recently been named the world’s most peaceful country, is a leader in the field of geothermal energy and a role model country when it comes to gender equality.
So how some of the other cities fare? Here’s the top twenty:
1. Reykjavik, Iceland
2. Bern, Switzerland
3. Helsinki, Finland
4. Wellington, New Zealand
5. Melbourne, Australia
6. Oslo, Norway
7. Copenhagen, Denmark
8. Innsbruck, Austria
9. Hanover, Germany
10. Graz, Austria
11. Liverpool, UK
12. Montreal, Canada
13. Vienna, Austria
14. Auckland, New Zealand
15. Amsterdam, Netherlands
16. Montevideo, Uruguay
17. Zurich, Switzerland
18. Cologne, Germany
19. Sydney, Australia
20. Stockholm, Sweden
