%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-central-park-nyc-HAPPYUSCITY0525-3d922446b8c04f6b8309a7ee4cd7ee82.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
This Iconic City Was Just Named the Happiest in the U.S.
While the organization acknowledges that the concept of happiness is subjective, it explains that it ranks cities that are 'committed to cultivating and growing happiness.' The destinations are analyzed using 82 indicators, such as housing affordability, renewable energy resources, and GDP per person. Interviews with residents were also conducted to determine the final ranking.
The report noted that New York City scored high in several categories, including economic performance, education, and mobility.
'With a staggering budget of 187.18 billion GBP in 2024, the city accounts for 2.6 percent of the U.S. population and continues to be a driving force in the nation's economy, boasting a GDP per capita of 67,742 GBP and a robust growth rate of 2.9 percent,' the report stated. Describing NYC as an 'intellectual and technological powerhouse,' it also shared that New Yorkers value education, digital skills are 'widespread,' and the city has a high number of patents (10.02 patents per 10,000 residents).
New York's transportation system also performed well. Per the report: 'New York's transport infrastructure is vast and complex, supporting millions of daily commuters. With a green mobility share of 40 percent, the city continues to expand its sustainable transport options. An intelligent traffic management system optimizes movement, while digital payment options streamline public transport access.'
That said, a survey from the Citizens Budget Commission found that only 30 percent of New Yorkers are happy with their quality of life in the city.
New York City ranked No. 17 on the overall list, trailing a number of European and Asian cities. Copenhagen snagged the top spot, with Zurich, Switzerland; Singapore; and Aarhus, Denmark, following close behind. The second-highest ranking U.S. city was Minneapolis, Minnesota (No. 30).
Discover the full rankings and data for each city at happy-city-index.com.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Bloomberg
11 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Stock Investors Expect Rally as Europe Clinches US Trade Deal
Investors expect automakers and luxury goods makers to lead a relief rally in European stocks when the market reopens on Monday, after the US and European Union agreed to a trade deal. The pact, which will see the bloc face 15% tariffs on most of its exports including autos, was announced Sunday by President Donald Trump after a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The European leader said the rate would be all inclusive, though Trump said it did not include pharmaceuticals and metals.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US-EU deal sets 15% tariff on most goods and averts threat of trade war
The United States and the European Union have agreed to a trade deal setting a 15% tariff on most goods, US President Donald Trump announced, staving off higher import taxes on both sides that might have sent shockwaves through economies around the world. The announcement came after Mr Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Mr Trump's Turnberry golf course in Scotland. Their private meeting was a culmination of months of bargaining, with the White House deadline of August 1 approaching for imposing punishing tariffs on the 27-member EU. 'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Mr Trump said. The agreement, he said, was 'a good deal for everybody' and 'a giant deal with lots of countries'. Ms von der Leyen said the deal 'will bring stability, it will bring predictability that's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic'. Mr Trump said the EU had agreed to buy some 750 billion dollars' (£558 billion) worth of US energy and to invest 600 billion dollars (£446 billion) more in America, as well as making a major purchase of military equipment. The US leader said: 'We are agreeing that the tariff straight across for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15%. 'We have a tariff of 15%. We have the opening up of all of the European countries.' Ms von der Leyen said the 15% tariffs were 'across the board, all inclusive' and that 'indeed, basically the European market is open'. Before the meeting began, Mr Trump pledged to change what he characterised as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States'. 'I think both sides want to see fairness,' the Republican President told reporters. His EU Commission counterpart spoke of rebalancing. Ms von der Leyen said the US and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars. She added that Mr Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker'. 'But fair,' Mr Trump added. For months, Mr Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major US trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30%. During his comments before the deal was announced, he pointed to a recent US agreement with Japan that set tariff rates for many goods at 15% and suggested the EU could agree to something similar. Asked then if he would be willing to accept tariff rates lower than that, Mr Trump said 'no'. Joining Ms von der Leyen were Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief trade negotiator; Bjorn Seibert, the head of von der Leyen's Cabinet; Sabine Weyand, the commission's directorate-general for trade, and Tomas Baert, head of trade and agriculture at the EU's delegation to the US. The US and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Mr Trump instead threatened the 30% tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm, the administration insists. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. August 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place, Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News on Sunday. He added, however, that even after that 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen'. Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and car parts to beer and Boeing planes. If Mr Trump eventually followed through on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could have made everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the United States.


The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Lutnick says tariffs set in place Aug 1: ‘No extensions. No more grace periods.'
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday that President Trump would not grant any further extensions to countries wishing to negotiate trade deals ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set,' Lutnick said in an interview on 'Fox News Sunday.' 'They'll go into place, customs will start collecting the money, and off we go,' Lutnick continued. Lutnick added, however, that the president would be open to continuing to negotiate even once the tariffs are in place. 'Obviously after Aug. 1, people can still talk to President Trump,' Lutnick said. 'I mean, he's always willing to listen.' The president will also continue to talk to other countries before the Aug. 1 deadline, Lutnick added. 'Whether they can make him happy is another question,' Lutnick said. 'But the president's definitely willing to negotiate and talk to the big economies for sure.' The interview came shortly before Trump announced a trade deal with the European Union, setting tariffs at 15 percent for European goods, including automobiles. The EU agreed to purchase $750 billion worth of energy from the U.S. as part of the deal, Trump announced on Sunday, and to invest in the U.S. $600 billion more than the current investments for other goods. The agreement is lower than the 30 percent tariff Trump had threatened to impose on the EU, which was set to take effect on Aug. 1, and avoids a trade war with the U.S.'s largest trading partner. Trump earlier this month posted letters to social media sent to more than a dozen countries vowing to impose steep tariffs on their imports starting Aug. 1. An initial round of tariffs unveiled in April were paused for 90 days to allow time for negotiations, and the president then pushed the deadline for the tariffs to take effect back by another couple weeks — to Aug. 1.