Vancouver topped the list of the world’s most livable cities for the fifth straight year. Of the top 10 cities, eight were in the English-speaking countries of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But the most livable US city was only in 29th place—and it was Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, followed by Honolulu in 30th place, Los Angeles in 44th and New York City in the 56th spot.
In its annual survey, the Economist Intelligence Unit rates cities on 30 factors, including stability, health care, culture and environment, education, personal safety and infrastructure. It covers 140 major cities.
At the absolute bottom again this year was Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, where a floundering government has made life a misery in recent years.
The bottom 10 cities comprised five in Asia and five in Africa.
Tehran was eighth from the bottom. Three majority Muslim cities were below it: Dhaka, Bangladesh; Algiers, Algeria; and Karachi Pakistan.
Jon Copestake, editor of the report, said, “Mid-sized cities in developed countries with relatively low population densities tend to score well by having all the cultural and infrastructural benefits on offer with fewer problems related to crime or congestion,”
London moved up one place to 53rd while Paris came in at number 16.
The top Asian city was Osaka at number 12, tying Geneva, Switzerland, and beating out the Japanese capital of Tokyo, which came in at 18th.
Hong Kong came in at 31 but Beijing, capital of the world’s most populous nation and No. 2 economy, straggled in at 72.
Here are this year’s top 10:
1. Vancouver, British Columbia
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Vienna, Austria
4. Toronto, Ontario
5. Calgary, Alberta
6. Helsinki, Finland
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Perth, Australia
8. Adelaide, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
The bottom 10 cities were:
131. Colombo, Sri Lanka
132. Dakar, Senegal
133. Tehran, Iran
134. Douala, Cameroon
135. Karachi, Pakistan
136. Algiers, Algeria
137. Lagos, Nigeria
138. Port Moresby, Papua New
Guinea
139. Dhaka, Bangladesh
140. Harare, Zimbabwe