- The Economist Intelligence Unit has published its ranking of the most liveable cities.
- No US cities made the top 10. In fact, none have featured in the top 10 since at least 2009.
Vienna, the capital of Austria, has been ranked the world's most liveable city for the second year in a row in the latest report by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
And yet again, no US cities have made the top 10.
In every iteration of the EIU's annual Global Liveability Ranking since at least 2009, no American cities have been ranked in the top 10. Honolulu was the highest-ranking US city this year, but only managed 25th place.
Instead, the ranking has been dominated by cities in Europe, Australia, and Canada. This year's top 11, for example – two cities tied for 10th place – is made up of four cities in Europe, three in Canada, two in Australia, and one each in Japan and New Zealand.
Last year, when two cities were tied for both third and 10th place, the list consisted of six cities in Europe, three in Canada, and one each in Japan and Australia.
The EIU bases its Global Liveability Index on a range of factors including availability and quality of public and private healthcare, culture, education, and crime.
Vienna – which has a population of around 2 million – topped the ranking in 2018 and 2019 before dipping to 12th in early 2021 because of waves of lockdowns which caused its museums and restaurants to close, allowing Auckland, New Zealand, to claim the top spot.
The EIU said that the city's victory is down to its "unsurpassed combination of stability, good infrastructure, strong education and healthcare services, and plenty of culture and entertainment," though it noted its "relative lack" of major sporting events.
In creating the list, the EIU looked at 173 cities across the world. While a full ranking of all these cities isn't provided, the report notes that two California cities – Los Angeles and San Diego – both slipped down 17 places in the ranking from last year and are now outside the top 50.
During the pandemic many Americans have moved out of cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City because of their high taxes and rent, as well as for a lifestyle change. And some businesses have been shutting their offices and stores in San Francisco, attributing it to rising crime rates.
The US is also often criticized for its health insurance system that prices many lower-income families out. In a 2021 report by the Commonwealth Fund, a US foundation that campaigns for better healthcare, the US's health system was ranked last of 11 high-income countries.
Compared to many European countries, US college graduates enter the world of work with high debts, with annual tuition for 2021 to 2022 year for public four-year colleges being on average $10,740 for state residents and $27,560 for out-of-state residents. In Austria, higher education is largely free.
Since the EIU started the ranking in 2009, Melbourne, Australia, has topped the list seven times. Vienna has come first four times, Auckland once, and Vancouver, Canada, twice.