London based Monocle Magazine released their rankings for the top 25 cities in the world according to their metrics for “Quality of Life.” Fukuoka moved up two spots from last year to rank 10th best city in the world! Fukuoka was praised for being a smaller city with an independent and unique direction, low crime, for being small business friendly and having a large number of cyclists.
Here are the full rankings:
Top 25 in 2014 (2013 results):
1. Copenhagen (1)
2. Tokyo (4)
3. Melbourne (2)
4. Stockholm (7)
5. Helsinki (3)
6. Vienna (5)
7. Zürich (6)
8. Munich (8)
9. Kyoto (13)
10. Fukuoka (12)
11. Sydney
12. Aukland
13. Hong Kong
14. Berlin
15. Vancouver
16. Singapore
17. Madrid
18. Paris
19. Amsterdam
20. Hamburg
21. Barcelona
22. Lisbon
23. Portland
24. Oslo
25. Brisbane
The 2014 survey continues to use the same unique Quality of Life metrics for which it has become famous. These include crime, healthcare, state-funded education and business climate, combined with a unique Monocle “liveability assessment”. This takes into account factors including the amount of green space, commitment to culture, hours of sunshine, electric car-charging points, the ease of starting a new business and a high-street chain test that values the independents over the franchises. This year’s survey has also added one new major metric “Libertarian paradise or stickler for rules?” with the aim of appreciating the intangibles that light up a community alongside the infrastructure that keeps it going.
About Monocle’s Quality of Life Index: Monocle’s Quality of Life index goes beyond the basic economic and social aspects of a city, identifying often overlooked factors that can bring happiness and ease to everyday life. Elements such as a well-tended bar, shopping hours and access to green space make it the only quality of life survey of its kind. Monocle rankings are prescriptive in that they don’t just collect data but also suggest what each city needs to do to grow or maintain their rankings.
Source: http://monocle.com/film/affairs/quality-of-life-cities/