The 20 Best Cities To Live In The World, Ranked In A 2024 Report

Forbes recently highlighted Atlanta as the second best city to live in the United Stated. Click here to read the full article by Laura Begley Bloom.

What are the best cities to live in the world? Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) evaluates cities across the globe for their liveability, releasing the much-anticipated Global Liveability Index 2024.

The EIU’s report examines 173 cities using 30 indicators divided into several categories, including stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure, then ranks them on a 100-point scale. The aim? To show how comfortable these cities are to live in.

Global Trends

So what do the results say about global liveability? This year’s report reveals a positive trend, primarily driven by significant improvements in healthcare and education in developing nations. However, these gains are somewhat offset by declining scores in several top-tier cities. Geopolitical risks also had an impact on the overall index.

“Global liveability has risen fractionally over the past year but risks to stability remain,” says Bhattacharyya. “High inflation, accompanied by interest rates and other economic headwinds, has led to frequent protests worldwide.”

One surprise in this year’s results, according to Bhattacharyya: “Overall, cities across the developing world have significant strides in improving their liveability standards, while those in rich countries have seen a decline in scores.”

Read on for the rankings of the best cities to live around the world and in the United States.

Ranked: The 10 Best Cities To Live In The U.S.
1. Honolulu, Hawaii (overall ranking: 23)
2. Atlanta, Georgia (overall ranking: 29)
3. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (overall ranking: 30)
4. Seattle, Washington (overall ranking: 34)
5. Washington D.C. (overall ranking: 38)
6. Chicago, Illinois (overall ranking: 39)
7. Boston, Massachusetts (overall ranking: 45)
8. Miami, Florida (overall ranking: 47)
9. San Francisco, California (overall ranking: 49)
10. Minneapolis, Minnesota (overall ranking: 50)