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Best & Worst Cities in Which to Live

by Neil Woodburn (RSS feed) on Apr 11th 2006 at 12:10PM

Well it’s that time of year again for some cities to stand up and proudly beat their chests, and for others to cower in shame: The annual Quality of Living Index report has just been released.

The report is compiled to help businesses determine if they need to consider a “hardship allowance” when sending their employees to work abroad. Thirty-nine “living determinants” are analyzed to create the report, varying from censorship, theaters, availability of food, climate, housing, and more.

Interestingly, New York is the “base city” upon which all others are indexed. With this in mind, the very best city according to the report is Zurich with a 108.2 index. Read literally, Zurich is 8% better than New York. Baghdad, at just 14.5 has bagged last place and is 85.5% worse. Ouch.

American cities don’t make an appearance until Honolulu (103.3) pops up at 27th place, followed closely by San Francisco (103.2). Time to start thinking about moving to Europe.

1 ZURICH Switzerland 108.2
2 GENEVA Switzerland 108.1
3 VANCOUVER Canada 107.7
4 VIENNA Austria 107.5
5 AUCKLAND New Zealand 107.3
6 DUSSELDORF Germany 107.2
7 FRANKFURT Germany 107.0
8 MUNICH Germany 106.8
9 BERN Switzerland 106.5
9 SYDNEY Australia 106.5

To Download the Top 50 click here.

Filed under: Europe, Switzerland

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

Michael Apr 11th 2006 1:40PM

I like to see a table sorted by
(Quality of Living / Cost of Living)

cwl Apr 13th 2006 6:40AM

Full List?

mark sheridan Apr 13th 2006 6:56AM

What Do these Top Cities all have in Common ? They All have a High Population of Whites and Very Few Minorites ! No Surpirise then They are Nice.

Diana Apr 13th 2006 7:12AM

What city is the worst to live in? I will love to see that list!!

brent blevins Apr 13th 2006 7:19AM

This guy Mark Sheriden is a idiot. I used to live in Vancouver B.C.. It is one of the most diverse cities in the world with a large percentage of Indian and Asians.Whites generally live in the suburbs.It's all about the culture.
Brent Blevins

Lou Apr 13th 2006 8:05AM

typical AOL garbage article

Murphy Apr 13th 2006 8:20AM

Europe, particularly Switzerland, has been appealing since the Kerry lost the presidental election. All worries came true. I'm outta here.

Evy Apr 13th 2006 8:41AM

New York is the base? Why New York? All I've ever heard about New York are dangerous back alleys, muggings, high crime, ghetto neighborhoods, crowded, expensive housing, and of course, the restraunts & theatres. Nice place to visit, but a scary place to live. No, I've never been there, but that's just the image that has been portrayed through the media, and hollywood, and every other window that shows New York to the world.

Jeff Sibster Apr 13th 2006 8:49AM

To Mark Sheridan who posted the comments at 6:56am. Very stupid comments and you need to grow up. I'm as white as it comes and have been all over the world in my job. Color has absolutly nothing to do with it. What makes our cities not as nice is attitudes like the one you posted. Grow up!

C.royce Apr 13th 2006 8:51AM

I live 15 minutes from Geneva and though it's not a big city, it has loads to do. If you love the outdoors, you've got downhill and the best cross-country in Europe, hiking in the summer,biking, riding weather it's motorcycles or horses. Without the crowds and heavy traffic that you get in bigger cities. Great views (Mt. Blanc & Alps) clean air and friendly people.Plus if you like to travel it doesn't take long to be in lovely towns or surrounding countries. Plus when you travel by air the airport is small and easy to get to and fly out of without the hassel of a large airport.What makes the quality of life better is less stress and that's why Geneva is .1 away from #1!

Fuzzbear Apr 13th 2006 8:53AM

We are given no information on how these cities are rated.

Whether a city is livable or not depends on a lot of factors, not the least of which is your income.

I was born and raised in NYC and it is livable IF you have the money.

Also, I now live in Atlanta, and it is livable if you choose one of the better sections of town. Some parts are ghetto warfare, others are plastic subdivisions.

Do you want culture, nature, good traffic, safe neighborhoods, good schools? Those are some fo the factors taht make a city "livable".

Too bad the article doesn't cover what is considered livable.

Kittie Apr 13th 2006 8:58AM

As for "Evy's" comment.. I live and have lived in NYC my entire life (lower Manhattan). Yalk about fun, exciting, diverse and trendy. Um, sweetie, take your head out of your ignorant butt and stop focusing on the "media" and "what you have heard" and see life in YOUR OWN EYES. I have never been mugged, experienced one ounce of crime or seen ghetto neighborhoods. (Did you know Harlem is a prime upcoming area, now?) It just makes me sick that people still have some 1970';s attitudes in 2006. Get with the program

Jerry Apr 13th 2006 9:04AM

To mark I am kinda pink in the winter and more brown in the summer so ..?

Ken Hinkcley Apr 13th 2006 9:05AM

Evy and most of the world do not have a clue as to what New York City is like. Like any other cities there are bad areas, but the crime rate per population is much lower there than in most large cities. A great example of how the press can distort the truth.

Evy Apr 13th 2006 9:13AM

Sorry if you were offended Kittie, or any other New Yorker. But obviously, not all people can travel the world and visit all the places ever mentioned in an article. If N.Y. is so great, then just say it. I only stated how N.Y. has been portrayed. If it is an adequate portrayal of not, I don't know. Your comment showed me that people of N.Y. aren't very polite. You just gave another negative view of N.Y. Great Job of representing.

Eric Apr 13th 2006 9:15AM

Evy, maybe you should at least visit somewhere before you make ignorant comment. I live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan and it is a very safe place to live.

Renea Samples Apr 13th 2006 9:20AM

Mark Sheridan you are clueless. I too am white as white can be. I have friends from all over the world in many different shades and colors. You need to take a look internally and rethink your views.

As for New York City. Wow! What a place. I love the big apple! It is the funnest place. I don't live there but have vacationed there six times. Each time staying about two weeks. It is my favorite vacation site. My dream is to one day move there. I did not have that dream until visiting the place. It isn't like it is portayed in the movies. I recommend NYC!!!