While cities are a relatively recent phenomenon, for most of their existence most people have not lived in them. In the past decade, however, city populations have grown to the point where most people in the world now live in cities. This raises the interesting question: Are cities really livable? Every year, a number of different groups attempt to produce a list of what they consider the most livable cities in the world.
Using criteria that include safety/crime, international connectivity, climate/sunshine, quality of architecture, public transportation, tolerance, environmental issues and access to nature, urban design, business conditions, pro-active policy developments and medical care, the magazine Monocle produces an annual list of livable cities. In 2014, the five most livable cities were: Copenhagen, Tokyo, Melbourne, Stockholm, and Helsinki. The highest ranking U.S. city is Portland, Oregon which ranks 23rd.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) looks at widespread availability of goods and services, low personal risk, and an effective infrastructure. According to the EIU, the five most livable cities in 2014 were: Melbourne, Vienna, Vancouver, Toronto, and Adelaide. There are no U.S. cities in the top twenty.
Using the criteria of safety, education, hygiene, health care, culture, environment, recreation, political-economic stability, and public transportation, the Mercer Quality of Living Survey’s five most livable cities are: Vienna, Zurich, Auckland, Munich, and Vancouver.
In your experience, what are the most livable cities you have encountered?
Disclosure: With the exception of a short period of living in Tucson (I was deeply in love with someone who lived there), I have never lived in cities.
Welcome to Street Prophets Saturday. This is an open thread at the intersection of Politics and Religion. Feel free to talk about cities, or important things like food or pets.