US Flounders on List of World’s Most Liveable Cities: What’s Going Wrong?

The United States, in 2026, did not secure a prominent position on the list of the world's most liveable cities, as determined by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). In the annual Global Liveability Index, Honolulu emerged as the best U.S. city, ranking 25th globally. Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, secured the top spot, followed by Vienna, Austria, and Melbourne, Australia.

The top ten consisted predominantly of cities from wealthy Western nations, with the notable exception of Japan, which contributed Osaka, Adelaide, Vancouver, and Tokyo to the list. Iran's capital Tehran entered the bottom 10, a result of the U.S.-led war in the region. The WORST-ranking city was Ukraine's Kyiv, while Damascus, Syria, occupied the very bottom place.

The U.S. cities were notably absent from the highest and lowest rankings, instead occupying a middle ground. Notable U.S. cities included Atlanta (29th), Pittsburgh (30th), Seattle (33rd), and Washington, D.C. (38th). Notably, Portland dropped four places to 48th, while Saipan experienced a four-place drop, landing at 87th. New York, in contrast, saw a significant improvement, jumping three places to 66th.

North America, in general, ranked as the second-most liveable region, with an average score of 90.4, trailing only western Europe at 91.7. Liveability is measured across five categories: stability (25%), healthcare (20%), culture and environment (25%), education (20%), and infrastructure (20%). While U.S. cities performed strongly in culture, environment, education, and infrastructure, their rankings were primarily hindered by safety, social stability, and healthcare affordability.

The ongoing housing affordability crisis, particularly in coastal cities like New York, and issues related to social unrest, weak gun-control laws, and rising healthcare costs, contributed to the U.S.'s middling standing.