There are a lot of things to smile about in the Harbour City. Our restaurant scene is exceptional (feat the second-best steak restaurant in the world), our cultural offerings are world-class (Sydney recently ranked as the fifth-best city in the world for culture) and our beautiful beaches speak for themselves. And now, we’ve got confirmation that our reasons to smile are on the up – with Sydney’s ranking on the global Happy City Index jumping a huge 41 places in just 12 months.
Now in its sixth year, the Happy City Index ranks 200 cities around the world using 82 indicators across six categories: governance, environment, economy, mobility, citizen wellbeing and health. These cities are then awarded gold, silver or bronze status based on their overall ranking. While no Aussie cities cracked the top five (those went to Copenhagen, Zurich, Singapore, Aarhus and Antwerp), every single Australian capital city made the top 200. With Sydney smiles on the increase, our city’s ranking rose from 116th place in 2024 to 75th place in 2025 – that’s definitely something to smile about.
In last year's Happy City Index, Sydney’s score put us in the "bronze" tier of cities globally – and our city ranked considerably lower than other major Australian cities (with Brisbane ranking 21st, Melbourne 41st, Perth 61st and Hobart 87th). This year, things are looking happier (perhaps surprisingly?), with Sydney now ranking in the silver tier as Australia’s fourth-happiest city, outranking Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart, Darwin and Perth.
Topping the list in Australia was Adelaide, coming in 29th place globally. The report lauds Adelaide as “a city that seamlessly blends tradition with modernity,” praising its high quality of life, strong economy, highly accessible public transport, diverse labour market, and deep commitment to renewable energy and CO2 emission monitoring.
Five Aussie cities landed in the silver tier, including Canberra (51), Melbourne (67), Sydney (75), Brisbane (78) (last year’s happiest Aussie city), and the Gold Coast (88). The final two Australian cities to crack the top 200 were Hobart (135) and Perth (165).
While happiness is subjective, this report is a good reminder that we have lots to smile about in Australia compared to other parts of the world. You can check out the full report here.
Here are the happiest cities in Australia for 2025
- Adelaide (29th globally)
- Canberra (51st globally)
- Melbourne (67th globally)
- Sydney (75th globally)
- Brisbane (78th globally)
- Gold Coast (88th globally)
- Hobart (135th globally)
- Darwin (146th globally)
- Perth (165th globally)
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