The Economist‘s covert editorial department known as the ‘Intelligence Unit’ recently compiled a list of the world’s 140 most livable cities. The United States only makes a cameo appearance.
What makes any city more or less ‘livable?’ It’s kind of a bullshit question, because it’s a completely subjective term.
Most families would consider a livable city to be one with affordable housing, good schools, little to no crime, clean accessible parks, and convenient access to public transportation and highways. Young professionals would prefer a fast-paced city where they can accomplish their lofty goals. College graduates are normally searching for a city free of consequences and full of loose morals. Single people with few friends need a city drinking establishments in close vicinity at all times to help them forget about how truly lonely they are. Homeless people prefer warmer weather.
According to The Economist Intelligence Unit there were five basic categories that helped determine the livability of each city: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. After all the data was collected each city was graded on a scale of 1-100, the higher the better. Needless to say Egypt and Libya did not top this list, but the ones that did might surprise you. The Economist‘s full ‘assessment’ costs only $500, so needless to say I haven’t seen the entire list, but earlier this week the top ten were revealed to the media.
1. Vancouver, Canada
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Vienna, Austria
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Helsinki, Finland
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Perth, Australia
9. Adelaide, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
Notice any common trend here?
None of these cities celebrate the 4th of July. Three of the top ten cities are Canadian and four Australian — zero American. I’m sure all of these cities are quite lovely. After all, Australian’s accents are delightfully charming and Canadian’s politeness is refreshingly disarming, but honestly where are the stars and stripes?
Sure we don’t have universal healthcare or mounties, but guess what “Crocodile Dundee” was a lot more entertaining when Paul Hogan was in New York City, and that’s not subjective.
Where’s the land of opportunity? You know, the place where freedom reigns? Where’s the love country that gave the world reality television?
Well, you have to look all the way down at No. 29 to find the first American city — Pittsburgh, The City of Champions. Which is all the evidence someone needs to know this list is fixed, because no matter how many times my college roommate stated it, there is no way Pittsburgh in the most livable city in America.
Which leads me to believe that the term ‘livable’ sucks. No one wants to brag about residing in a ‘liviable’ city—it sounds mediocre, it conveys the impression that they’re settling. It sounds like a word used to describe a city they are disaffected by.
February 26, 2011 at 12:24 am, PoorNYCer said:
NYC is no longer a livable place. At least Manhattan or parts of Brooklyn aren’t livable, and even parts of Queens. They’re crowded with rich people, hotels, overpriced rent and clothes. I have lofty goals but there’s no way I can live here and achieve my goals if I’m paying $10 for a sandwich at lunch.
I’ve been to Toronto and Vancouver and not only are they cool and young, but they’re affordable compared to what NYC has mutated into.
February 26, 2011 at 4:14 pm, Nicky10013 said:
Would you like some cheese with this whine? There’s no basis to this article than the boring notion that America always has to be #1. You made no substantive argument other than tired American stereotypes such as America being “the land of the free.” So are you freer than I am? If so, how? Even then, how does that make an American city better than the city I live in?
Listen, I live in Toronto and I don’t know if it deserves to be near the top of the list. We’ve got some serious issues. Ditto for Vancouver. Something tells me that the Economist got caught up with the view of the mountains from their penthouse in the Hyatt in downtown Vancouer. I doubt they ever went to the East Side of Vancouver where the heroin epidemic there gives credence to why the city is known as the drug capital of North America. So, in terms of being subjective, I agree with you.
However, if you want to pissed because no cities are on the list because they’re American? Well, not only is that a stupid line of argument with absolutely no proof to back it up, you’re just as bad as the people you accuse to be biased in that you say No American city is on the list precisely because they’re American. Yet, you just want an American city on the list for no other reason than to have an American city on the list. How is that different?
If you had a substantive argument based on things like public transportation, access to education, housing prices, culture and engagement, then I would’ve been far more amenable to this article. What I instead walked away with is the thought that basically boils down to “another American with an entitlement complex” which isn’t fair to a lot of Americans.
February 28, 2011 at 2:29 pm, Eric_marien said:
Not sure if trolling or just stupid. Clearly Canada’s biggest city are a better place to live than any US cities; just the number of murder alone is enough of a turnoff.
Then add the fact that our people are not stupid enough to think ”socialist” = Satan’s doing and you’ll understand why we are so ”friendly and polite” (that is US’s stereotype of canadians)
February 28, 2011 at 3:27 pm, Guest said:
Wouldn’t the most expensive cities ie. Vancouver be the most unliveable?
March 16, 2011 at 1:01 pm, Mitch said:
I’m from Melbourne. We have “socialist” healthcare and there is no right to bear arms here, so very little chance of getting shot at. I guess that makes it pretty liveable, since having people shooting at you is a sizeable impediment to living.
Plus we make better coffee.
May 31, 2011 at 5:47 am, Mark said:
Aw, shame. No US cities in the top ten. Maybe it’s actually trying to tell you something about your ‘proud nation’, or is your xenophobia having a little too much effect on your judgement?
The only common trend I noticed was your naivety throughout the article. Probably time you got a passport and started seeing a little of the world, my dear fellow.
And yes, livable isn’t too bad a thing – a gentle stabbing on the way home or an uneventful commute, which would you prefer?