Ranked: These Aussie capitals are the happiest places to be in 2025
It's happy days in Adelaide right now! The latest Happy City Index has dropped, and our South Australian capital just ranked as the happiest place to be in Australia right now. It's not hard to see why either. From world-class festivals and wineries to beautiful beaches and parks, Adelaide is built for good vibes. Plus, with less traffic and crowds than the bigger capitals, there's more time to spend doing the things you love. They don't call it the 20-minute city for nothing.
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 – and that's definitely something to smile about.
Topping the list in Australia was Adelaide, coming in at 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. We particularly love the city's scenic parks, bike-friendly paths, underrated restaurants and fabulous festival scene, including Illuminate Adelaide, the city's spectacular winter festival coming up in July.
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. You can check out the full report here.
Here are the happiest cities in Australia
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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