TOP 10 PLACES TO LIVE

TOP 10 PLACES TO LIVE

10. Denmark — The country ranks high in paid vacation time, averaging 5 weeks off per year. Only 2% of Danish people say they work long hours, compared to the OECD's average of 13%, a percentage that increases every year.

Stig Nygaard

Slette Strand Beach in Denmark.

9. New Zealand — Greenhouse emissions are relatively low in New Zealand, mainly due to its low population and close proximity to the sea.

TripAdvisor

New Zealand.

8. Netherlands — This country boasts one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The OECD found that adults in the Netherlands score above-average in math and reading comprehension tests.

Wikipedia Commons

Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands.

7. Sweden — People in Sweden have a high level of civic engagement. Last year, 86% of its residents turned out to vote for its parliament.

Reuters

Voter ballots from last year's election.

6. Canada — This country ranks high in housing standards. In Canada, the average home contains 2.5 rooms per person, the highest rate in the OECD study.

Wikipedia Commons

The Markham suburbs in Toronto.

5. US — Jumping two spots from last year's Index, the United States comes out on top in areas of housing, income, and wealth. The average household disposable income is $41,355 per year, nearly twice the average of the countries in the study.

Flickr User Barn Images

New York City commuters.

4. Australia — Although the country ranked as number one for the last two years, it fell to fourth in 2015's Index. The OECD found that people feel a strong sense of community in Australia. 92% of Australians believe that they know someone they could rely on.

Will Choi

Sydney, Australia.

3. Switzerland — The unemployment rate in Switzerland hovers around 3.5%, one of the lowest in the world.

Shutterstock / Andreas Zerndl

Zurich, Switzerland.

2. Iceland — The country jumped nine spots from last year's Index. Since 2013, Iceland's unemployment rate and its pollution level has dropped. Home to glaciers, warm springs, and the 197-foot Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland enjoys the cleanest tap water in the world.

Andrés Nieto Porras

Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland.

1. Norway — The country moved from second to first place since last year. People are living their best lives in Norway, where a majority have paid jobs, a high level of education, and live an average of 82 years.

Flickr/mimamoe

Oslo, Norway.