Beyond the essential ideas of broad access to food, housing, quality education, health care and employment, quality of life also may include intangibles such as job security, political stability, individual freedom and environmental quality. According to U.S. News & World Report, four Nordic countries are seen as treating their citizens well. These four Nordic countries with best quality of life through all phasis of life are scoring on top 10 in this report..
What makes a country truly great? Is it a booming economy, a high standard of living or the ability to inspire adventure and creativity? According to the 2024 Best Countries ranking from U.S. News & World Report, it’s all of the above—and more.
- Denmark tops quality of life rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Wharton School.
- The rankings evaluated affordability, job stability, healthcare quality, and individual freedom.
- Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, Norway, and Finland, dominated the top 10.
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Related: Scandinavian Work-Life4 Balance: How It Influences Employee Productivity
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Denmark
#1 in Quality of Life
#10 in Best Countries Overall
The Kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 10th century and includes two North Atlantic island nations, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Along with Sweden and Norway, it forms Scandinavia, a cultural region in Northern Europe.
GDP
$404 billion
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP
$76,688
POPULATION
5.95 million
#2 in Quality of Life
#6 in Best Countries Overall
The Kingdom of Sweden, flanked by Norway to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east, expands across much of the Scandinavian Peninsula and is one of the largest countries in the European Union by land mass. Capital city Stockholm was claimed in the 16th century, and border disputes through the Middle Ages established the modern-day nation.
GDP
$593 billion
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP
$70,207
POPULATION
10.5 million
#3 in Quality of Life
#1 in Best Countries Overall
Switzerland, officially called the Swiss Confederation, is a small country in Central Europe made up of 16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes and valleys. It is one of the world’s wealthiest countries, and has been well-known for its neutrality.
GDP
$885 billion
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP
$92,980
POPULATION
8.85 million
#4 in Quality of Life
#11 in Best Countries Overall
The Kingdom of Norway is the westernmost country in the Scandinavian peninsula, made up mostly of mountainous terrain. Nearly all of its population lives in the south, surrounding the capital, Oslo. Norway’s coastline is made up of thousands of miles of fjords, bays and island shores. The Norwegians developed a maritime culture, and were active throughout the Viking era, establishing settlements in Iceland and Greenland.
GDP
$486 billion
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP
$104,460
POPULATION
5.52 million
#5 in Quality of Life
#4 in Best Countries Overall
Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. The country is sparsely populated, with most of its 35.5 million residents living within 125 miles of the U.S. border. Canada’s expansive wilderness to the north plays a large role in Canadian identity, as does the country’s reputation of welcoming immigrants.
GDP
$2.14 trillion
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP
$61,582
POPULATION
40.1 million
#6 in Quality of Life
#20 in Best Countries Overall
Geography defines the history and culture of Nordic Finland, one of the most northern-reaching countries in the world. Bordered by Scandinavia, Russia, the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, Finland and its vast stretches of heavily forested open land acts as a northern gate between West and East.
GDP
$300 billion
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP
$65,061
POPULATION
5.58 million
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Related: The Inviable Lifestyle in Helsinki
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Denmark was ranked first for quality of life by U.S. News & World Report in partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark ranked 10th overall for best countries, which was released 10 September and considered quality of life among 10 factors.
The rankings considered factors such as affordability, job and political stability, healthcare quality, and individual freedom. Scandinavian countries dominated the list, as Sweden, Norway, and Finland made the top 10.
The rankings 7 – 10 were Germany, Australia, Netherlands and New Zealand respectively.
Four Nordic Countries with Best Quality of Life, reported by Tor Kjolberg
Feature image (on top) © Nordic Medical