American city dubbed the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' named happiest in the country
EVERYONE say thank you to Hannah Montana because, as it turns out, you can have the best of both worlds. A Midwest metropolitan with plenty of nature has earned the title of the happiest in the cou… The Institute for Quality of Life's Happy City Index has named Minneapolis, a Midwest city known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," as the happiest in the country due to its 180 parks & 7 golf courses. The institute's ranking was determined by analyzing the happiness of actual residents in each city based on thousands of indicators related to the quality of life and the sense of happiness of its residents. While no city is "one size fits all," the institute found that the Danish city of Aarhus, with over 260,000 residents in just 35 square miles of land, is the happiest city in the world. Minneapolis' top ranking also included 18th place internationally. The city's 6,800-acre park system includes 22 lakes, 12 gardens, 180 parks, and seven golf courses, and a hiker's paradise with 55 miles worth of biking and walking paths.
Veröffentlicht : vor 10 Monaten durch Nancy Jiang in Travel
TEARS OF JOY Midwest US city dubbed the ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes’ named the happiest in the country thanks to 180 parks & 7 golf courses
EVERYONE say thank you to Hannah Montana because, as it turns out, you can have the best of both worlds.
A Midwest metropolitan with plenty of nature has earned the title of the happiest in the country.
Minneapolis scored the highly coveted spot on The Institute for Quality of Life's yearly Happy City Index.
The institute explained that they determine their list by analyzing the happiness of actual residents in each city.
"The ranking was created on the basis of thousands of indicators thoroughly developed by our researchers that directly relate to the quality of life and the sense of happiness of its residents," the site's methodology site said.
"Importantly, we do not analyze the happiness of an imaginary individual in every location in the world, but people actually living in these cities."
While no city is "one size fits all," the institute determined that the small city of Aarhus, Denmark, with over 260,000 residents in just 35 square miles of land, is the happiest city in the world.
A few spots down at 18th place internationally is Minneapolis, taking the top spot as the happiest city in the U.S.
Minneapolis' topography clearly explains why residents may be satisfied with their quality of life.
For one, the city boasts a "world-class" park system, earning it the title "Land of 10,000 Lakes."
While the epithet may be a bit of a stretch, its intent rings true, considering the city's 6,800-acre park system boasts 22 lakes, 12 gardens, 180 parks, and seven golf courses.
It's also a hiker's paradise, with 55 miles worth of biking and walking paths.
Every single one of Minneapolis' over 425,000 residents is within six minutes of a park, according to Livability, "making this Twin City a gem for outdoors lovers, families with kids, and pet-loving residents."
City dwellers and nature fans will also find a fair middle ground with the city's transportation system, which includes plenty of options for the commuter with its network of buses, light rails, and trains.
Minneapolis also doesn't fall short in terms of culture and the arts, starting with plenty of commissioned colorful murals that adorn the city.
Most importantly, unlike many cities of its size, Minneapolis has an affordable real estate market that makes housing easy to find.
"Single-family homes for sale in Minneapolis are well balanced against condos and apartments, and you’ll find plenty of properties that date back before 1945 if you’re into vintage architecture," Livability said.
"Real estate agents in Minneapolis have no trouble finding newcomers looking to buy into this midwest metropolis known for its friendliness, outgoing nature (even in the winter), and affordability."
In explaining its decision to rank cities — and Minneapolis as the "happiness city" in the country — the Institute for Quality of Life explained that no individual resident is exactly the same as another, and each person's metric of "happiness" is different.
"Cities are made up of people, and their sense of happiness depends on many factors. Every person is different and has different needs that result from historical, geopolitical, or traditional conditions," the site said.
"People living in cities engage in its constant transformation through social, political, or economic activity. It is also the inhabitants who create the future of cities by giving them their expressive character.
"There is no statistical woman or man whose sense of happiness can be studied by locating her or his in different cities of the world. In each location, a bunch of other determinants affect the feeling of happiness."