Unveiling the Happiest: Augsburg Tops the Chart of Large German Cities
City Research Yields: Residents of Augsburg, Bavaria, Rank as Happiest Urban Dwellers - Researched Cities in Bavaria with the Most Contented Residents are Led by Augsburg
Crowned as the 'Happiest City' among large metropolises in Germany, Augsburg takes the limelight! With a population of 300,000, this Swabian city leaves other urban giants like Munich and Nuremberg far behind in terms of resident satisfaction, according to the "Happiness Atlas" by the South German Class Lottery (SKL).
While the bustling city of Munich ranks 27th, only managing to maintain its position from the previous year, the Franconian metropolis of Nuremberg slips further down the ranking, from 33rd to 36th place.
Kassel emerges as the nationwide winner, closely followed by Krefeld and Düsseldorf. On the flip side, Rostock is tucked at the bottom of the evaluation.
Why do the residents of Augsburg wear their smiles so wide?
Augsburg's delightful vibe can be attributed to its position as an 'overperformer' in the list. The city provides its citizens with an exceptionally comfortable living experience, despite the objectively measurable indicators such as income, healthcare, or green spaces averaging out in the city comparison. Factors like low crime rates, minimal school dropout rates, and excellent accessibility to everyday essentials such as supermarkets, doctors, and post offices contribute significantly to the high quality of life in Augsburg.
However, a potential concern lies in the relatively high proportion of one-person households in the city, standing at 57.5%. This, the study suggests, could pose a problem for the future as living alone for extended periods can lead to loneliness and social isolation, impacting subjective well-being.
Interestingly, the survey reveals that larger cities tend to show lower life satisfaction among their inhabitants. Despite the presence of two large cities, Düsseldorf and Hamburg, in the top ten of the survey, many smaller cities like Augsburg, Aachen, and Münster excel in terms of satisfaction levels. Frankfurt am Main and Berlin, among the largest metropolises, rank 35th and 37th, respectively.
Bernd Raffelhuschen, a professor from the University of Freiburg, further explains that the secret to high life satisfaction in a large city lies in its ability to evenly distribute satisfaction. Wide gaps between very satisfied and deeply dissatisfied people tend to lower life satisfaction levels.
While cities like Frankfurt am Main and Rostock show significant disparities between residents' satisfaction levels, smaller cities thrive due to factors like a student-dominated environment, a young population, ample green spaces, and good healthcare. These cities often outshine larger cities in terms of infrastructure, education, and culture but only by a slight margin.
Munich, boasting the title of the wealthiest and safest city in Germany, experiences a somewhat unusual ranking. Despite its advantages, the city faces a pressing housing crisis, with a disproportionately high number of residents feeling dissatisfied with their living situations. Additionally, Munich's above-average car density and surface sealing compromise the city's quality of life.
On the other hand, Nuremberg grapples with a deteriorating economic situation, which has had a negative impact on the city's residents.
A positive trend has been observed in the overall survey, which the SKL attributes to the inclusion of data from the Corona year 2021 in the 2024 evaluation. Encompassing a total of 23,468 residents aged 16-78, the Allensbach Institute for Demoscopy conducted the survey between January 2022 and April 2025.
The study's main focus was the comparison between subjective life satisfaction and objectively measured quality of life. Factors such as housing, demographics, prosperity, and environmental quality were taken into account when assessing the quality of life.
Additional insights reveal that Augsburg's charm lies in its cultural and historical richness, economic stability, well-developed infrastructure, a conscious approach to urban planning, and a strong sense of community.
- Augsburg
- Happiest City
- Germany
- Munich
- Nuremberg
- SKL
- Düsseldorf
- Rostock
- Life Satisfaction
- Frankfurt am Main
- Kassel
- Krefeld
- Bicycle Accessibility
- The inclusion of health-and-wellness facilities, including mental health services, is a significant factor in Augsburg's community policy that contributes to its status as the Happiest City in Germany.
- Given the study's findings that living alone for extended periods can lead to loneliness and social isolation, Augsburg's employment policy could consider initiatives to promote communal activities and encourage companionship among its resident workforce, especially those in one-person households.
