Turns out the Windy City is bringing the sunny vibes. Chicago just landed at No. 8 on our new ranking of the world’s happiest cities in 2025, based on responses from more than 18,000 locals around the globe. The survey weighs what actually makes city life feel good day to day—think culture, nightlife, food, walkability, affordability and overall quality of life—then zeros in on happiness with statements about whether people feel joyful in their city, see that joy in others and find it growing.
This year’s global podium goes to Abu Dhabi, followed by Medellín and Cape Town. Chicago’s top-10 finish places it ahead of Seville, Melbourne and Brighton and just behind Shanghai, Mumbai and Beijing—all serious international company for a Midwestern heavyweight that too often gets reduced to snow jokes and sports takes.
So why are Chicagoans cheerful? Start with the everyday pleasures: a lakefront that’s actually public (26 miles of it), beach days that melt into outdoor concerts, neighborhood parks with pick-up hoops and farmers’ markets and a riverwalk that finally lives up to its postcard. Add a food scene with range, from Italian beef counters and tavern-cut pies to destination tasting menus. Layer in culture that never coasts—storefront theaters experimenting nightly, big-ticket museums refreshing their hits, music everywhere from dive bars to Millennium Park. None of it requires a car; this is a city built for walkers who like to discover things around the corner.
Affordability still matters and while no major American city is a bargain, Chicago remains comparatively livable next to coastal peers, which helps when you’re trying to build a life and not just snap the skyline. The city’s street-level community—block parties, neighborhood festivals, corner bars where the bartender knows your order—does its part, too. Happiness isn’t only about headline attractions; it’s about the small, consistent wins that add up between Monday and Friday.
The upshot: Locals aren’t just enduring long winters and delayed trains; they’re choosing Chicago and finding joy here, on purpose. Cracking the global top 10 is a reminder that, for all its complications, this town delivers the good stuff where it counts: culture you can touch, nature you can use, food that fuels more than a feed and neighborhoods that feel like home. That’s worth a smile and maybe a celebratory slice.