12. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, stretches across fourteen islands and hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremonies. Some popular sights to visit include the Royal Palace, the City Hall, the Vasa Museum, the Nobel Prize Museum and the ABBA museum.

Happiness: 7th

Historical Landmarks: 9th

Sports: 26th

Schools and Education: 13th

Governmental Stability: 4th

Crime: 40th

Healthcare: 27th

Affordability: 44th

Food: 13th

Innovation: 9th

Pollution: 6th

Climate: 45th

Overall Average: 20.25

Happiness: According to the World Happiness Report, Sweden scores in the top happiness category.

Historical Landmarks: Stockholm has one UNESCO World Heritage site—Skogskyrkogården, an early 20th century cemetery that blends vegetation and architectural elements.

Sports: Stockholm has three clubs in the first-tier Allsvenskan league. These are AIK, Djurgårdens IF, and Hammarby IF.

Schools and Education: With three universities in the top 500 worldwide with one being at 51 (Karolinska Institutet), Stockholm has options for higher education. Stockholm University is at 127 and Royal Institute of Technology at 240.

Crime: In Stockholm, crime is at the moderate level, with property theft and violent assault crimes being issues. Crime has greatly increased in the past three years.

Affordability: Stockholm has a cost of living index at 70.8, meaning it is one of the most expensive cities in Europe.

Food: 9 restaurants in Stockholm have at least 1 Michelin star, meaning there are some great culinary options.

Pollution: A pollution index score of 18.4 means that Stockholm has very low levels of pollution.

Climate: Stockholm reaches the low to mid 70s (F) in summer months, while in the winter, it can be found in the 30s in Fahrenheit.