London

LONDON (rank 48) - United Kingdom

Methodology and interpretation notice

The Happy City Index is an independent comparative research project based on a structured methodology and multi-source data assessment. The results presented here are provided for informational and benchmarking purposes only and should not be treated as a definitive or exhaustive statement of fact.

For proper interpretation, readers should consult the published methodology and verify relevant data with official sources where necessary.

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Happy City Index 2026

London compared with the overall Index average

Total score 6366

Category GOLD

The table below presents all 64 Happy City Index indicators for London against the overall average.

Theme: Citizens

Indicator

London

Avg

Urban Innovation Ecosystem Potential

66.27

86.02

School Density

1.33

0.71

Higher Education Accessibility

yes

—

Presence of a Globally Ranked Higher Education Institution

276.16

Cost of Higher Education Compared to Average Annual Salary

21%

0.07%

Residents with a Master's Degree (%)

15.8%

12.40%

Population Able to Communicate in a Foreign Language (%)

8.9

34.14%

Use of Electronic Banking Services (%)

79.27%

Population Aged 65+ Benefiting from Municipal Home Care (%)

4.0%

10.51%

Homeless People per 10,000 Residents

1.40

5.27

Theme: Governance

Indicator

London

Avg

Availability of City Website

2.11

Net Internal Migration Rate per 1,000 Population

-2.50

3.58

Pupils per School Building

319.66

380.04

Employment in Creative Industries (%)

7.1

4.62%

Housing Affordability Ratio

7.13

5.12

Housing Affordability Ratio (Rent)

44%

32.32%

Cultural Institutions per 100,000 Residents

8.5

8.15

Libraries per 10 km²

2.07

1.16

Voter Turnout in the Last Local Elections (%)

40.5

49.79%

Open Data Portal Availability

yes

—

Datasets Available in Machine-Readable Formats

yes

—

Fault Reporting System via Website or Mobile App

yes

—

Electronic Payments for Municipal Services

yes

—

Online Appointment Booking with City Hall

yes

—

Up-to-Date Official Development Strategy

yes

—

Key Elements Included in the Strategy

4.5

AI Awareness in City Strategies

yes

—

Theme: Environment

Indicator

London

Avg

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration

7.50

11.86

Green Mobility Share (%)

64.0%

45.25%

Waste Generated per Resident

0.33

0.51

Population Served by Sewage Treatment Facilities (%)

100

95.46%

Recycling Rate (%)

44.29%

Landfill Waste Burden

0.221

0.28

Biodiversity Protection Strategy

yes

—

Theme: Economy

Indicator

London

Avg

GDP per Capita

40,046 GBP

36,208 GBP

GDP Growth (%)

1.30%

0.02%

Patents per 100,000 Inhabitants

11.88

178.84

Businesses per 1,000 Residents

115.51

138.18

City Fiscal Power Index

11.69%

25.56%

Annual Average Unemployment Rate

6.2

5.58%

Annual Average Youth Unemployment Rate

12.44%

Youth Unemployment Ratio

2.6

2.46

Percentage Deviation in Earnings Relative to the National Average

21%

43.01%

Paid Parental Leave Weeks at 50% or More of Salary

24.21

Theme: Health

Indicator

London

Avg

Psychiatrists per 100,000 Inhabitants

20.20

16.38

Mental Health or Well-Being Strategy

yes

—

Strategy to Prevent and Address Hate Speech or Cyberbullying

yes

—

Licensed Medical Doctors Practising in the City (FTE)

3.40

5.18

Population Covered by Medical Insurance (%)

100

97.69%

Intentional Homicides per 100,000 Residents

10.67

20.62

Adults Classified as Overweight or Obese (%)

52.29%

Parks per km²

1.91

1.09

Green Space per Capita

34.59

72.57

Average Weekly Working Hours

36.7

40.52

Average Number of Paid Vacation Days

21.51

Life Expectancy at Birth

81.26

Theme: Mobility

Indicator

London

Avg

Accessibility of Electronic Payment Systems in Transport

2.51

Distance to the Nearest International Airport

21.44

Access Modes to the Nearest Airport

4.00

3.17

Public Transport Ridership per Capita

427.00

193.80

Accessible Public Transport Fleet (%)

100

91.18%

Road Traffic Accidents per 1,000 Residents

2.78

8.13

Open Public Transport Data Availability

yes

—

Integrated Journey Planner Availability

yes

—