If overall health is a top priority for you, you’ll be happy to know that Boston just ranked as the best city in America to live in for your health. In the global rankings Boston also took home the third spot.
The report came from Healthnews, a digital publication providing the “most up-to-date, science-led, fact-based medical information” globally. Healthnews assessed 40 of the world’s “largest and most renowned cities,” using ten key indicators of overall health:
- Air quality index
- Sunshine hours per year
- Average weekly physical activity
- Average cost of fitness club membership per adult
- Average sleep duration
- Obesity rates
- Total number of hospitals
- Average workweek length
- Price of bottled water
- Happiness Index (data derived from 2024 World Happiness Report)
Every city received an average score in each of the ten categories. Overall placement respective to the other 39 cities determined the final rankings.
As we’re aware Boston not only has a high concentration of hospitals, but some of the best the world. With Massachusetts Genral Hospital ranking fifth in the most recent Newsweek rankings.
It doesn’t seem like our sunshine hours are too great right now, but hopefully these April showers will yield lots of May flowers to keep our air quality high and reduce the lingering effects of the Canadian wildfires.
Boston’s ranks as ‘#3 healthiest city in the world’ and #1 in America
Boston took home the title of the healthiest city in America and third healthiest globally. Find Boston’s overall scores are below:
- Air quality index: 13/100
- Annual Sunshine hours: 2,634
- Average weekly physical activity: 6.30
- Average nightly sleep duration: 7.10
- Obesity rates: 41.64%
- Total number of hospitals: 6,129
- Average workweek length: 40 hours
- Price of bottled water: $2.44
- Happiness Index: 6.73/10
- Cost of fitness club membership per adult: $95.56
To put these results into perspective, Helsinki had the highest happiness score, 7.74 out of 10, but did rank at number 35 due to lower scores in other categories. Amsterdam had the highest mean of weekly exercise, nearly 13 hours weekly compared to 6.30 hours in Boston.
Boston did have one of the highest fitness club fees on the list, but compared to New York’s $119.12 monthly average, $95.56 seems like a bargain. When it comes to the workweek, Boston could use some improvement, coming in at an average of 40 hours a week, whereas it seems many European cities have already adopted a the 4-day workweek with averages at or below 34 hours a week.
As 30 hours become the new 40 hours in the corporate world, Massachusetts is considering adopting a pilot program next year.
Boston’s low air pollution, ranking at just 13 is among the lowest on the list. And surprisingly, Healthnews notes “Boston gets more sunshine than Porto or Mexico City, with over 2,634 hours a year!” Soak up that Vitamin D!
Find the full Healthnews study online