The best city in the world?

[Cruise51]

An annual survey by Mercer Consulting says Zurich Switzerland is the best City in the world, Baghdad is the worst, and Honolulu is the best in the USA.
Link:
http://www.mercerhr.com/referencecontent.jhtml?idContent=1128060#top50all
I must admit I'm impressed by the Swiss rankings, they took 1st, 2nd, and tied 9th. Even though it's such a small country.

 

[imported_Shivetya]

any such report that names Washington DC as one of the top 50 places to live is silly. I guess the idea of being near a center of power is more important than schools or crime statistics?

 

[Martin]

Well, they tend to take care of their cities a lot more. America seems to prefer exurbs filled with McMansions and warehouse stores. Not my cup of tea, but everyone else seems to love it.

 

[Cruise51]

Originally posted by: Shivetya
any such report that names Washington DC as one of the top 50 places to live is silly. I guess the idea of being near a center of power is more important than schools or crime statistics?

Keep in mind that is top 50 out of 215 cities around the world. These are the factors considered:
"Mercer?s study is based on detailed assessments and evaluations of 39 key quality of living determinants, grouped in the following categories:

- Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc)

- Economic environment (currency exchange regulations, banking services, etc)

- Socio-cultural environment (censorship, limitations on personal freedom, etc)

- Health and sanitation (medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste
disposal, air pollution, etc)

- Schools and education (standard and availability of international schools, etc)

- Public services and transportation (electricity, water, public transport, traffic congestion, etc)

- Recreation (restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure, etc)

- Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, etc)

- Housing (housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services, etc)

- Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters)"

 

[smashp]

Originally posted by: Shivetya
any such report that names Washington DC as one of the top 50 places to live is silly. I guess the idea of being near a center of power is more important than schools or crime statistics?

i Imagine the Arts, culture, cuisine, and museums add alot to the appeal of DC. not to mention there are alot of decent private schools if you have the coin




Plus anyone else notice that the Contact person for the Survey resides in Geneva. Big surprise the swiss are #1 and #2

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Cruise51
An annual survey by Mercer Consulting says Zurich Switzerland is the best City in the world, Baghdad is the worst, and Honolulu is the best in the USA.
Link:
http://www.mercerhr.com/referencecontent.jhtml?idContent=1128060#top50all

I must admit I'm impressed by the Swiss rankings, they took 1st, 2nd, and tied 9th. Even though it's such a small country.

I'm not surprised since that is where all the rich in the U.S. hide their money.

 

[wyvrn]

Originally posted by: Martin
Well, they tend to take care of their cities a lot more. America seems to prefer exurbs filled with McMansions and warehouse stores. Not my cup of tea, but everyone else seems to love it.

I live in one of these and I am about ready to move into the country.

 

[tomywishbone]

Is Reno on the list?

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: Shivetya
any such report that names Washington DC as one of the top 50 places to live is silly. I guess the idea of being near a center of power is more important than schools or crime statistics?

If you get out of DC itself I am sure the area is a nice place to live.

You do have to wonder about their criteria. Honolulu as the best city in America?
I believe it ranks in the middle on most American made lists.

Maybe this is more about the difference in priorities between Americans and Europeans.

 

[homercles337]

Your link is busted.

 

[Strk]

It's really not that bad though, since the top 50 are all pretty close to each other in score. It's not like there is some massive discrepancy.

 

[Stunt]

The top five cities in the Americas were:
*Vancouver (3rd)
*Toronto (15th)
*Ottawa (tied for 18th)
*Montreal (22nd)
*Calgary (24th)

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Cruise51
An annual survey by Mercer Consulting says Zurich Switzerland is the best City in the world, Baghdad is the worst, and Honolulu is the best in the USA.
Link:
http://www.mercerhr.com/referencecontent.jhtml?idContent=1128060#top50all

I must admit I'm impressed by the Swiss rankings, they took 1st, 2nd, and tied 9th. Even though it's such a small country.

I'm not surprised since that is where all the rich in the U.S. hide their money.

I stash mine in the Carribbean.

How did Honolulu make #1 for the US?

 

[sapiens74]

Dakine Is #1


Yay, now I can be happy I live in Hawaii (among other reasons)

 

[sapiens74]

Originally posted by: homercles337
Your link is busted.

Er Bursted

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: Stunt
The top five cities in the Americas were:
*Vancouver (3rd)
*Toronto (15th)
*Ottawa (tied for 18th)
*Montreal (22nd)
*Calgary (24th)

Keep rubbing it in and we will double the amount of pollution we are sending north . . .

 

[conehead433]

I could agree with Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle, but SF, Boston, NYC, Boston, Chicago, not sure about Honolulu. Bogus results.

 

[sapiens74]

Originally posted by: conehead433
I could agree with Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle, but SF, Boston, NYC, Boston, Chicago, not sure about Honolulu. Bogus results.

Honolulu is a great place to live, but expensive. I don't know how some families do it here


Vancouver is a beautiful city

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: conehead433
I could agree with Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle, but SF, Boston, NYC, Boston, Chicago, not sure about Honolulu. Bogus results.

SF is a great place to live if you don't mind dropping 7-figures to get half of a Victorian. Living in a city that periodically burns down or is in peril of falling into the ocean could be considered a negative.

Boston, NYC, and Chicago are archetypes for the American metropolis. Personally, I don't get the appeal but try telling that to people that live there.

 

[Aimster]

Washington D.C is crap.

My favt. city right now is Dubai. They are doing great things there.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: sapiens74

Originally posted by: conehead433
I could agree with Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle, but SF, Boston, NYC, Boston, Chicago, not sure about Honolulu. Bogus results.

Honolulu is a great place to live, but expensive. I don't know how some families do it here


Vancouver is a beautiful city

Maui here... And I still question Honolulu. Then again, I'm a small town boy. That could have something to do with it.

 

[Rainsford]

You guys knocking DC sound like you haven't been there since the 70s. I wouldn't recommend the south-east side, but a lot of it is extremely nice, much better than it was even a few years ago. Plus you have a tremendous amount of culture in the form of museums and theater and all that, not to mention one of the only decent mass transit systems in ANY big city in the United States. Plus it has a rather unique flavor for a big city with the building height restrictions.

 

[ProfJohn]

Honolulu is SOOO crowded, it is like Hong Kong or Tokyo. Too many people and to little useable space.
If it wasn?t for the fact that some much of the island is unusable the entire area would paved over.
It is beautiful though, but after the beach what else is there to do?

BTW if you have never been there you will be surprised by how small the island is. You can drive from the north side to the south side in a little over an hour.

 

[ericlp]

27 HONOLULU, HI


Hmm, I live in Hawaii and I can think of tons of citys that top that one.

Edit, to Prof... Try that on the big island....

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

Originally posted by: Stunt
The top five cities in the Americas were:
*Vancouver (3rd)
*Toronto (15th)
*Ottawa (tied for 18th)
*Montreal (22nd)
*Calgary (24th)

Keep rubbing it in and we will double the amount of pollution we are sending north . . .

NP, we'll sell you double the amount of Oil to let you do it!