The worlds best places to live, 2009 top 30.

[thanmuwa]

I am not surprised that Vancouver tied for 4th and Toronto placed 15th, if I ever left Scotland, Canada would be my number one choice.
There seemed to a lot of places selected from continental Europe, especially Germany, and quite a few from the antipodes as well, of which Sydney was a surprise inclusion as I'd often heard it associated with high crime rates.
Disappointed neither Glasgow nor Edinburgh made it to the top 30.
One has to wonder how objective their research was.

In amongst the various criteria was lifespan. In any comparison where that is given any significant weighting, Edinburgh and particularly Glasgow are going to suffer major negative points. Scotland has some of the lowest life expectancies in the western world, for example the life expectancy of a male in the Calton Ward of Glasgow is 53.9 years, significantly lower than the averages for Iraq amongst other places. Combined with a middle of the road GDP, Scotland has no chance of making it high on a table like that!

[davedove]

I guess I'm just a country boy at heart. I wouldn't want to live in any of these places. Visit them, sure, but not live in them. All I see is too many people in too many buildings. The smaller city I'm in now is too big for me. I need elbow room!!!

[Colin]

Flanders is good beer country - you and the Lady should come down from the mountains to Lille next June when I'm there. Or we could head up to Brussels, #14 on that list - I know some fine pubs...

Yeah, I was just there in April and I wasn't very impressed with Brussels. Nice city, but when you arrive from Bruges (great beers and grub) and are heading to Edinburgh next, Brussels didn't stand a chance.

[Colin]

Funny how the three Canadian cities listed are also the three most expensive places in the country to live. We left Calgary nearly 2 years ago due to the traffic congestion, cost of living, crime, etc. We much prefer life in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

3? I saw Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa (would have been my #4 over Vancouver), Montreal, and "Cowgary" on the list.

[Urchurdan]

As my auld Mither would have said, "East, West - Hame's best.......

[starbkjrus]

Well, they are all places that I would like to VISIT, but to live - no thank you.

I live in a village in the middle of the forest. We have our own dairy, bakery, brewery, butchers, pub/restaurant, petrol station and garage, general stores, newsagents, Post Office and stores, ironmongery and hardware (that has everything), blacksmithy, timberyard, three places of worship (C of E, RC and Baptist)(Methodist is six miles down the road), outlets for all types of hobbies and handicrafts, a shop dealing with adult interests and requirements is nine miles away and the London West End is two hours easy driving. There are five species of deer in the forest and we regularly get them all in the garden. The train station linking us to the East Coast main line is six miles away.

I get 8 megs broadband speed and snailmail deliveries six days a week before 08:30. Give this up, for the noise and the pollution and the privilege of living with millions of strangers - I think not.

Regards

Chas

Well now Chas. Perhaps I've just added another location to our shortlist.

[Chas]

Well now Chas. Perhaps I've just added another location to our shortlist.

No, No, No. Your short list is just fine. Reston, Virginia is the place you really want to be. Norfolk is not good for you. Reston...Reston...Say with me...Reston. That's better now isn't it .

Regards

Chas

[Heming]

Oslo on #24 behind both Stockholm and Copenhagen is of course disappointing. I am not surprised though, as the cost of living here is much higher.

[Mr. Kilt]

3? I saw Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa (would have been my #4 over Vancouver), Montreal, and "Cowgary" on the list.

3? Did I say 3?? Hmmmm...I meant to say 5. Yeah...5!
Ok, ok. I never claimed I could count.

[beloitpiper]

So to summarize...basically central Europe, New Zealand/Australia, or Canada?

I disagree. Not that those are bad places, but there are nice places to live in the US besides San Fran and Hawaii.