Happiness Index
We live in one of the world's happiest countries. But where, exactly, are we happiest? To answer that question, we asked people in two of Canada's most vibrant cities—Toronto and Vancouver—which characteristics of their communities bring them the most joy, then ranked the top neighbourhoods based on their proximity to each.
Now, let's find your happy place!
The GTA
Happiest neighbourhoods based on access to:
Top 5 neighbourhoods for the outdoor enthusiasts
Thistletown
This historic GTA neighbourhood has been an oasis for outdoor lovers since its outset. Bordered by the Humber River, Thistletown is home to Etobicoke’s oldest park (Village Green Park, FYI) and a near-endless number of picturesque hiking and biking trails.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for the insatiable foodies
Milliken Mills West
No matter what you’re craving, trust you’ll be satisfied by the delicious fare you’ll find just minutes from your doorstep in Milliken Mills West. For an authentic experience, head to one of the area’s top-rated Asian restaurants. Your stomach will thank you.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for taking care of the kids
Bickford Park
If you’re raising your kids in the big city (aka Toronto), Bickford Park is the place to be. On top of its pristine playgrounds and community centres, the family-friendly neighbourhood has no shortage of daycares, schools, and alt-ed programs for you to choose from.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for more delightful downtime
Trinity Bellwoods
Outsiders recognize Trinity Bellwoods for its park, but the people who've settled down here stay for everything else the area has to offer, from its bustling arts scene and community cultural centres to its colourful streets lined with locally-owned shops.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for community connection
Humber Summit
What started as a pioneer settlement has since developed into a diverse yet incredibly close-knit community. Humber Summit’s residents come from countless ethnic and religious backgrounds, most with their own local cultural centre and place of worship.
Metro Vancouver
Happiest neighbourhoods based on access to:
Top 5 neighbourhoods for the outdoor enthusiasts
West Point Grey
Whether you’re a fan of sand, swimming, or sunbathing, West Point Grey is where it’s at. One of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods, this beachfront community (which is just a quick commute from the big city) is beloved for its serene, small-town sensibility.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for the insatiable foodies
Golden Village
Go on a gastronomic journey across East Asia from the comfort of home in Vancouver's Golden Village. And for a special treat, head north of the neighbourhood to Richmond's iconic summer Night Market to sample the best of all its local eats (and drinks!).
Top 5 neighbourhoods for more delightful downtime
Queensborough
Historically a hub for new immigrants, Queensborough has always put its diversity on full display. Long-standing community and cultural centres are the backbone of the area, which is quickly becoming one of Metro Vancouver's most popular places to live.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for taking care of the kids
Ranch Park
Parents come to Ranch Park for its unrivalled mountain views but stay because it’s one of Metro Vancouver’s best places to raise a family, thanks to a wide range of educational and childcare programs, large lot sizes, plentiful parks, and top-notch transit system.
Top 5 neighbourhoods for community connection
Sunset
This South Vancouver neighbourhood (aka the most ethnically diverse area of the city) is a mosaic of multiculturalism. Everyone is welcome here! Especially in the heart of Sunset: its Community Centre, complete with a gym, playground, dance studio, and more.
Additional Findings
We asked the same people across the GTA and Metro Vancouver (the majority of whom report loving where they live⁵, by the way) how much the following factors contribute to their happiness at home.
Methodology
In partnership with Maru/Blue, we surveyed 1,624 residents (aged 18+) in Ontario and British Columbia from June 1-3, 2022 to understand the impact that "access to activities that promote a healthy lifestyle" and "cultural/social ties to their neighbourhood" has on their happiness, as these were identified as key indicators of happiness by the World Happiness Report. We asked these same respondents to rank which factors (or "happiness indicators") contribute most to their happiness at home.
With the top happiness indicators identified, we pulled data points from multiple sources⁶ and merged those with our neighbourhood boundaries⁷ to determine the number of neighbourhood features (e.g. the number of playgrounds) available per neighbourhood. These data points were then normalized against the total number of properties in the corresponding neighbourhoods (based on sold properties over the past 20 years). Neighbourhoods with less than 1,000 properties were removed.
Once normalized, the data points were converted into rankings by calculating the distance between each data point and the median of all the points across neighbourhoods. A collection of neighbourhood features that best support each happiness indicator were weighted to create an index of neighbourhoods, which were ranked for each happiness indicator.
- https://time.com/5539942/green-space-health-wellness
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181227111420.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2863117
- https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ is_social_connection_the_best_path_to_happiness
- Based on a survey of 797 residents of the Greater Toronto Area and Metro Vancouver, conducted from June 1-3, 2022, 62% of GTA residents and 65% of Vancouver residents are happy with where they currently live
- Data sourced from StatsCan, Open Street Maps and SafeGraph
- Neighbourhood boundaries informed by Precisely
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