Overview

• The 2025 SKL-Glücksatlas polled 23,468 residents between January 2022 and April 2025 on a 0–10 life satisfaction scale and incorporated objective quality-of-life metrics
• Kassel leads the ranking again with 56% of inhabitants reporting high satisfaction and only 3% expressing serious dissatisfaction
• Rostock remains the unhappiest city, followed by Wiesbaden in 39th place and Frankfurt in 35th, highlighting struggles in larger urban centers
• Researchers say evenly distributed satisfaction among residents, smaller populations and family-friendly green spaces are key drivers of urban happiness
• Only two of Germany’s ten largest cities—Düsseldorf and Hamburg—appear in the top ten, underscoring how manageable city size bolsters well-being