Umeå is Sweden's Best Municipality to Live In

Umeå tops the ranking by the magazine Fokus on the best places to live in Sweden. The survey is based on factors such as education, healthcare, employment, infrastructure, and safety. Luleå came in second, and Karlstad took third place.

“This is, of course, incredibly exciting. All of northern Sweden, and especially Umeå, is thriving right now, offering residents excellent conditions for a good life. In Umeå, we have low unemployment, a high degree of safety, proximity to nature, and good communications, making it an amazing place to live. The rest of Sweden needs to open its eyes to the opportunities available here,” says Hans Lindberg (S), Chair of the Municipal Executive Board, Umeå Municipality.

Exploring Many Factors

In the ranking, the magazine Fokus, together with the statistics company Infostat, examined educational opportunities in the municipalities and their quality, access to healthcare, the local job market and unemployment. They also looked at infrastructure such as access to public transport, air travel, and broadband. The study also analyzed how many square meters of a house one could buy with an average teacher’s salary in the municipality, electricity prices, municipal and regional tax rates, and the municipality’s solvency.

Safety and High Quality of Life

Another important factor is safety, including the occurrence of shootings, ethnic segregation, proximity to police, and more. The availability of services such as shops, restaurants, and recreational activities were also considered.

“Key explanations for the strong result are that Umeå has a young population, two universities, a diversified business sector, and good communications, which provide conditions that many other municipalities don’t have. On top of that, we have a vibrant cultural and sports scene. Umeå is the largest city in Sweden without vulnerable areas, according to the police's definition, which certainly contributes significantly to the quality of life,” says Anders Ågren (M), Deputy Mayor, Umeå Municipality.

A Great Place to Live in Northern Sweden

Northern municipalities performed well in the ranking among Sweden’s 290 municipalities: Umeå is the winner, Luleå came second, Örnsköldsvik ranked seventh, Östersund eighth, Sundsvall fourteenth, Härnösand seventeenth, and Skellefteå twenty-third.

In another ongoing study, "Municipality of the Year," Umeå ranked fourth after winning the title in 2023. That survey is conducted by the magazine Dagens Samhälle and focuses more specifically on municipalities as organizations regarding service, economy, and more.