Best Countries to Live, According to Millennials
In 2008, Simon Cheung moved from Australia to Hong Kong to, as he says, discover his roots. Born in the Chinese-held territory in the 1980s, Simon and his family did what many Hong Kong residents did in the run-up to the British handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997: they moved away. Concerns about how much freedom and autonomy the communist nation would allow the territory drove many Hong Kong citizens to move to other countries in advance of the handover.
"I wanted to discover my culture and tradition," Cheung says, who speaks Cantonese. Two years later, however, the 35-year-old decided it was time to leave Hong Kong. For him, the choice of where to move to was easy: back to Perth, Australia, where he grew up. In addition to being where his family lived, Australia offered the industrial designer other benefits: an environment that he says nurtures creativity.
"For me as a creative person, it was difficult living there (Hong Kong)," says Cheung, speaking over Skype. "The Chinese don't tend to embrace risk."
Cheung isn't alone in his assessment of the Land Down Under. Australia is seen as the best country live in, according to nearly 6,000 18- to 35-year-olds who filled out surveys for the 2016 Best Countries rankings. The country known for its multicultural society, efficient health-care system and temperate climate rated ahead of the other countries in the Best Countries survey.
Canada is the second-most popular country as a place to live, according to millennials. Italy finished third and Australia's neighbor, New Zealand, finished fourth as a country young adults would choose to live. Rounding out the top tier of countries to live in, Sweden finished at No. 5 among millennials.
Millennials around the world view Australia as an environmentally friendly country. The country -- which is 80 percent of the size of the United States, but its population is just under 8 percent of the U.S. -- offers wide open spaces. Its large natural ecosystems range from desert and ancient landscapes to rain forests. Environmental issues are a top issue in the country. However, carbon dioxide emissions per capita are comparatively high among nations.
For Cheung, though, one of Australia's greatest appeals is its laid-back lifestyle. He believes the focus is on family and friends and less about making money compared to other countries. "It's (Australia) clean. It's safe. All of that is important." Australia, in contrast to the U.S., has tough laws governing the purchase of firearms.
Overall, millennials mirror the perceptions of the broader group by ranking countries torn by conflict and the instability of large refugee populations as unattractive places to live. Ukraine finished last at No. 60, and Jordan, overflowing with refugees from the civil war in Syria, finished No. 59. By contrast, millennials view South Korea significantly more favorably compared to the broad group of respondents. The East Asian country ranks as No. 48 as a country to live, according to global young adults. That ranking compared to No. 60 -- last -- among the overall group.
The list for Best Countries to Live, According to Millennials is based on responses from millennials in the Best Countries survey. It factors in how the generation scored nations in one country attribute: "is a place I would live."
The Best Countries rankings, formed in partnership with brand strategy firm BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, aim to gauge global perceptions of the world's biggest economies in terms of specific attributes associated with countries.
See the full list of Best Countries to Live, According to Millennials here.
Kevin Drew is senior editor, international, at U.S. News and World Report. You can follow him on Twitter here.
