Overview
- U.S. News & World Report, which released the overhauled 2026 rankings Thursday, put Switzerland first and the United States 18th.
- The list uses 100 measurable indicators across eight areas, drawing on sources like the World Bank, the United Nations and the World Health Organization, with governance carrying the most weight.
- The United States leads culture and tourism and ranks No. 2 in economic development but sits No. 33 in health, No. 39 in infrastructure and No. 41 in civic health.
- Iceland ranks first for health, Singapore leads infrastructure and Europe holds 18 of the top 25 spots.
- The report flags stark tradeoffs, such as Singapore topping infrastructure but placing 96th for natural environment and Oman ranking second for public safety but 99th for human rights and freedoms.