Quality of life 2025, Trento still dominates the ranking: these are the provinces where people live best (and Rome surprises)

According to the latest edition of the annual survey of Sun 24 Hoursregains its primacy as the Italian province where people live best. On the podium, together with the city of Trentino, are Bolzano and Udine, confirming the supremacy of Northern Italy in the wellbeing rankings. In fact, the top ten sees the prevalence of North-Eastern territories, with small provinces such as Bergamo, Treviso, Padua and Parma which confirm the solidity of local realities in guaranteeing services, safety and quality of life.

Big metropolitan cities are improving

The large urban areas show signs of recovery: Bologna ranks fourth (+5 positions compared to 2024), Milan eighth (+4) and Rome rises to 46th place, with a leap of 13 steps. This positive trend highlights how economic competitiveness, cultural attractiveness and educational offerings can help offset the typical inequalities of metropolises, making them more attractive both for residents and for those seeking new opportunities. Other growing metropolitan cities include Genoa (+11) and Turin (+1).

The North-South divide remains evident

Despite some improvements in average wages and the quality of services, the gap between North and South remains profound. The first southern province in the general ranking is Cagliari in 39th place, followed by Bari, Messina, Catania, Palermo, Naples and finally Reggio Calabria, bringing up the rear for the second consecutive year. The southern provinces suffer structural problems such as a high rate of poor families, incomes lower than the national average and greater inflationary pressure.

Analyzed indicators and parameters

The survey takes into consideration 90 indicators divided into six macro-categories: wealth and consumption, business and work, environment and services, demography and health, justice and security, culture and free time. Some parameters are new, such as the perception of insecurity, cancer mortality, road accidents and air quality. Excellent results also emerge for specific categories: Milan dominates in Wealth and Work, Brescia in Environment and Services, Bologna in Demography and Health, Oristano in Justice and Security and Trieste in Culture and Leisure.

The subjective perception of well-being

In addition to statistical data, the survey also considers the satisfaction perceived by citizens. In the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, 61.9% of residents declare that they are satisfied with their lives, a figure that confirms how objective indicators are positively reflected in individual perception. Despite the demographic challenge and the stagnant birth rate, there are signs of change linked to the use of renewable energy and a gradual improvement of infrastructure.

The 2025 quality of life ranking

Below we leave you the complete ranking of the quality of life 2025:

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