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Equality in Europe

Which Cities Are the Best for Equal Opportunity?

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If you spoke to people about what they look for in a country or city, most would put equality near the top of their list.

At Spotahome, we work with people who are moving to places that are new to them. They ask us questions about equality in their new city or country. They want to know what to expect when they get there. We researched various aspects of equality to find out how a number of cities and countries in Europe compare with each other.

Our research highlights both the cities that are paving the way for equality in Europe, and those that still have room for improvement.

Measuring equality at city and country level required different approaches. Our Equality Index for cities ranked 33 European cities on 10 distinct equality factors. Our Equality Index for countries measured 36 European countries against 6 distinct equality factors. If you’d like to know more about our research process, please refer to the methodology.

Male Vs Female Labour Force Participation

Gender pay gap

Women in Fortune 500 Companies

LGBTI Friendliness

Wheelchair Accessibility

Immigrant Acceptance

Quality of Life

Income inequality

Women in Politics

Political Rights & Civil Liberties

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city index

country index

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Equality index

Male Vs Female Labour Force Participation

Gender Pay Gap

Women In Fortune 500 Companies

LGBTI Friendliness

Wheelchair Accessibility

Immigrant Acceptance

Quality Of Life

Income Inequality

Women In Politics

Political Rights & Civil Liberties

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Total
Gender
Social
Economy
Politics
Rank
City
Country
Equality index
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1
Helsinki
Finland
7.97
10.00
4.49
6.00
7.59
~
7.53
8.13
~
10.00
10.00
2
Stockholm
Sweden
7.82
9.71
6.03
8.33
6.63
9.33
9.50
6.15
9.95
2.53
10.00
3
Rotterdam
Netherlands
7.30
8.32
5.05
6.67
7.11
10.00
8.82
7.35
9.83
0.00
9.89
4
Bristol
UK
7.29
8.23
2.85
~
8.55
6.66
7.57
7.64
~
7.50
9.32
5
Zurich
Switzerland
7.23
8.67
4.30
10.00
3.13
10.00
8.45
9.57
7.73
0.94
9.55
6
Reykjavik
Iceland
7.23
9.73
4.39
6.67
5.06
~
10.00
7.97
~
4.58
9.43
7
Oslo
Norway
7.20
9.70
5.61
7.14
8.80
~
9.22
5.65
~
1.49
10.00
8
Copenhagen
Denmark
7.07
9.31
5.51
0.00
7.59
8.33
8.28
8.68
10.00
3.33
9.66
9
Leeds
UK
6.96
8.23
2.85
~
8.55
9.46
7.57
7.13
6.53
3.00
9.32
10
Edinburgh
UK
6.86
8.23
2.85
6.67
8.55
10.00
7.57
8.82
5.59
1.00
9.32
11
Brussels
Belgium
6.85
8.23
9.53
4.55
8.07
5.99
6.91
5.03
9.37
1.43
9.43
12
Birmingham
UK
6.83
8.23
2.85
~
8.55
10.00
7.57
~
6.48
1.67
9.32
13
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
6.58
7.54
10.00
0.71
4.94
~
8.94
8.75
~
2.00
9.77
14
Lyon
France
6.57
8.69
5.19
~
7.95
5.53
7.35
~
6.92
2.10
8.86
15
Munich
Germany
6.45
8.50
2.29
2.86
5.90
8.33
8.28
8.88
8.72
1.39
9.32
16
Frankfurt
Germany
6.44
8.50
2.29
3.33
5.90
9.07
8.28
7.62
8.72
1.43
9.32
17
Geneva
Switzerland
6.38
8.67
4.30
1.88
3.13
10.00
8.45
8.43
7.73
1.67
9.55
18
Amsterdam
Netherlands
6.33
8.32
5.05
0.00
7.11
6.49
8.82
7.49
9.83
0.31
9.89
19
Madrid
Spain
6.27
8.10
5.61
5.00
7.47
7.32
8.79
5.44
3.56
2.08
9.32
20
Dublin
Ireland
6.20
7.03
6.07
2.86
5.66
10.00
9.23
4.57
~
0.83
9.55
21
Vienna
Austria
6.18
8.53
2.43
0.00
6.14
9.67
6.76
8.27
9.13
1.56
9.32
22
Berlin
Germany
6.12
8.50
2.29
2.50
5.90
5.95
8.28
6.79
8.72
3.00
9.32
23
Paris
France
6.10
8.69
5.19
7.50
7.95
3.31
7.35
2.94
6.92
2.32
8.86
24
Hamburg
Germany
6.10
8.50
2.29
0.00
5.90
9.53
8.28
7.22
8.72
1.25
9.32
25
Barcelona
Spain
5.95
8.10
5.61
0.77
7.47
9.36
8.79
3.56
3.56
3.00
9.32
26
Manchester
UK
5.90
8.23
2.85
~
8.55
4.65
7.57
4.84
5.45
1.67
9.32
27
Warsaw
Poland
5.51
7.30
8.97
~
1.57
10.00
2.71
4.28
5.23
1.25
8.30
28
Lisbon
Portugal
5.47
8.99
4.25
1.25
7.71
4.27
7.63
5.35
4.55
1.04
9.66
29
Milan
Italy
5.47
5.68
10.00
5.00
2.65
4.98
7.39
2.78
5.88
1.56
8.75
30
Rome
Italy
5.27
5.68
10.00
3.33
2.65
4.64
7.39
1.42
5.88
2.92
8.75
31
Prague
Czech Rep.
4.92
7.18
2.06
0.00
2.89
6.03
1.16
5.76
9.95
~
9.20
32
London
UK
4.84
8.23
2.85
0.00
8.55
4.98
7.57
2.59
3.04
1.25
9.32
33
Athens
Greece
4.51
6.48
~
3.00
5.06
8.33
2.75
2.24
0.22
4.17
8.30

Scroll to select filter

information icon

Equality index

Male Vs Female Labour Force Participation

Gender Pay Gap

LGBTI Friendliness

Immigrant Acceptance

Quality of Life

Political Rights & Civil Liberties

information icon
Total
Gender
Social
Economy
Politics
Rank
Country
Equality index
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1
Norway
8.53
9.70
5.61
8.80
9.22
7.89
10.00
2
Denmark
8.39
9.31
5.51
7.59
8.28
10.00
9.66
3
Sweden
8.30
9.71
6.03
6.63
9.50
7.94
10.00
4
Luxembourg
8.24
7.54
10.00
4.94
8.94
~
9.77
5
Finland
8.23
10.00
4.49
7.59
7.53
9.76
10.00
6
Belgium
8.14
8.23
9.53
8.07
6.91
6.68
9.43
7
Netherlands
8.09
8.32
5.05
7.11
8.82
9.36
9.89
8
Spain
7.84
8.10
5.61
7.47
8.79
7.76
9.32
9
Iceland
7.72
9.73
4.39
5.06
10.00
~
9.43
10
Portugal
7.53
8.99
4.25
7.71
7.63
6.95
9.66
11
France
7.49
8.69
5.19
7.95
7.35
6.90
8.86
12
Ireland
7.36
7.03
6.07
5.66
9.23
6.64
9.55
13
UK
7.33
8.23
2.85
8.55
7.57
7.46
9.32
14
Slovenia
7.29
8.90
8.79
4.70
4.34
7.80
9.20
15
Germany
7.25
8.50
2.29
5.90
8.28
9.24
9.32
16
Switzerland
7.24
8.67
4.30
3.13
8.45
9.32
9.55
17
Austria
7.07
8.53
2.43
6.14
6.76
9.26
9.32
18
Italy
6.57
5.68
10.00
2.65
7.39
4.93
8.75
19
Croatia
6.50
8.15
7.71
6.87
1.35
6.52
8.41
20
Poland
5.64
7.30
8.97
1.57
2.71
4.97
8.30
21
Romania
5.53
6.32
9.86
1.93
2.15
4.72
8.18
22
Lithuania
5.49
9.50
5.93
1.45
1.84
5.21
8.98
23
Greece
5.33
6.48
~
5.06
2.75
4.07
8.30
24
Estonia
5.12
8.78
0.00
3.37
1.33
7.91
9.32
25
Latvia
4.93
9.22
4.63
1.45
0.84
~
8.52
26
Czech Rep.
4.83
7.18
2.06
2.89
1.16
6.49
9.20
27
Hungary
4.83
7.41
6.03
4.82
0.32
3.57
6.82
28
Bulgaria
4.77
8.65
5.37
2.17
1.40
3.31
7.73
29
Slovakia
4.74
7.16
3.41
2.77
0.53
5.84
8.75
30
Serbia
3.90
6.38
~
3.01
0.49
2.70
6.93
31
Macedonia FYR
3.87
4.50
8.32
1.33
0.00
~
5.23
32
Ukraine
3.47
7.52
~
1.69
2.47
0.00
5.68
33
Bosnia Herzg.
3.36
3.68
~
3.13
1.83
3.28
4.89
34
Belarus
3.35
8.59
~
0.96
2.81
~
1.02
35
Russia
2.31
8.11
~
0.12
1.66
0.72
0.91
36
Turkey
1.35
0.00
~
0.48
2.65
~
2.27

methodology

Each category consists of the latest data available from reputable sources, and is standardised using minmax normalisation:

This results in a score between 0 and 10 for each data point, and countries are ranked accordingly based on their overall average score.

The Equality Index for cities is created using country and city-level data. The country score is applied within each city. For example, if Germany has a score of 6.05 for Gender Equality, then Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin all score 6.05.

In order to compile a fair and refined list, cities that are missing more than 2 data points (due to no data available) have been filtered out.

Male Versus Female Labour Force Participation

Compares the ratio of female to male proportion of a country’s working-age population that engages in the labour market.

Global Gender Gap Report by World Economic Forum
Data related to
Country City

Gender Pay Gap

Monitors the difference between average gross hourly earnings of male and female employees as a percentage of male gross earnings.

Eurostat Gender Pay Gap Statistics
Data related to
Country City

Income Inequality

Analyses the unequal distribution of a nation’s income or wealth across participants in an economy.

Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index
Data related to
City

LGBTI Friendliness

Looks at the human rights situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe.

ILGA Europe’s Rainbow Europe Index
Data related to
Country City

Quality of Life

Estimates the overall quality of life, looking at factors such as house price to income ratio, cost of living, safety, health care, pollution, purchasing power, commuting and climate.

Numbeo Quality of Life Index
Data related to
Country City

Political Rights & Civil Liberties

An evaluation of political rights and freedom of expression, including the electoral process, political pluralism, academic expression and cultural expression.

Freedom Houses Freedom in the World Report
Data related to
Country City

Wheelchair Accessibility

The share of buses and metro stations that are wheelchair accessible.

Arcadis Sustainable Cities Mobility Index
Data related to
City

Immigrant Acceptance

Gauges people’s acceptance of migrants based on increasing degrees of personal proximity.

Gallup’s Migrant Acceptance Index
Data related to
Country City

Women in Fortune 500 Companies

The ratio of female members in the C-Suite against male members.

Compiled in house

Data related to
City

Women in Politics

The ratio of female members against male members on the city council.

Compiled in house

Data related to
City
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