Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this story misstated that experts evaluated the countries — they only weighted the categories used in the rankings.
When deciding where to travel next or move abroad, why not start with the best countries in the world?
U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Countries Ranking on May 14, evaluating 100 countries using 100 data indicators across eight categories — governance, economic development, health, civic health, infrastructure, opportunity, natural environment, and culture and tourism.
U.S. News said it assigned weights to the categories based on a survey of 42 global experts from academia, think tanks, and international organizations.
Previously, the global ranking was based on a “perceptions-based approach,” but this year’s evaluation is more data-driven for a comprehensive look at a country’s “prosperity, operational health and societal well-being,” according to U.S. News & World Report.
“Amid rising geopolitical tensions and a renewed focus on stability and resilience, the 2026 Best Countries rankings provide a clearer picture of national performance,” said managing editor Eric Litke, who leads U.S. News’ Government Rankings, in a news release. “By adopting a data-driven framework, our new methodology reflects how efficiently nations deliver opportunity and quality of life for their citizens.”
Dominating the top 10 were Nordic countries, well-known for their social policies and low crime rates. Meanwhile, the United States slipped in rankings compared with past years due to lower quality-of-life scores, despite its economic strength.
Here are the best countries in the world in 2026.
Switzerland is the best country in the world for 2026, repeating its 2024 title. The European nation ranked high in several categories, including economic development, governance, opportunity, culture and tourism, and health.
This year, the United States ranked 18th among countries worldwide – a steep drop from third place in 2024. According to the ranking, the United States pairs “exceptional strengths with notable weaknesses,” scoring high for culture and tourism and economic development but low on health, infrastructure, and civic health.