The Dutch cities of Rotterdam, Groningen and Amsterdam are the happiest places to live in the Netherlands, according to a recent study conducted by the European Commission.

Every three years the EC releases survey results on the perception of the quality of life in European cities.

Rotterdam: the happiest Dutch city

Rotterdam is the Dutch city that received the highest marks from its residents and took 12th place, followed by Groningen in 14th place and Amsterdam in 17th place.

Rotterdam has the highest scores in Europe overall when it comes to the public spaces in the city. Fifty-five percent of residents indicated that they were very satisfied with their city, while 38 percent said they are satisfied.

Residents are happy with the available public transportation, while the most important issues were safety and the quality of healthcare and education.

40.000 interviews in 83 cities

For the 2015 Flash Eurobarometer, more than 40.000 people were interviewed in 79 cities and in four greater metropolitan areas (Paris, Lisbon, Athens and Manchester). In each city, about 500 people were interviewed.

European citizens were asked to rank their satisfaction with the quality of services such as education, cultural and sport facilities as well as public transport and administrative services.

People were also asked which mode of transportation they use most frequently, whether they agree or disagree with statements on urban safety, air and noise pollution and whether migration is perceived as an asset.

The top 19 happiest European cities

The following 19 cities have the greatest percentage of citizens who agreed with the statement "very satisfied with the life they lead", showing the highest level of satisfaction:

1) Aalborg (Denmark)
2) Copenhagen (Denmark)
3) Reykjavik (Iceland)
4) Zurich (Switzerland)
5) Graz (Austria)
6) Oslo (Norway)
7) Malmö (Sweden)
8) Munich (Germany)
9) Wien (Austria)
10) Newcastle (UK)
11) Belfast (Northern Ireland)
12) Rotterdam (Netherlands)
13) Cardiff (Wales)
14) Groningen (Netherlands)
15) Antwerp (Belgium)
16) Stockholm (Sweden)
17) Amsterdam (Netherlands)
18) Manchester (UK)
19) Essen (Germany)