Sweden’s 14-island capital is an urban feast of brainpower and livability, with 2026 serving up even more reasons to live and visit here. The headliner is Stockholm Wood City in Sickla, the world’s largest planned mass-timber neighborhood, which just started construction and targets first move-ins by 2027. Thousands of homes and workplaces in low-carbon timber neatly reinforce a city already ranked high for Green Space (#14) and celebrated for getting nature into daily life, from miles of waterfront paths to quick ferry hops into the archipelago.
Deal flow is matching the urbanism. Foreign direct investment surged recently, capped by Coherent’s plan to establishing the world’s first six-inch indium-phosphide wafer capability in the region (fuel for optical communications and AI interconnects). It’s a vote of confidence in Stockholm’s elite universities (KTH, Karolinska and Stockholm University) and its deep talent bench, reflected in its #8 ranking for Educational Attainment and #14-ranked Labor Force Participation. Health innovation is clustering in Hagastaden, where the Forskaren life-science hub fills with tenants through 2025 alongside new labs, eateries and pocket parks that keep the district walkable and family-friendly.