The Healthiest place to live in Australia? It’s not where you’d think.

For years, maybe you thought that the healthiest places were the ones with the most yoga studios per square metre, fresh juice shops on every corner, and bike lanes that outnumbered car spaces.

A new study has redefined what it means to live well, and the result isn’t a lifestyle trend, it’s environmental.

Where real health begins

Between 2016 and 2019, Monash researchers built a world-first tool: the Environmental Quality Health Index (EQHI). It maps environmental conditions like air pollution, temperature, green space, and road density against cause-of-death data, creating a multidimensional picture of how our surroundings impact our health.

This wasn’t just about which cities have the most hospitals or fitness facilities. It asked a deeper question: How much is our environment contributing to how long, and how well, we live?

The 12 factors that shape your health

The EQHI looked at things you probably don’t see on tourism brochures:

• Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
• Ozone exposure
• Green space
• Night-time light
• Mean temperatures
• Temperature variability
• Relative humidity
• Building density
• Road density
• Socio-economic status

Each of these were analysed across more than 2,100 Australian communities. Then those results were compared with mortality data to determine which places were healthiest, and which were at risk.

The happy winner

So, which city came out on top?

It’s not a trendy wellness hotspot. It’s quiet. Small. And often overlooked.

According to the EQHI, the healthiest place to live in Australia is Hobart, and Tasmania took the title for the healthiest state overall.

According to Professor Yuming Guo, Head of Monash’s Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, Tasmania stood out for its:

“Higher green space, better air quality and lower temperatures.”

In contrast, Darwin rated less favourably, with the Northern Territory receiving the lowest overall state score.

Why this matters for every city

The message is clear: health isn’t just about personal choices, it’s about the environments we live in.

In fact, the study revealed that 24% of global deaths are linked to environmental risk factors like pollution and climate. Yet many of our cities are still being built with convenience and commerce in mind, not wellbeing.

Monash’s researchers argue that this new index could help governments redesign communities, not just treat the symptoms of poor living conditions.

📖 Read the full Monash article here:
👉 Tasmania the healthiest, as new index maps environmental risks and causes of death