- Oxford Economics ranked New York first among the world’s 1,000 largest cities in its 2026 Global Cities Index, the third consecutive year the city has held the top spot.
- New York scored 100 on economics, 89.5 on human capital, 80.8 on quality of life, 72.8 on environment and 75.7 on governance, with London second and Paris third.
- North American and European cities hold 78 of the top 100 spots, while Sun Belt metros such as San Antonio and Jacksonville appear on the cities-to-watch list.
New York is again the top-ranked city in the world, according to Oxford Economics’ 2026 Global Cities Index, as reported by Forbes. The index scored the 1,000 largest cities on economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance.
It is the third straight year New York has held first place.
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How New York Scored
The city’s perfect 100 came in economics. Its other marks were 89.5 for human capital, 80.8 for quality of life, 72.8 for environment and 75.7 for governance. About 8.58 million people live there, and roughly 1 million more commute in daily.
NYC Tourism data shows 65 million tourists visited last year.
The Top 10
London took second, with a 100 for human capital but 86.5 on economics. Paris followed in third without a perfect score in any category, and Seattle and San Francisco took fourth and fifth.
Dublin, Boston, San Jose, Tokyo and Zurich completed the top 10. North American and European cities hold 78 of the first 100 spots.
Cities to Watch
Oxford Economics also named five cities per region that are likely to climb. Dubai and Riyadh rank highest on that list, and U.S. entries include San Antonio, Boise, Durham and Jacksonville.
The index is designed to help businesses, governments and investors compare locations. This year’s edition adds an interactive tool for side-by-side comparisons.
Why It Matters
City-level rankings influence where companies and capital choose to expand. A perfect economics score reinforces New York’s pull on employers, which supports demand for the office, hotel and housing space that depends on them.
The ranking is not a real estate metric, and it does not measure human rights. Still, the cities to watch list points to where investor attention could shift next.
What’s Next
Watch whether the Sun Belt names on the to-watch list, including San Antonio and Jacksonville, move up in next year’s edition, and whether New York can hold its lead for a fourth year.
