Six cities from the USA were among the 44 cities named as the world’s most livable cities in the Annual Global Power City Index 2017. First released in 2008, the annual report evaluates and ranks 44 major cities according to their “magnetism,” or their overall power to attract creative individuals and enterprises from around the world. Cities are rated on the basis of 70 detailed indicators in six categories: “Economy,” “R&D,” “Cultural Interaction,” “Livability,” “Environment,” and “Accessibility.” The report was published by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies, a research institute established by Tokyo-based Mori Building, an urban developer.
The half-dozen U.S. cities selected are: New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington DC. Japan had then next highest number of cities, three: Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukoka.
Overall, this year’s three top cities are: London, New York and Tokyo – all retained their slots, with London maintaining its No. 1 position for the sixth year running. Tokyo, which claimed the No. 3 position for the first time last year, further improved its scores in the field of “Cultural Interaction”, closing the gap on second-placed New York. Paris experienced a significant decline in its ranking in the “Livability” category, due largely to the recent terrorist attacks, but the host city of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is expected to rise above the competition in the coming years by further strengthening its “Accessibility” scores and recovering its “Cultural Interaction” ratings.
Global Power City Index 2017
Source: Institute for Urban Strategies, The Mori Memorial Foundation
Top Ten Cities & Comprehensive Ranking
Source: Institute for Urban Strategies, The Mori Memorial Foundation
Note: “Global Power City Index 2017 Summary” uses figures and charts to clearly introduce a city’s power through the lens of 6 functions (Economy, R&D, Cultural Interaction, Livability, Environment, Accessibility) covered in the Function-Specific Ranking, as well as through the viewpoint of 5 urban actors (Manager, Researcher, Artist, Visitor, Resident) in the Actor-Specific Ranking.
Detailed information on the results of these rankings can be found in “Global Power City Index Yearbook 2017,” which is expected to be released in January 2018.
