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Who are the top innovative cities globally? Top 100 (top 20%) city results from 500.
Based on the 16th annual Innovation Cities™ Index city rankings process by 2THINKNOW. Original quantitative method, based on 162 indicators (including consideration of 1000+ data point inputs) per city. Est. 2007.
Why this ranking? Breadth of indicators covers areas of innovation that 500 cities are focussed on. Such as: digital, liveability, smart, economic development, mobility (transport), tourism and trade, place branding, start-ups, sustainability. The city ranking has over a decade of results, making analysis possible. Detailed data is also available to order.
2THINKNOW: Global 100 | Global 500 | Global Small 200* | Global Medium 200* (NEW)
Compare: G8 | G20 | NAFTA | EU-27 | EU+EEA+Sw | ASEAN | GCC
Regions: ANZ | Asia Regio | China Region | India | Japan | Europe Regio | UK | Mid-East | Africa | Eurasia | Russia | USA | Latin America | Canada
US Feature: USA Small-Scale Cities* | USA Mid-Size Cities* (NEW)
These city rankings measure pre-conditions for innovation. Results are available globally (500 cities or top 100), or by region/nation.
The 162 Indicators cover key areas for city innovation such as: digital transformation, technology, startups, economic development, sustainability, liveability, mobility and other areas. Above average scores across many indicators result in a higher rank. Thus, making cities that rank high, more well-balanced. You can order city data at any level.
Indicators map to key government departments or industries.
The Innovation Cities™ Index was established in 2007. We seek to definitively answer the question - 'which are the world's most innovative cities '?
-- MORE FAQ
Based on 162 standard Indicators with underlying Data Points from 2THINKNOW's awesome City Benchmarking Data set. Making it easy to compare cities.
-- From FAQ
You can request benchmark reports &, analysis on any area of your city. This can include data-sets, plans, recommendations. Anything to add detail.
All the data is available to compare any set of cities you need. The full data set is at your disposal, just order the specific areas you need. Available as raw Data Points or Indicators.
Please register and request a Proposal (add details)
Ranking Resources: Overview | Media Resources | More Methodology | FAQ
Instructions for Use: Yes, the top-level Innovation Cities™ Index results are always free to track and monitor. You can publish this list, please attribute it correctly - see 'Reproducing this list' below the table. Just, register for email updates here.
Data Detail: The data is available for purchase at Indicator level. Used by govt, cities, finance, insurance, consultants and businesses. We also will work with you on analysis, training workshops and reports based on insights from 500 cities of data.
Global 100 City Rankings Results for 2022-2023
| GLOBAL RANK | CITY | LOCATION 1 | LOCATION 2 | CLASS | SCORE (60) | PRIOR RANK | CHANGE | 5 YR AVG RANK | CityID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo | Tokyo | Japan | NEXUS | 59 | 1 | - | 1 | 1361 |
| 2 | London | United Kingdom | NEXUS | 57 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 737 | |
| 3 | New York | New York | United States | NEXUS | 56 | 3 | - | 3 | 901 |
| 4 | Paris | Île-de-France | France | NEXUS | 55 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 1002 |
| 5 | Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | NEXUS | 55 | 5 | - | 5 | 1240 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | California | United States | NEXUS | 55 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 740 |
| 7 | Boston | Massachusetts | United States | NEXUS | 54 | 2 | -5 | 6 | 167 |
| 8 | Seoul | Seoul | South Korea | NEXUS | 54 | 7 | -1 | 10 | 1218 |
| 9 | San Francisco - San Jose | California | United States | NEXUS | 53 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1557 |
| 10 | Houston | Texas | United States | NEXUS | 53 | 8 | -2 | 13 | 525 |
| 11 | Berlin | Germany | NEXUS | 52 | 31 | 20 | 17 | 142 | |
| 12 | Chicago | Illinois | United States | NEXUS | 52 | 9 | -3 | 10 | 264 |
| 13 | Stockholm | Sweden | NEXUS | 52 | 16 | 3 | 22 | 1279 | |
| 14 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | NEXUS | 52 | 29 | 15 | 27 | 353 | |
| 15 | Toronto | Ontario | Canada | NEXUS | 52 | 43 | 28 | 19 | 1370 |
| 16 | Munich | Germany | NEXUS | 51 | 39 | 23 | 26 | 863 | |
| 17 | Vienna | Vienna | Austria | NEXUS | 51 | 22 | 5 | 21 | 1439 |
| 18 | Sydney | NSW | Australia | NEXUS | 51 | 4 | -14 | 12 | 1300 |
| 19 | Madrid | Spain | NEXUS | 51 | 40 | 21 | 31 | 766 | |
| 20 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | NEXUS | 51 | 24 | 4 | 23 | 43 | |
| 21 | Seattle | Washington | United States | NEXUS | 51 | 14 | -7 | 17 | 1215 |
| 22 | Dallas-Fort Worth | Texas | United States | NEXUS | 51 | 6 | -16 | 14 | 325 |
| 23 | Melbourne | VIC | Australia | NEXUS | 50 | 33 | 10 | 21 | 811 |
| 24 | Montréal | Quebec | Canada | NEXUS | 50 | 53 | 29 | 30 | 853 |
| 25 | Atlanta | Georgia | United States | NEXUS | 50 | 13 | -12 | 19 | 79 |
| 26 | Barcelona | Spain | NEXUS | 50 | 52 | 26 | 32 | 105 | |
| 27 | Milan | Italy | NEXUS | 50 | 63 | 36 | 40 | 825 | |
| 28 | Beijing | Beijing | China | NEXUS | 50 | 19 | -9 | 28 | 125 |
| 29 | Vancouver | British Columbia | Canada | NEXUS | 50 | 136 | 107 | 57 | 1426 |
| 30 | Copenhagen | Denmark | NEXUS | 50 | 54 | 24 | 43 | 302 | |
| 31 | Miami | Florida | United States | NEXUS | 50 | 17 | -14 | 24 | 822 |
| 32 | Washington DC | District of Columbia | United States | NEXUS | 49 | 18 | -14 | 23 | 1471 |
| 33 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | United States | NEXUS | 49 | 35 | 2 | 31 | 1027 |
| 34 | Oslo | Norway | NEXUS | 49 | 25 | -9 | 34 | 978 | |
| 35 | Osaka | Osaka | Japan | NEXUS | 49 | 30 | -5 | 37 | 2112 |
| 36 | Dublin | Ireland | NEXUS | 49 | 92 | 56 | 57 | 354 | |
| 37 | San Diego | California | United States | NEXUS | 49 | 45 | 8 | 32 | 1160 |
| 38 | Brisbane | QLD | Australia | NEXUS | 48 | 42 | 4 | 46 | 186 |
| 39 | Helsinki | Finland | NEXUS | 48 | 41 | 2 | 46 | 497 | |
| 40 | Tel Aviv | Israel | NEXUS | 48 | 91 | 51 | 54 | 1337 | |
| 41 | Hamburg | Germany | NEXUS | 48 | 90 | 49 | 55 | 483 | |
| 42 | Denver | Colorado | United States | NEXUS | 48 | 28 | -14 | 34 | 334 |
| 43 | Portland | Oregon | United States | NEXUS | 48 | 36 | -7 | 40 | 1053 |
| 44 | Austin | Texas | United States | NEXUS | 48 | 21 | -23 | 32 | 87 |
| 45 | Las Vegas | Nevada | United States | NEXUS | 48 | 27 | -18 | 41 | 713 |
| 46 | Shanghai | Shanghai | China | NEXUS | 48 | 15 | -31 | 32 | 1227 |
| 47 | Detroit | Michigan | United States | NEXUS | 48 | 50 | 3 | 58 | 337 |
| 48 | Rome | Italy | HUB | 47 | 93 | 45 | 58 | 1117 | |
| 49 | Brussels | Brussels | Belgium | HUB | 47 | 126 | 77 | 79 | 190 |
| 50 | Newark | New Jersey | United States | HUB | 47 | 75 | 25 | 70 | 902 |
| 51 | Baltimore | Maryland | United States | HUB | 47 | 55 | 4 | 52 | 97 |
| 52 | Taipei | Taiwan | Taiwan | HUB | 47 | 23 | -29 | 45 | 1313 |
| 53 | Istanbul | Turkey | HUB | 47 | 32 | -21 | 45 | 564 | |
| 54 | Zürich | Switzerland | HUB | 47 | 70 | 16 | 68 | 1526 | |
| 55 | Phoenix | Arizona | United States | HUB | 47 | 44 | -11 | 60 | 1030 |
| 56 | Oakland | California | United States | HUB | 47 | 65 | 9 | 53 | 944 |
| 57 | Orlando | Florida | United States | HUB | 47 | 62 | 5 | 55 | 972 |
| 58 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | HUB | 47 | 49 | -9 | 48 | 522 |
| 59 | Prague | Central Bohemian Region | Czech Republic | HUB | 46 | 125 | 66 | 77 | 1061 |
| 60 | Lisbon | Portugal | HUB | 46 | 158 | 98 | 101 | 730 | |
| 61 | Mexico City | Mexico City | Mexico | HUB | 46 | 161 | 100 | 96 | 821 |
| 62 | Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | HUB | 46 | 171 | 109 | 96 | 196 |
| 63 | Perth | WA | Australia | HUB | 46 | 74 | 11 | 86 | 1020 |
| 64 | Kyoto | Kyoto | Japan | HUB | 46 | 64 | - | 68 | 700 |
| 65 | Basel | Switzerland | HUB | 46 | 164 | 99 | 124 | 1538 | |
| 66 | Athens | Greece | HUB | 46 | 224 | 158 | 108 | 78 | |
| 67 | Sacramento | California | United States | HUB | 46 | 150 | 83 | 85 | 1133 |
| 68 | Frankfurt | Germany | HUB | 46 | 124 | 56 | 78 | 409 | |
| 69 | Tampa | Florida | United States | HUB | 46 | 144 | 75 | 89 | 1327 |
| 70 | Minneapolis-St Paul | Minnesota | United States | HUB | 46 | 37 | -33 | 57 | 1544 |
| 71 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | United States | HUB | 46 | 66 | -5 | 76 | 1035 |
| 72 | San Antonio | Texas | United States | HUB | 46 | 48 | -24 | 75 | 1155 |
| 73 | Riverside | California | United States | HUB | 46 | 155 | 82 | 101 | 1111 |
| 74 | Shenzhen | Guangdong | China | HUB | 46 | 26 | -48 | 52 | 1230 |
| 75 | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | HUB | 46 | 95 | 20 | 79 | 8 | |
| 76 | Moscow | Moscow | Russia | HUB | 45 | 34 | -42 | 49 | 858 |
| 77 | Auckland | Greater Auckland | New Zealand | HUB | 45 | 159 | 82 | 111 | 81 |
| 78 | Budapest | Hungary | HUB | 45 | 97 | 19 | 82 | 194 | |
| 79 | Oporto | Portugal | HUB | 45 | 221 | 142 | 134 | 966 | |
| 80 | São Paulo | São Paulo | Brazil | HUB | 45 | 134 | 54 | 90 | 1204 |
| 81 | Nagoya | Aichi | Japan | HUB | 45 | 76 | -5 | 99 | 877 |
| 82 | Düsseldorf | Germany | HUB | 45 | 156 | 74 | 95 | 363 | |
| 83 | Yokohama | Kanagawa | Japan | HUB | 45 | 117 | 34 | 123 | 1508 |
| 84 | Québec | Quebec | Canada | HUB | 45 | 197 | 113 | 98 | 1079 |
| 85 | Stuttgart | Germany | HUB | 45 | 130 | 45 | 89 | 1285 | |
| 86 | Manchester | United Kingdom | HUB | 45 | 200 | 114 | 94 | 782 | |
| 87 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | HUB | 45 | 94 | 7 | 94 | 1123 | |
| 88 | Lyon | Rhône-Alpes | France | HUB | 45 | 227 | 139 | 114 | 757 |
| 89 | Warsaw | Poland | HUB | 45 | 123 | 34 | 107 | 1470 | |
| 90 | Charlotte | North Carolina | United States | HUB | 45 | 46 | -44 | 83 | 247 |
| 91 | Nashville | Tennessee | United States | HUB | 45 | 38 | -53 | 70 | 890 |
| 92 | Cleveland | Ohio | United States | HUB | 45 | 107 | 15 | 132 | 284 |
| 93 | Gothenburg | Sweden | HUB | 45 | 108 | 15 | 133 | 453 | |
| 94 | Santa Ana-Anaheim | California | United States | HUB | 45 | 83 | -11 | 79 | 1173 |
| 95 | Cincinnati | Ohio | United States | HUB | 45 | 114 | 19 | 113 | 275 |
| 96 | Kansas City | KS/MO | United States | HUB | 45 | 47 | -49 | 79 | 614 |
| 97 | Cologne | Germany | HUB | 45 | 236 | 139 | 124 | 290 | |
| 98 | Geneva | Switzerland | HUB | 45 | 199 | 101 | 130 | 437 | |
| 99 | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | United States | HUB | 45 | 57 | -42 | 86 | 403 |
| 100 | Guangzhou | Guangdong | China | HUB | 45 | 51 | -49 | 85 | 468 |
Definition of Top 100: The first 100 cities from 500 selected globally.
Reproducing this list.
The indexes and supporting materials are copyright, and used under license by 2THINKNOW.
You may reproduce the index results in any reasonable form, graphics, or data mash-up as long as you attribute it to 2thinknow and do not modify the numbers or otherwise mislead.
Please attribute as follows Source: 2THINKNOW Innovation Cities™ Index (Please specify the list you are using) www.innovation-cities.com/city-rankings/ [or just link to the page you are referencing]
2THINKNOW do reserve all rights, including the right to ask content to be removed.