1、2023A RANKING OF U.S.PLACE EQUITYWhere to live,work,invest and visit in America nowPmPgPsPoPdPcHow we chose Americas Best Cities in 2023 05All 100 top cities profiled 07City performance by category 53WORLDSBESTCITIES.COMBOSTONAmericasThe global forum for urban innovationGet your ticket atWRLDCTY.COM

2、Join the whos who of city-making at WRLDCTY2 days of inspirational keynotes,conversations,experiences and networking with the worlds urban visionaries.October 02-03,2023In-Person in New YorkWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 3Resonance Consultancy is building the most comprehensive global and regional city rankin

3、gs on the planet.Heres why this matters now more than ever as Americaand the worldadapt to a new post-pandemic reality.WELCOME TO AMERICAS BEST CITIES IN 2023As leading advisors in tourism,real estate and economic development for more than 15 years,our team at Resonance has conducted extensive resea

4、rch on the rise of cities,the key trends propelling their growth and the factors that shape our perception of urban centers as desirable places to live,visit and invest.We are excited to apply our trusted ranking methodology to American cities again,for the eighth consecutive year.As our cities emer

5、ge from the pandemic that upended our perception of what we consider to be desirable in a place to live,work or play,we are seeing growing alignment in the way citizens,corporations and travelers choose cities to visit,live or invest in.Despite what you may have read during the pandemic about the de

6、cline of cities,urban centers remain as desirable as ever.Whats changing is how we live and work within them.Resonance Consultancys Best Cities rankings are determined by analyzing the performance of each city for a wide range of factors that have historically shown positive correlations with attrac

7、ting employment,investment and/or visitors.Yes,those include“livability”stalwarts like walkability and the outdoors,but also increasingly coveted talent magnets and prosperity drivers like Nightlife,Restaurants and Pro Sports Teams.These factors shape a citys“lovability,”and our research indicates t

8、hat they tend to drive investment and local prosperity more than,say,local school quality or a citys safety.The recognition of these attributes by locals and visitors alike further propels a citys performance in our rankings,via their resonance online and in social media,from exploratory research(ca

9、ptured in our Google Search subcategory),to on-the-ground user-generated marketing(captured in our measurement of Instagram Hashtags and Facebook Check-ins).The kudos offered up a few years back by Bloomberg are still at the core of our rankings:“The most comprehensive study of its kind;it identifie

10、s cities that are most desirable for locals,visitors,and businesspeople alike,rather than simply looking at livability or tourism appeal.”And generational economic sustainability for American cities is within grasp today.Geopolitical pressure for countries and corporations to reshore their manufactu

11、ring and operationsfrom microchip production to agricultureare creating new economic opportunities,while remote work and the emergent“15-minute city”obsession among local governments is changing where consumption and production occurs within the city.New initiatives range from the humble(Spokanes st

12、reet-front retail dedicated to farmers of eastern Washington)to the monumental(Houstons ascent as the worlds spaceport).Additionally,the ability to launch a start-up anywhere that entrepreneurship strikes means enlightened cities,no matter how“secondary,”can inspire,incubate and develop homegrown ta

13、lent like never before.And with that newfound freedom,many people are choosing to move to smalleror more affordable,or more interestingcities,taking their economic output and consumption with them.Many cities have used the pandemic pause to position themselves as ever more welcoming destinationsfor

14、tourism,for much-needed talent and for risk-averse global capital seeking new opportunities in places that have done the work to build in resilience for a changed world.American cities are also strengthening that local resiliency with regional collaboration,from bold electronics manufacturing betwee

15、n San Antonio and northern Mexico to imminent high-speed rail in Florida and California.As we emerge from the depths of the pandemic,theres never been a bigger opportunity for cities to act on their ambitions and to do right by their citizenscurrent and future.The data we collect to produce these ra

16、nkings will continue to track and monitor this pivotal transformation every step of the way,identifying the Best Cities to live,work in and visit,now and in the years to come.Chris Fair,President&CEO Resonance Consultancy WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 4SAN FRANCISCOS ICONIC PAINTED LADIESCONTENTS050753How we

17、 chose Americas Best Cities in 2023All Top 100 cities profiledCity performance by categoryWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 5HOW WE CHOSE AMERICAS BEST CITIES IN 2023:THE METHODOLOGYTHE SIX CORE CATEGORIESPc PLACEPd PRODUCTPg PROGRAMMINGPo PEOPLEPs PROSPERITYPm PROMOTIONResonance Consultancy ranks U.S.cities(pri

18、ncipal cities of metropolitan areas with populations of more than 500,000)by using a combination of statistical performance and qualitative evaluations by locals and visitors in 26 areas grouped into six core categories.Principal cities are defined as the largest city in each metropolitan statistica

19、l area.Our population numbers are sourced from the U.S.Census,American Community Survey 2021.Pc PLACEOur most layered category quantifies a citys physical sense of place.To score a city within our Place category,we evaluate the perceived quality of its natural and built environments.From how walkabl

20、e and bike-friendly it is to how well its parks and landmarks are reviewed,several readily measurable,oft-cited factors influence our perceptions.Walk Score A citys walkability score on Walk Score(W)Biking A citys bikeability score on Walk Score (W)Sights&Landmarks Number of quality points of intere

21、st,neighborhoods and landmarks recommended by locals and visitors(T)Outdoors Number of quality parks and outdoor activities recommended by locals and visitors (T)Pd PRODUCTThis is a ranking of the“hardware”of a cityoften the most difficult metric for cities to get right.Our Product category studies

22、a citys key institutions,attractions and infrastructure.A citys infrastructure and institutions shape its identity via the quantity,quality and reputation of these“products.”Expensive and difficult to develop and maintain,exceptional,recognizable products are often found only in large,cosmopolitan c

23、ities.Airport Connectivity Number of direct destinations served by the citys airports(Google Flights)Convention Center Size of the largest convention center(10T)Museums Number of quality museums and arts institutions recommended by locals and visitors(T)University Score of the top local university(Q

24、S Rankings)Pro Sports Teams Number of professional sports teamsWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 6Ps PROSPERITYA well-paid,economically secure citizenry facilitates stewardship and innovation.In general,beliefs about the wealth and prosperity of a city are shaped by statistics such as the income of its citizens,

25、the standard of living and the presence or absence of large,recognizable corporationsdespite the fact that start-ups and innovation increasingly drive a citys development and economic growth.Fortune 500 Companies Number of Fortune 500 corporate headquarters(F Businesses Establishments in professiona

26、l,scientific and technical services (Lightcast 2022)Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings Earnings adjusted by the cost of living index(Lightcast 2022)Poverty Rate A measure of citizens living below their citys national poverty rate(U.S.Census,American Community Survey 2021)Pm PROMOTIONA citys ability to

27、 tell its story(and help others do the same)depends on how it incentivizes and rewards the sharing of experiences by locals and visitors.The number and frequency of media coverage,online articles,references and place-based recommendations influence our perception of cities,whether the news is good o

28、r bad.Today,residents,businesses and visitors promote a city to the world more than city marketers or chambers of commerce.Resonance ranks a citys Promotion performance based on the number of stories,references and recommendations shared online about that city.Facebook Check-ins Number of Facebook c

29、heck-ins(F)Google Search Number of Google search results(G)Tripadvisor Reviews Number of Tripadvisor reviews(T)Instagram Hashtags Number of Instagram hastags(I)Google Trends Popularity on Google Trends in the past 12 months(Trends.G)Pg PROGRAMMINGThis category measures the experiential pillars of a

30、great visit:food,shows,shopping and nightlife.If our Product category is the“hardware”of cities and destinations,the mosaic of cultural programming and lifestyle experiences they offer is the“software”that makes them run.Culture Number of quality performing arts and cultural experiences recommended

31、by locals and visitors(T)Nightlife Number of quality nightlife experiences recommended by locals and visitors(T)Restaurants Number of quality restaurants and culinary experiences recommended by locals and visitors(T)Shopping Number of quality shopping experiences recommended by locals and visitors(T

32、)Attractions Number of quality family-friendly activities recommended by locals and visitors(T)Po PEOPLEThe more diverse a citys population,the more it produces global ideas.on a local scale.Human capital is often a citys most valuable resource,and,for many cities,is increasingly in short supply.To

33、evaluate the relative strength of human capital from one city to the next,we look at both the educational attainment level of the citys population and the percentage of people participating in the labor force.BIPOC Residents Percentage of non-white citizens (U.S.Census,American Community Survey 2021

34、)Educational Attainment Percentage of the population with a bachelors degree or higher(U.S.Census,American Community Survey 2021)Foreign-Born Residents Share of the citys population born outside of the United States(U.S.Census,American Community Survey 2021)WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 7LIFE GUARD TOWER AT

35、SOUTH BEACH,MIAMIAmerican cities are the engines of their regional,national and,increasingly,global economy.For centuries,theyve been badges of human ingenuity.Yes,theyve been hobbled over the past three years,exposing the long-ignored foundational and institutional problems that manifested on their

36、 streets and in their hospitals.But theyre also leadinglike they always havethe recovery and future-defining next stages of our innovation,livability and sustainability.Given the new rules of post-pandemic migration,the rise of remote work and the never-ending search for housing affordability,more c

37、ities are catching the imagination of global talent more frequently,with urban wealth and vibrancy created in more places than ever before.And with federal initiatives that prioritize reshoring and energy and food security multiplying with every passing quarter,it is citiesfrom Houston to San Diegot

38、hat are forging new,more resilient,future-focused local economies not seen in decades.After way too long in isolation,American cities are gathering again,once more colliding and creating the culture,wealth and energy that defines the zeitgeist and path forward for the country,continent and the plane

39、t.The 100 cities that we profile over the next 50 pages are,in each of their distinct ways,at the heart of this renewal in 2023.TOP 100 CITY PROFILESAmericasWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 8in real estate sales spiked to the highest all-time median rents in Manhattan two years later(currently registering in th

40、e mid-$5,000s per month).Tourism,the accelerant for so many of the citys amenities,was a priority for a sustainable recovery,and city leaders are doing everything in their power to bring back not only those apprehensive New Yorkers whose hunger for regular bites of the Big Apple is finally being sat

41、ed,but also the nearly 70 million peo-ple who visited in 2019 and spent$46 billion across its expansive quilt of Sights&Landmarks(ranked#1 in the country).Tourism numbers have also had a breathtaking return,from 33 million visitors in 2021(less than half of 2019s total)to 56 million last yearand onw

42、ard to a projected 61 million this year.First order of business:getting those not already here to town.Fortunately,the suspension of travel for more than The greatest city in Americalauded and crowned in our rankings for almost a decade and in countless others for many morewas a ghastly reminder dur

43、ing the pandemic of the vulnerabil-ity of even the colossal and seemingly all-powerful;we saw here what awaited other cities across the U.S.and globally.Today,NYC is also the urban recovery writ large.Sniping haters who declared that the big,vibrant,cheek-by-jowl city experiment was finally over as

44、the urban exodus intensified in 2020 and vacancy in the citys coveted real estate hit double digits were quickly silenced by the rebound.A mid-pandemic 50%drop 1 NEW YORK NEW YORKTHE MANHATTAN BRIDGEAfter a hellish two-plus years,few cities on the planet are as busy making up for lost time as NYC.TH

45、E FLATIRON BUILDINGPOPULATIONMETRO 20,140,000HIGHLIGHTS1 SIGHTS&LANDMARKS 1 INSTAGRAM HASHTAGSWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 9FIFTH AVENUE VIEWS FROM THE NEW AMAN NEW YORKa year expedited the long-planned transformations of New Yorks inter-national gateways.LaGuardia Airport,Newark Liberty International Airpo

46、rt and John F.Kennedy International Airport all have new terminals,with the new Terminal B at LaGuardia alone boasting 35 gates(to say nothing of the FAO Schwarz on site).The new Terminal C also came online last year.Newark Liberty Internationals updated Terminal A has opened with 33 new gates and c

47、onstruction has started on a new,congestion-easing 2.5-mile elevated guideway train system.JFKs Terminal 8 just unveiled 130,000 square feet of new and renovated space,and a new Terminal One opens later this decade.Back on the ground,Moynihan Train Hall is a new 17-track expansion of Penn Station th

48、at,if you squint,could pass for a Northern European transit hub from the future.With so many expected arrivals,NYC is certainly making sure everyone has a place to stay.Almost 10,000 new or renovated hotel rooms opened in 2022 alone,including the headline-grabbing Aman New York,an“urban sanctuary”on

49、 Fifth Avenue.Also open is the year-old Ritz-Carlton New York,NoMadnamed for its hoodwhich features Jose Andres Nubeluz lounge on the 50th floor and plenty of massive panels from which to watch the street action.Better yet,soak in the 360-degree city panorama on the rooftop patio.The buildout stretc

50、hes across the city,with a newly opened Thompson in Midtown,and new Renaissance Hotels properties in Harlem and Flushing.Moxy Hotels is also opening multiple locations in the Lower East Side and Williamsburg.At street level,the citys firehose turns cultural,with massive museums(also ranking#1 nation

51、ally)going all-in on expansions and new openings.The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona,Queens,is undergoing a physical and programmatic expansion for a new cultural center that includes an interactive exhibit,archival collections,a 68-seat jazz club and a store.It should be open by the time you

52、 read this.The Bronx Childrens Museum also just reopened after moving to a new home in Mill Pond Park.Dia Chelsea is a new contemporary installation space,and the Frick Madison(the temporary home of the Frick Collection)has opened in the Breuer on Madison Avenuea build-ing formerly used by the Met.S

53、peaking of the Met,New Yorks 153-year-old cultural institution(housing 1.5 million objects and hosting seven million visi-tors in a non-pandemic year)announced a$500-million reno of its modern and contemporary wing.Not as storied but equally New York is the new Museum of Broadway,the first permanent

54、 museum dedicated to the famed heartland of the stage,which opened in Times Square with a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of major theater productions.Also:Broadway shows are back!THE TWA HOTEL AT JOHN F.KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 10Two more very NYC reasons to experi-e

55、nce the city now:this year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop music,founded in the Bronx on August 11,1973,when Clive Campbellbetter known as DJ Kool Hercspun records at his sisters birthday party.Look for dozens of local celebrations,exhibits and workshops this summer and fall.Its a

56、lso the 100-year anniversary of the underrated Museum of the City of New York,which celebrates and documents 750,000 objects,including photo-graphs,prints,costumes,paintings and more,to allow NYC-philes to obsess over this place like nowhere else.For those who prefer their immersion outdoors,classic

57、s like the High Line and Central Park are joined by the citys newest green space,Little Island2.4 acres floating on the Hudson near the Meatpacking District on the site of an old pier.Like most things here,you have to see it to believe it.When its your turn to return to Americas best city,do yoursel

58、f a favor and make time to see the phoenix rise from above:there are the classics,like the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock,but there are also spectacular new perches,like SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and its all-glass exterior elevators,called Ascent.Go up,look down and breathe out.This city

59、is back.MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORKLITTLE ISLAND IN THE HUDSON RIVERWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 11Lake Michigan perch,ranked#1 in our Convention Center subcategory.The citys quiet productivity is humming again,too,and is leaner and more effi-cient than ever,with the second-most Fortune 500 headquarters

60、in the coun-try,behind only New York.It also ranks top five in the country in our Knowledge-Based Businesses subcategory,and its citizens enjoy the nations ninth-best Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings.Even amid the post-pandemic headlines of emptying city cores and urban flight,Chicago was named the

61、top metro area for corporate investment for an aston-ishing 10th consecutive year by Site Selection magazine,a business publica-tion that tracks real estate and corporate development in cities with more than a million people.The reason?“Our project data tell us the metro area continues to attract co

62、mpanies and the talent those companies covet.Led by World Business Chicago,the newly formed Greater Few American cities fell harder both in visitor numbers and economically over the past 26 harrowing months than Chicago,even after the city deftly rode its gilded pre-pandemic decade.But the hardship

63、of the pandemic,combined with spiking inflation,only meant that the Windy City was spring-loaded for a breakout 2023,powered by a fully operational OHare International,ranked#3 in the country as measured by the number of direct destinations served.Meetings and con-ventions of all sizes are back,pour

64、ing into McCormick Place and its stunning 2 CHICAGO ILLINOISVIEW OF THE CHICAGO SKYLINE FROM LINCOLN PARKAmericas great Midwest metropolis has an abundance of programming and culture,with the deep infrastructure and affordability that eludes many other cities.CLOUD GATE AT MILLENNIUM PARKPOPULATIONM

65、ETRO 9,619,000HIGHLIGHTS1 CONVENTION CENTER2 NIGHTLIFEWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 12INSIDE CHEF JOS ANDRS BAZAAR MEATChicagoland Economic Partnership and most of all by talented professionals,workers and business leaders,the region continues to meet its challenges with creative solutions,bold programs and

66、the sort of candor and openness thats almost a Chicago brand.”On the streets of Chicagos#3-ranked Sights&Landmarks(scattered across 77 neighborhoods within city limits),its summer in the city circa 2019.Sundays on State debuted in 2021 and is back making portions of the iconic State Street pedestria

67、n-only during select Sundays.Free summer festivals are also returning to Chicago parks(such as Millennium and Grant),with the Millennium Park Summer Music Series rocking the Jay Pritzker Pavilion,with everything from salsa orchestras to Kurt Vile and the Violators.If the joy and need to dance is eve

68、ry-where,its by design,courtesy of Chicago SummerDance pop-ups,by the Night Out in the Parks events that take place across the citys#9-ranked green spaces after sunset and by the extended Chicago Pride programming before and after the iconic party hits town in mid-June.The local purveyors of the nat

69、ions second-best Nightlife(trailing only NYC)are always happy to keep the party going indoors,especially the Diageo Beer Company people,who opened the second worldwide location of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in the West Loop neighborhood just this summer.This is only further proof of the understa

70、ted beer culture in a town with 160 breweries,the most of any U.S.city(sorry,Seattle).All that revelry means working up an appetite and Chicago delivers again.From Chef Jos Andrs two-year-old Bazaar Meat and Bar Mar inside Bank of Americas new Chicago headquarters to the citys youngest Michelin-star

71、red chef,Donald Young,debuting Venteux,a French brasserie in the new Pendry Chicago hotel,this town is fed well.And speaking of new hotels,their scorching pace continues,with three properties opening this year,including the highly anticipated St.Regis Chicago.The 101-story tower,designed by award-wi

72、nning architect Jeanne Gang,has changed Chicagos iconic skyline.It is now the third-tallest building in the city,the 10th tallest in the United States and the tallest building in the world designed by a woman.SUNDAYS ON STATE STREETWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 13A CONCERT AT JAY PRITZKER PAVILION IN MILLENN

73、IUM PARK“Last year,we welcomed nearly 50 million visitors back to Chicago,and hotel room demand reached more than 80%of pre-pandemic levels,”says Lynn Osmond,president&CEO of Choose Chicago,the citys destination mar-keting organization.“The beginning of 2023 has been even stronger,with hotel room ni

74、ghts approaching 2019 numbers and some major conventions setting all-time attendance records.”She adds that her teams focus“is shifting from recovery to long-term,sustainable success as a city.”The$5.5 million in the recent American Rescue Plan Act funding will allow Choose Chicago to greatly increa

75、se efforts to deliver more of the economic benefits of tourism to the vibrant neighborhoods that are off of Chicagos beaten track.“The culture and vibrancy of Chicago can be found beyond our traditional tourist locations,”said Mayor Lori Lightfoot when announcing the funding.“Each of our 77 unique n

76、eighborhoods are home to rich histories,world-class cuisine and entertainment that tourists should experience.”One neighborhood that wont need much help attracting visitors starting in 2025?South Chicagos Jackson Park and its$500-million Obama Presidential Center.The campus is intended to function a

77、s a world-class museum and public gathering space that showcases the South Side to the world,welcoming 700,000 annual visitors and projected to generate a long-term economic impact of more than$3 billion.THE ST.REGIS CHICAGO RISES ABOVE THE CITYWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 14#2 ranking in our Facebook Check

78、-ins subcategory and#3 spot for Instagram Hashtags gets even better by helping connect visitors to trails,tours and rooftop patios from which to capture the nine-letter legend.Another L.A.legend,Warner Bros.Studios,hits triple digits this year and has unveiled the 100th Anniversary Exhibit,exploring

79、 a century of helping shape global storytelling from its L.A.home.The new exhibit recognizes a range of classic and contemporary productions,including Casablanca,DC Comics,The Wizarding World”of Harry Potter,Abbott Elementary,and beyond.The citys#3 ranking in our Attractions subcategory will only be

80、 fortified with these initiatives.A third centenary celebration is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,as hallowed American ground as youll find and home to both the first Super Bowl in 1967 and multiple Olympic Games After a grim two-and-a-half years,L.A.is ready to celebrate,especially with an epic

81、2023 packed with centennial milestones.The biggie:the Hollywood Sign,synonymous with the city and region both physically and spiritually,is turning 100.In fact,in a recent study commissioned by Los Angeles Tourism,nearly 80%of respondents affirmed that the Hollywood Sign is Los Angeles most iconic l

82、andmark.And nine of 10 Americans consider the Hollywood Sign an iconic American landmark,on par with the Statue of Liberty,the Washington Monument,Mount Rushmore and the Golden Gate Bridge.Local tourism promoters are ensuring that their citys already impressive 3 LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIATHE BROAD IN D

83、OWNTOWN L.A.WITH A COLORFUL CROSSWALK BY ARTIST CARLOS CRUZ-DIEZTHE WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALLThe planets city of stories is telling a few of its own this year.Over drinks,over dinner and on the train ride home.POPULATIONMETRO 13,201,000HIGHLIGHTS1 RESTAURANTS2 MUSEUMSWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 15(including

84、 the upcoming 2028 Summer Games,when L.A.will become the first place in the U.S.to host the event three times).In honor of its 100th anniversary,the Los Angeles Coliseums Coliseum Forever program is hosting events,speakers and exhibits that memorialize stories from the iconic figures who contributed

85、 to the venues unparalleled legacy.The year of events will bring the community together to plan the next century of nurturing a city that already ranks#4 in our Culture subcategory.The home of Americas most ambi-tious museums(ranking#2,second only to NYC)is demanding the world come and visit,with vi

86、tal exhibitions already launched and massive open-ings and expansions planned in the months ahead.This spring,The Broad presented the citys first museum exhibition of Keith Harings expansive body of work.And The Grand LAs Jean-Michel Basquiat:King Pleasure exhibit is drawing summer crowds downtown w

87、ith 200 rarely shown and even never-before-seen pieces.In Westwood,the Hammer Museum at UCLA has just reopened after its two-decade-long project transforming the campus,anchored by the new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Cultural Center at the gateway to Westwood Village.The museum today extends across a

88、full city block,increasing gallery space by 60%to display the Hammers large collection of nearly 50,000 pieces.Anticipation is also building at the two-year-old Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and its Hollywoodland exhibit this November,tracing the history of filmmaking in Los Angeles back to its

89、roots at the beginning of the 20th cen-tury,illustrating how and why the city became the world capital of cinema.The next two years are equally frenzied for the citys arts and culture scene.The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is scheduled to reopen next year with 110,000 square feet of gallery spac

90、e,a new theater,education spaces,three restaurants and multipurpose event spaces,and will span Wilshire Boulevard in order to accommodate 3.5 acres of new park and outdoor space.The Natural History Museum also opens its NHM Commons in 2024a new wing and community hub on the southwest side of the mus

91、eum campus in Exposition Park.Opening in 2025 is the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art,founded by philanthropist and filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson,co-CEO and president of Ariel Investments;it will focus on the universal art of visual storytelling and will feature expansive galleries

92、,state-of-the-art cinematic theaters,dedicated spaces for learning and engagement and a new public green space.The citys long-smoldering arts bounty isnt just confined to paid access,of course,and theres no better place for walkable immersion than the recently reopened historic Sixth Street Viaduct,

93、a transformative infrastructure project for the city that replaced the original 1932 bridge and today unites the Boyle Heights community to the east and the Arts District and Downtown to the west.The project has reinvigorated the Arts District and today its galleries,murals and dozens of independent

94、 shops and outdoor markets host daily events that draw locals from across the county.They also come for a dining scene thats a distilled version of the larger culinary destination that the city as a whole has become(topping all U.S.cities in our Restaurants subcategory).Local Arts District favorites

95、 like the local-first Mexican cuisine at Enrique Olveras Damian and the dreamy Italian of Bestia have been recently joined by the Korean fusion of Yangban Society,the Greek cuisine of Mandolin Taverna andthis being L.A.the 1970s Italian-themed Lets Go!Disco and Cocktail Club.A short stroll away are

96、two Michelin-starred restaurants,Hayato and Kato,that can insufficiently be described as“Japanese.”With the City of Angels this ascendant,its a good thing that all nine of LAXs terminals are in the midst of a combined$14.3-billion modernization,with the automated people mover(APM)train scheduled to

97、open next year.The new$1.7-billion Regional Connector Transit Project,featuring a 1.9-mile under-ground light-rail system that will provide a one-seat ride across Los Angeles County,just opened,making travel on the Metro Gold Line to Long Beach and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica possible with

98、out transferring lines.And,more importantly,not sitting in traffic.ENRIQUE OLVERAS DAMIANTHE LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM IN EXPOSITION PARKWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 16local numbers.Even the proudest locals wring their hands as companies leave for Austin and Florida.And then tweet about how you should,t

99、oo.But life goes on for those who choose to stay and fight for“everyones favorite city.”Local leaders are rolling out the most daring bike and pedestrian infrastruc-ture in America and the protected bike network now boasts 464 miles of bikeways,including 50 miles of new car-free/car-light streets in

100、 the past year alone.The world has noticed,with the New York Times highlighting the citys weekend car-free two-mile stretch along its western shore(called the Great Highway)in its influential“52 Places to Go”roundup last year,calling it a“telling microcosm of the ways in which our cities,and our val

101、ues,shifted during the pandemic.”The city just announced that it will remain car-free on weekends until at least 2025.The investments mean San Francisco ranks#1 in the nation for walkability and#4 for biking.The aggressive pursuit of outdoor public spacesfrom downtowns new Salesforce Park,70 feet ab

102、ove street level atop the roof of the Salesforce Transit Center,to the half-dozen parks,tunnels and spaces opened last year in the Presidio alone(including Presidio Tunnel Tops,a 14-acre park built over the Presidio Parkway highway tunnels)was a clinic in opportunism.“We are building on the momentum

103、 of last years rebounding tourism,which was fueled by the return of international visitors and conventions,”says Joe DAlessandro,president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association.“By 2024,we expect to reach 2019s level of visitor spending.”San Francisco doesnt just welcome differences,it cel

104、ebrates them,ranking it#2 in our People category,including#3 for Educational Attainment among its citizenry,and#4 for the percentage of that citizenry who were born outside of the U.S.Its#5 Prosperity ranking is demonstra-tive that the promise of high salaries draws global workers who fuel a citys a

105、mbition and ideasand,in this case,driving San Franciscos#17 ranking for Fortune 500 Companies.In fact,the Bay Area remains the No.1 place for start-up innovation powered by venture capital,kept interested by the citys famed“eco-system”for talent,for research and for universities.In Henley&Partners a

106、nd New World Wealths“Worlds Wealthiest Cities Report 2023,”San Francisco ranked third,tied with London,after New York and Tokyo.In terms of the actual number of millionaires living in the city?San Francisco had 285,000 last year.Still,the city has been deeply wounded economicallyby the pandemic,the

107、lack of affordable housing and what many see as regulatory overreach.San Franciscos rate of population decline was the worst among large U.S.counties between July 1,2020,and July 2,2022.The city and its surrounding Bay Area counties saw a net population loss of more than 250,000 people in the first

108、two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.Equally terrifying is the city ending 2022 with a 27%office vacancy rate,according to Job opportunities and infrastructure buildout pave the way as the world continues to rush in,despite the haters.4 SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIAPOPULATIONMETRO 4,749,000HIGHLIGHTS1 WALK

109、 SCORE2 SIGHTS&LANDMARKSGOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND DOWNTOWN BEYONDWATERFRONT BIKE LANE AT AQUATIC PARKWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 17National Gallery of Art making up for lost time with a half-dozen high-pro-file exhibits scheduled over the next year,including what promises to be a showstopping Mark Rothko show

110、.New and reopening museums include the 32,000-square-foot Rubell Museum DC in a historically Black public school in the Southwest neighborhood.The National Museum of Women in the Arts reopens this fall and remains the worlds only major art museum solely dedicated to championing women artists.D.C.s l

111、ong run as Americas“It”food city shows no signs of slowing,and the attention is surfacing Black chefs and purveyors with Market 7,a sprawling food hall touting Black-owned busi-nesses.Also creating a buzz is Chef Jos Andres The Bazaar in the Waldorf Astoria(rescued from its previous life as a Trump

112、Tower);this spot is sure to sate your Chesapeake Bay locavorism.Walking off the capitals culinary bounty is easy in a city with a top five Walk Score,but why walk when you can experience the citys improving public transit,courtesy of last years Silver Line expansion?There are six new subway stations

113、,none more appreciated than the first-ever train station at Washington Dulles International Airport,which now provides an elegant way into town with-out shelling out for an Uber.The ubiquity of D.C.in dramas on screens small and large,combined with the shocking events of recent years,means were all

114、thinking about Washington.Want proof?It once again topped all U.S.cities for searches on Google in the past year.Given its omni-presence,there are few cities so poised to build on their exposure.“We are looking forward to continuing to welcome more visitors this summer and beyond,”says Elliott Fergu

115、son,president and CEO of Destination DC.“There is currently$9.6 billion in development underway and the city has added new hotels,museums,rooftops,Michelin-rated dining and more for travelers to explore.A few upcoming highlights include MLS All-Star Week in July,DC JazzFest over Labor Day Weekend an

116、d Theater Week this fall.”Those 2023 openings include the late-summer launch of the 274-room Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill,the citys second Royal Sonesta property;part of a mixed-use complex,it boasts a rooftop conference center with epic city views to admire during boring speeches.Recently opened and

117、drawing visitor accolades are the AC Hotel Washington DC Capitol Hill Navy Yard and the Pendry Washington DC The Wharf.And speaking of The Wharf,phase two of the massive Southwest Waterfront development just opened,creating yet another destination neigh-borhood in a city packed with them.The citys t

118、op five Museums ranking is on full display these days,with the iconic Americas intriguing capital city has the worlds attentionand is working to keep it.5 WASHINGTON D.C.THE MODERNIST MASTERPIECE THAT IS THE D.C.METROPOPULATIONMETRO 6,385,000HIGHLIGHTS1 GOOGLE SEARCH 2 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTWORLDSBE

119、STCITIES.COM 18in our Knowledge-Based Businesses subcategory,and#15 in our overall Prosperity category,including#17 for Fortune 500 head offices in town.But its not like Floridas largest city is some erstwhile economic rookieits historic role as a crossroads of the Americas has long provided a busin

120、ess advantage few cities can claim.Its home to one of the largest concentra-tions of international banks in the U.S.,as well as one of North Americas largest hubsoutside of Mexico City,New York and L.A.of Spanish-language media.All that talent and down-payment money is looking to buy in and housing

121、costs are defying gravity(and interest rates).Residential buildout is everywhere and two luxury projects in particular will change the skyline.The 1,049-foot Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Residences is predicted to be the tallest residential tower south of New York upon comple-tion in 2027.The Residence

122、s,a 70-story luxury condominium tower,begins construction this year.All that economic growth gets a hustler hungry,and Miami delivers in its title of Bon Apptits 2023 Food City of the Year.Miamis natural attributes have always captured the worlds imagination and crystalized its hedonistic brand.The

123、city ranks#3 nationally in our Outdoors subcategory,#5 for its walkability and#4 in our overall Place category.But its Miamis openness to immigrants(and,more recently,the LGBTQ+com-munity,and,even more recently than that,Silicon Valley migrants)that has people buzzing.The city has the highest percen

124、tage of foreign-born residents in America(which is saying something),and ranks#6 for the highest percent-age of BIPOC residents,with all the epic Pride festivals and programming youd expect,led by the Greater Miami Convention&Visitors Bureau and its initiatives like Rainbow Spring earlier this year.

125、That event was designed to provide LGBTQ+visitors with unique programming and promotional offers in Miami and Miami Beach leading up to Pride Month in June,effectively extrapo-lating a month into two quarters.Its the kind of productivity hack people come to expect in this town.And,increasingly,a new

126、 distributed workforce has taken notice and continues to arrive to work from home here(and,more importantly,to play in and around the city).As a result,even with the tech and crypto meltdown last year,South Florida has shown no signs of slowing down,as 2022s third-quarter numbers proved.Companies in

127、 the MiamiFort Lauderdale metro area pulled in nearly$1.3 billion of venture capital across 74 deals,according to local data.The city ranks in the top three in the country 6 MIAMI FLORIDAThis announcement comes on the heels of additional culinary honors for Greater Miami and Miami Beach,including ne

128、w stars awarded by the Michelin Guide,which only arrived in Florida in 2022,as well as local kudos at the 2023 James Beard Awards,which recently selected eight Miami restaurants,chefs and bakeries as semifinalists and one local bakery as a finalist.Expect Americas second-most Instagrammed city to to

129、p that ranking,fueled by#foodporn,soon.Miamis creativity is powered by its arms-wide-open acceptance of newcomers.MIAMI SKYLINE AFTER SUNSETPRIDE SHINES BRIGHT IN MIAMIPOPULATIONMETRO 6,138,000HIGHLIGHTS1 FOREIGN-BORN RESIDENTS2 INSTAGRAM HASHTAGSWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 19students(many excitedly back i

130、n the city post-pandemic)creating stories,ideas,solutions and technologies that will help drive the economy and incubate inno-vation districts nationally and globally for decades to come.New students have resumed flocking here,to arguably the continents largest university town,by the tens of thousan

131、ds,becoming smitten with the crooked narrow streets(ranked#3 for their walkability)and storied pubs blended with American optimism and East Coast connections,like millions before them.Theyre definitely hitting it at the right time because the city is getting back to its ambitious buildout as America

132、s newest(oldest)urban destination,buoyed by billions in federal stimulus funds and(until recently,anyway)cheap interest rates.Hotel inventory is projected to grow by almost 5,000 new rooms in the next five years alone,a 20%increase in supply,much of it planned or,in the case of the 1,055-room Omni B

133、oston Hotel at the Seaport in the South Boston Waterfront near the Boston Convention&Exhibition Center,already opened.Elsewhere,the 33-story Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel and Residences,the first Raffles prop-erty in North America,is set to open any week now.Signature luxury includes a Raffles butle

134、r,Raffles spa and pool and a rooftop garden terrace and lounge serv-ing up some of the best views in town.Downtown is also busy,with a half-dozen massive new properties on deck or com-pleted,including the year-old 212-room Canopy by Hilton at Boston Haymarket,just steps from Faneuil Hall Marketplace

135、 and the Boston Public Market.The citys cultural clout is also being reinforced courtesy of the Fenway Sports Group and Live Nations new MGM Music Hall at Fenway,a 5,000-seat concert hall that extends the iconic ball-park,adding 91,500 square feet and four levels of new event space and amenities to

136、the home of the Red Sox.Owners estimate that it will host up to 150 events annually.The citys new tourism campaign hit it out of the park with its resonance:Boston Never Gets Old.7 BOSTON MASSACHUSETTSTHE CITYS EVER-EXPANDING SKYLINEA hub of higher education and home to the fourth-best-educated work

137、force in the nation,Beantown produces a steady stream of new talent to help attract start-ups and established companies alike.Future talent gravitates to Harvard,of coursethe countrys top school(and a big reason why the city is tied for#1 in our University subcategory and scored#4 in our overall Pro

138、duct category,which measures hard-to-build infra-structure in subcategories like Airport Connectivity)as well as to Bostons density of other world-class universities and colleges.The city is bursting with lecture halls,labs and classrooms for the more than 75 institutions of higher learning in the a

139、rea,and is energized by the estimated 200,000 postsecondary Americas oldest big city has never been more current.NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY CAMPUSPOPULATIONMETRO 4,942,000HIGHLIGHTS1 UNIVERSITY3 WALK SCOREWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 201%annually,fueled by talent(not all from California,mind you)looking for(li

140、terally)greener pastures and pulled by the influential titans of industry in town,from Amazon to Starbucks to Zillow.Q1 employment grew by 4%and even commercial vacancy is holding on at 15%.Seatowns#6 Prosperity ranking is powered by its well-paid citizens,who rank third in America in our Cost-of-Li

141、ving-Adjusted Earnings subcategory,trailing only Silicon Valley and Austin,respectively.Given their#11 ranking for Educational Attainment,combined with specialized talent being recruited to the city,its no surprise.Despite the optimized economic engine that Seattle has become(or,rather,because of it

142、),its long-lauded stewardship of the land and its citizens is equally ambitious.In addition to ranking as the seventh-best biking city in America,to go along with its top 10 Walk Score,Seattle is also doing its best to further reduce cars in town with Sound Transits Link light rail.The new and exten

143、ded lines are opening over the next year,reaching south to the#17-ranked SeaTac Airport and east to the suburban tech centers of Redmond and Bellevue,combining work and pleasure like never before.Returning business travel has more options with the#11-ranked Seattle Convention Centers newest addition

144、,Summit,welcoming groups to the Emerald City.The city is also getting back to its elevated brand of arts and music festivals,led by the anticipated return of Bumbershoot on September 2 and 3,its 50th iteration after a three-year absence.Seattles sports addiction is getting sated these days,too,with

145、the NHLs newest team,the Seattle Kraken,winning on the ice and pulling in the leagues Winter Classic Game on January 1,2024,to say nothing of the Mariners hosting the MLB All-Star Game this summer.Hotel openings are everywhere,from the forthcoming boutique property in Pioneer Squares historic RailSp

146、ur district to the 265-room new-build Astra Hotel,just steps from Amazons campus in South Lake Union.Seattles self-reliance was on full display during the pandemics darkest days.The city saw the first outbreaks in the U.S.But as the New York Times noted a year later,“The Seattle area has the lowest

147、death rate of the 20 largest metropolitan regions in the country.If the rest of the United States had kept pace with Seattle,the nation could have avoided more than 300,000 coronavirus deaths.”The resilience wasnt just in public health.Despite an over-reported(and,as it turns out,temporary)exodus fr

148、om the center to the suburbs,Seattle has avoided the economic impact that continues to hobble other U.S.urban centers.Population growth remains at just under Americas growing tech hub is playing the long game,focusing on inclusive prosperity and urban vibrancy to win the war for talent.8 SEATTLE WAS

149、HINGTONTHE SEATTLE CONVENTION CENTERS NEW SUMMIT BUILDINGENJOYING THE SKYLINE VIEWS FROM KERRY PARKPOPULATIONMETRO 4,019,000HIGHLIGHTS3 COST-OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNINGS6 SHOPPINGWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 21welcomes Americas first Ismaili Center,commissioned by His Highness the Aga Khan as a place of dial

150、ogue between faith and the world,East and West,and humanity and nature.The melting pot is hot these days,reaching an impressive#4 ranking in our Restaurants subcategory,with a flurry of post-pandemic launchesfrom food halls like Railway Heights and POST Houston to must-try Israeli cuisine at the yea

151、r-old Hamsa to elevated Mexican at Casa Nomad and Urbe(few cities any-where do Mexican better than H-Town).With tourism returning,the citys#8 ranking in our Attractions subcategory will float higher,lifted by next years opening of HTX Surf,a wave park with perfect rides that peel for the length of t

152、wo football fields.“The city has more than recovered the jobs it lost early in the pandemic while employment in the leisure and hospital-ity sector,which makes up 10%of the regions jobs,is up 6%over this time last year,”says Houston First Corporation CMO Holly Clapham.“Thanks to major events like th

153、e NCAA Mens Final Four and 29 major conventions,we expect to see significant growth in visitation totals this year.”But despite all its current bonafides,the fourth-largest city in the U.S.is aiming higher,way higher,with its ongoing evolution as Space City.Its Houston Spaceport is an FAA-licensed u

154、rban commercial spaceport offering unprecedented access to a thriving aerospace community.In addition to serving as a launch and landing site for reusable suborbital vehicles,it offers laboratory and office space including technology incubators and large-scale hardware production facilities.The head

155、 start the city has in building a cluster of aerospace companies manufactur-ing locally is staggering,especially considering that the spaceport can eventually serve as the countrys takeoff point for passenger jets capable of flying at supersonic and hypersonic speeds.The future is already here:in th

156、e past year alone,tenant businesses have been awarded nearly$4 billion in new con-tracts.Houstonians already enjoying top five Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings in America better strap in for bigger paydays ahead at this trajectory.And the#4-ranked Fortune 500 community is sure to see a few more neig

157、hbors,soon.Austin may get the attention,but the promise of the Lone Star State drawing Californians and New Yorkers is quietly being fulfilled in Houston.In the past year,immigration both domestic and international has swelled the metro population to more than seven million,with new arrivals more ed

158、ucated and international than pre-pandemic.Houston today is one of Americas most ethnically diverse big cities,with more than 145 languages spoken at home,according to the latest censusabout even with New York.No wonder it ranks#7 for Culture and its prism of festivals,from international film festiv

159、als to some of the countrys biggest Juneteenth celebrations.Next year,the city Educated,diverse and hard-working,Houston is Americas stealthy powerhouse on the rise.9 HOUSTON TEXASHOUSTON IS RISINGPOPULATIONMETRO 7,122,000HIGHLIGHTS4 RESTAURANTS4 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIESWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 22to the se

160、cond-most foreign-born talent(trailing only Miami).The combo puts the city tops in the country in our People category yet again this year.This is also the second-most prosperous city in America(NYC is tops),with the highest Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings and the lowest poverty rate in the country.

161、Its all astonishing,and possible because of San Joses moat:2,500 high-tech companies in and around city limits.Its why San Jose doesnt intend to lose its peopleor jobsfor any sustained period of time.Theres just too much support from Americasand the plan-etstitans of industry and innovation.The inst

162、itutional prosperity in the city is perhaps most obvious in the bounty of universities that are performance drivers all their own,creating symbiotic integrations with local tech companies and offering access to funding and inno-vation like few others.Given the optimal conditions of a lauded,coveted

163、school and the on-ramp it provides to jobs in the city,San Jose will continue to stock its talent pipeline for decades.The region,home to Google,Facebook,Apple,Cisco Systems,eBay and PayPal,ranks#3 for Fortune 500 Companies in town,trailing only New York and Chicago.But those corporate headquar-ters

164、 dont just provide jobs:theyre also reshaping the very cityand regionwhere their offices are based.The citys 2014 adoption of the Diridon Station Area Plan to create a mixed-use urban destination near public transit was predicated on Google bankrolling things to bring the vision to life.The proposed

165、 project promises hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space next to an intermodal transit station that,if the transit and rail funding stars align,will be a transportation hub for the state.In addition to the tantalizing prospect of high-speed rail links to San Francisco and the Central V

166、alley,Diridon Station is also planned to be the hub for San Franciscos Bay Area Rapid Transit when the connec-tion is finished at the end of this decade.Actually open is the Signia by Hilton,the citys newest and largest hotel,which took over the old Fairmont property right downtown.A five-min-ute wa

167、lk away is Mama Kin,a new bar,restaurant and live-music venue that will hopefully keep the office crowd in town later on weeknights.Its fascinating what a well-educated,well-paid and diverse population can do for a citys performance.In the case of San Jose,the economic,cultural and political capital

168、 of Silicon Valley and Californias oldest civilian Spanish set-tlement,its everything.The citys talent has propelled it to another top 10 overall finish in 2023,even amid a battered tech sector and the crescendo in tech circles that“everyone is leaving the Valley.”San Jose still boasts the most educ

169、ated citizenry in the country.Its also home 10 SAN JOSE CALIFORNIADOWNTOWN SAN JOSETalent,smarts and money are a potent mix that has insulated San Jose from economic uncertainty while empowering its citizens to be bold with recovery.POPULATIONMETRO 2,000,000HIGHLIGHTS1 COST-OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNIN

170、GS1 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTWORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 2311 LAS VEGAS NEVADA12 ATLANTA GEORGIA13 PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIAPOPULATION METRO 6,245,000HIGHLIGHTS4 UNIVERSITY5 PRO SPORTS TEAMSPOPULATION METRO 2,265,000HIGHLIGHTS2 ATTRACTIONS2 TRIPADVISOR REVIEWSPOPULATION METRO 6,090,000HIGHLIGHTS4 AIRPORT CONN

171、ECTIVITY5 CONVENTION CENTERGiven its deep roots in the creation of the Union almost 250 years ago,Phila-delphia is a dense,cataloged embodi-ment of American values and traditions,easily accessible and eagerly shared.Philly has always let its experiences do the talking,whether its walking through his

172、tory along the cobblestones of Old City or breathing in the urban green of Fairmount Park.The citys under-stated urban tapestry houses Americas#7-ranked Sights&Landmarks,perfect for strolling.Phillys#9 Walk Score rank-ing will only improve with the extensive development of the central portion of the

173、 multiuse Delaware River Trail that links the citys waterfront destinations.Those in need of more regimented history will love some of the top muse-ums in the U.S.(ranked#7),especially with recent investments like the 90,000 square feet of new public and exhibition space at the Philadelphia Museum o

174、f Art as part of the Frank Gehry-led expan-sion.Important exhibits are opening this summer and fall,none bigger than Disney100 and SPACE at The Franklin Institute,and Black Founders:The Forten Family of Philadelphia at the Museum of the American Revolution.The citys coveted University of Pennsylvani

175、a is an Ivy League icon,ranked#4 nationally.Few places in America have been as supercharged by the return of the visi-tor economy as Vegas,which lives and dies by its#1 industry(by a mile).A visit in 2023,therefore,is a pilgrimage into American urban resilience.After all,this is Vegas,baby,home to n

176、ightlife thats second only to NYC and Chicago,and family-friendly attractions that trail only Orlando.Nearly 39 million visitors checked into town in 2022,and this past January was just 4%below the same month in 2019,according to local numbers.Welcoming them are proper-ties like the two-year-old,$4.

177、3-billion Resorts World Las Vegas,compris-ing three hotels,the 27,000-square-foot Awana Spa and a 5,000-capacity theater.The fact that places like the Wynn were extensively renoed at a cost of$200 million during the pandemic is almost lost in the gilded fog of Vegas construction,which still has at l

178、east$15 billion of new investment in the pipeline,including the 2023 completion of the much-anticipated 25-acre Fontainebleau complex and the$2-billion MSG Sphere that will be,at 516 feet in diameter,the largest spherical structure in the world when it opens later this year.Long a progressive beacon

179、 of diversity in Georgia,Atlanta and its rich legacy of American civil rightsthe city is the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.is increasingly in the national conversa-tion as a new hometown.And people are walking the talk,with almost a quar-ter of a million relocating to the city over the past tw

180、o years.Even more are mulling their options,indicated by ATLs#8 Google Search ranking nationally.Good thing the cityalready home to the eighth-most Fortune 500 head-quarters in Americais planning for the influx,with bold new projects downtown like the 50-acre Gulch redevelopment called Centennial Ya

181、rds,featuring 12 million square feet of residential,retail and office space and 1,500 hotel rooms.Just east,along Peachtree,Mitchell and Broad streets,as well as Martin Luther King Jr.Drive,dozens of historic build-ings are being revived with a focus on public spaces and walkability.Even Hartsfield-

182、Jackson Atlanta International Airport(from which 80%of the U.S.population resides within a two-hour flight)is renovating,despite already ranking#4 for Airport Connectivity.Its ATL Next project is pumping$6 billion into modernization and connectivity.The City of Brotherly Love gives locals and visito

183、rs plenty of Americana.The revenge city will see you now.Ambitious and dripping with history,ATL is creating its future mid-flight.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 24POPULATION METRO 3,299,000HIGHLIGHTS2 OUTDOORS7 INSTAGRAM HASHTAGS14 DENVER COLORADO15 DALLAS TEXAS16 SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIAPOPULATION METRO 2,964,0

184、00HIGHLIGHTS4 BIKING5 AIRPORT CONNECTIVITYPOPULATION METRO 7,637,000HIGHLIGHTS2 AIRPORT CONNECTIVITY5 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIESYou could say that San Diego is where California began.It was here that Span-ish colonists established the regions very first mission in 1769.Today,its one of the fastest-growin

185、g cities in the U.S.,pulling in residents seeking 263 full and partly sunny days annually,the natural endowment of the#2-ranked Outdoors in America(trailing only,and understandably,Honolulu),whose 23 beaches70 miles of themwithin city limits make the city synonymous with the lore of SoCal surf cultu

186、re.Speaking of storytelling,the sun-kissed back-drops coax locals to share the aesthetic bounty online,powering the city to a top 10 finish in our vital Promotions category,including#7 for Instagram Hashtags.Increasingly,the buzz is on local attractions,with the 3.2-acre,$87-million Denny Sanford Wi

187、ldlife Explorers Basecamp finally open and immersing visitors in the sights and sounds of ecosystems around the world,from balmy rainforests to dusty dunes.The citys#8 Museums ranking will improve when the San Diego Museum of Art in iconic Balboa Park unveils its 2026 west wing,courtesy of Foster+Pa

188、rtners,a firm that has built iconic structures at museums around the world.With its secondary-city affordability and coveted lifestyle brand at the foot of the Rocky Mountains,Denver is an increas-ingly wealthy,healthy talent magnet.It ranks top 10 for educated citizenry,who ply their trades at larg

189、e Fortune 500 companies(ranked#17)ranging from Western Union to Molson Coors Bever-age,and at the hundreds of start-ups in the emergent cannabis and burgeoning wellness industries.All that commerce propels the city to#7 in our Knowl-edge-Based Businesses subcategory,and#9 in our overall Prosperity c

190、ategory.But Denver plays as hard as it works.Amid 300 days of annual sunshine,the obsession with the outdoors today is matched by a commitment to the arts.The Denver Art Museum is slowly emerg-ing from an extensive,multi-year renova-tion that includes a new restaurant from award-winning Denver chef

191、Jennifer Jasinski,and the return of the museums Arts of Africa,Modern and Contempo-rary Art and Arts of Oceania collections to the public for the first time since construction started in 2016.Invest-ments like the Crush Walls international street art festival and the arrival of the artist collective

192、 Meow Wolf are rapidly improving the citys#19 Culture ranking.Its not only city sloganeering thats big in Dallas.Its economic reality.Home to more than 10,000 corporate headquar-tersthe largest concentration in the U.S.and ranking in the top five in the nation for Fortune 500 companies,the city is e

193、asy to get to.Dallas Fort Worth International Airport trails only JFK(and is ahead of Chicagos OHare)in our Airport Connectivity rankings.A planned$3-billion Terminal F project could be back on the table,given DFWs rebound of 73.4 million passengers in 2022an increase of 17%over a busy 2021.The#12 r

194、anking in our Convention Center subcategory will ascend when a new$2-billion,2.5-million-square-foot facility is built next to the current one in 2028.But Dallas is big on fun and culture,too.This is the home of Americas sixth-larg-est LGBTQ+community.On 20 square blocks of mixed-use space,institu-t

195、ions like the Dallas Museum of Art,the Crow Museum of Asian Art,theaters,symphony and opera venues,restau-rants and bars all power an improving#20 Programming ranking.Southern Californias urban ideal offers free sunshine and the epic outdoors.Steps from home and officeacross two borders.Light rail,l

196、egal pot and ascendant art shine bright.“Big Things Happen Here”can refer to any one of investment,population growth or cultural ascent in the Big D.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 2517 ORLANDO FLORIDA18 AUSTIN TEXAS19 MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTAPOPULATION METRO 3,690,000HIGHLIGHTS1 BIKING5 PRO SPORTS TEAMSPOPULATIO

197、N METRO 2,673,000HIGHLIGHTS1 ATTRACTIONS3 CONVENTION CENTERPOPULATION METRO 2,283,000HIGHLIGHTS2 COST-OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNINGS7 NIGHTLIFEMinneapolis is now synonymous with George Floyds murder at the hands of local police,an event that sparked a global movement against systemic racism and police

198、violence.In addition to their vital role in the fight for justice,residents have long advocated for their city,the results of which can be seen in a decade of visionary city-building called the Minneapolis Big Build.The city is in the thick of an unprecedented renais-sance,with more than$1-billion w

199、orth of annual construction permits issued for each of the past four years.The invest-ment has yielded(so far)the redesign of Nicollet Avenue,the opening of U.S.Bank Stadium and the Commons Park,a major reno of Target Center(home of the NBAs Timberwolves)and improve-ments to the Minneapolis Sculptur

200、e Garden and Walker Art Center.There are a dozen more projects that have opened or will soon,including the new Water Works Park on the Mississippi riverfront.This,on top of a#9 ranking for Fortune 500 Companiesthe most per capita of any U.S.metro arearanks Minneapolis#12 nationally in our overall Pr

201、osperity category,including top 10 for lowest poverty rate.Being the largest city in a region that generates more than$60 billion in tour-ism-related revenue every(non-pan-demic)year gets you plenty of lift from a rising tide.Thats a lot of visitors with a story to tell if you give them the means to

202、 tell it.Orlando knows how to get people talking.Its#3 ranking in our Tripadvisor Reviews subcategory helped its overall ranking,along with its top spot in America in our Attractions subcat-egory.The city is gaining post-pan-demic ground with the newly opened,$4.2-billion South Terminal Complex at O

203、rlando International Airport,featuring the states first high-speed rail,called the Brightline,which connects Orlando with West Palm Beach,Fort Lauderdale and Miami.Beyond the theme parks,youll find locals and visitors cheering for hometown pro soccer at the new Exploria Stadiumwith plenty of place-m

204、aking around the emerging neigh-borhood.Downtown culture is also ascendant with this falls opening of live music venue Judsons,the fourth indoor performance space at downtown Orlan-dos Dr.Phillips Center for the Perform-ing Arts,joining Steinmetz Hall(opened last year),the Walt Disney Theater and th

205、e Alexis&Jim Pugh Theater.The rebellious Texas cityforged by can-do persistence cut with a univer-sity towns progressive livabilityis now a well-oiled talent-attraction machine.Talk to any entrepreneur leaving Silicon Valley,NYC or Seattle and chances are theyve considered Austin.The capital and tal

206、ent inflow,along with its second-best Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings(behind only San Jose)keeps the party going.Since the pandemic,Austin has secured headquarters for giants like Oracle,Tesla,BAE Systems and dozens of others that have joined incumbents like Samsung USA,which itself is mull-ing a$4

207、0-billion local investment into 11 manufacturing plants here.Dozens of ambitious tech firms(especially EV and superconductor manufacturers)are moving in monthly.New high-rises like the Waterline(the tallest building in Texas when it opens in 2026),along with Wilson Tower(the largest planned U.S.resi

208、dential high-rise outside of New York City)will be just two of the biggest trophies on the citys expanding skyline.The#20-ranked University of Texas at Austin is also a talent magnet,focusing on research and a growing skills pipeline to the symbiotic private sector.The local music scene is pretty go

209、od,too.Bold city-building and post-pandemic prosperity beckon.The Mouses house embraces hometown dynamism.The American dream has a new hometown.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 26POPULATION METRO 1,272,000HIGHLIGHTS2 SHOPPING3 MUSEUMS20 PORTLAND OREGON21 HONOLULU HAWAII22 NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANAPOPULATION METRO 2

210、,513,000HIGHLIGHTS1 BIKING9 SHOPPINGPOPULATION METRO 1,017,000HIGHLIGHTS1 OUTDOORS3 BIPOC RESIDENTSIn the face of poverty and injusticeand“natural”disasters compounded by bothNOLA has,over its three centuries,created a culture of pres-ence,music and festivals that may pale in size but not in intensi

211、ty to others in the world.Its why the city ranks#9 nationally for Programming,our cate-gory spanning shopping(for which it trails only NYC),dining and after-hours vibrancy.Given the need to celebrate,seize the day and revel in all that fusion of humanity and culture and sweaty new people and ideas,t

212、he city ranks#5 in our Nightlife subcategory.The French Quarter may be touristy,but the investment continues with the One11,the areas first new hotel in 50 years.A new Four Seasons Hotel and Residences opened in the former World Trade Center,followed by local icon and mens clothing store Ruben-stein

213、s turning their second floor into a 40-room eponymous boutique prop-erty.The citys top three Museums rank-ing will improve with the Warehouse Districts new Museum of the South-ern Jewish Experience,along with this summers massive new Audubon Aquar-ium of Americas and Insectarium open-ing right on th

214、e Mississippi adjacent to the French Quarter.Portlands blissful isolation,ambiva-lence toward established norms and self-sustainability have long made it one of the most earnest cities in the U.S.Portlanders are among the most engaged urbanites on the planet,and have always built it themselves if th

215、ey couldnt find anything to their likingfrom performance outdoor apparel like Columbia and Nike(based in nearby Beaverton)to hospitality brands like Ace and McMenamins.But the urban utopia of recent decades was ravaged by the pandemic,with homelessness spiking by almost 70%,vehicle theft almost doub

216、ling and shootings tripling,all since 2019.The population contracted for the first time in decades in 2021.Portlanders are fighting for the citys inclusive liva-bility and identity,one that still boasts almost 100 breweries(among the most per capita in the nation)and bound-ary-pushing nightlife and

217、shopping that ranks in the top 10 nationally.New public projects prioritizing bikes and pedestri-ans are everywhere(the city is tied for#1 for Biking),none more Portland than the new Ned Flanders Crossing pedestrian bridge,in honor of native son and The Simpsons creator Matt Groening.A 35-story Ritz

218、-Carlton,the citys first five-star hotel,will open any day now.Few cities cratered economically more than Honolulu in 2020 and 2021.But its visitor economy is back,with state numbers boasting tourist spending of late that matches 2019 levels.Hotel openings and renovations are every-where,on the heel

219、s of last years Manda-rin Oriental Hotel and Residences,Honolulu,as well as the iconic Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resorts new cultural center as part of its$80-million refresh.The just opened Wayfinder Waikiki brings some buzz to the quieter Ala Wai Canal area,courtesy of a renovated destination p

220、roperty with a new caf,pool bar and Redfish poke spot.Dozens of restaurants and bars(even brewer-ies and a cidery)are rushing to open post-pandemic.The new LineUp at Wai Kai,just west of downtown,is Hawaiis first man-made deep-water standing waveits 100 feet wide and suitable for all levels.The grou

221、nds include a massive lagoon,bars,restaurants and other family attractions.Grander still is the 98-acre New Aloha Stadium Entertain-ment District,to be built on the Univer-sity of Hawaiis old stadium grounds in Hlawa.A new,25,000-seat multi-use stadium is part of the plan.Few cities work as hard as

222、the Big Easy to get back up.Americas Left Coast utopia is figuring it out.An urban paradise blooms quickly.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 2723 PHOENIX ARIZONA24 BALTIMORE MARYLAND25 SALT LAKE CITY UTAHPOPULATION METRO 1,258,000HIGHLIGHTS3 BIKING7 POVERTY RATEPOPULATION METRO 4,846,000HIGHLIGHTS12 PRO SPORTS T

223、EAMS13 KNOWLEDGE-BASED BUSINESSESPOPULATION METRO 2,845,000HIGHLIGHTS4 UNIVERSITY12 SIGHTS&LANDMARKSCombining spectacular natural and built environments,Salt Lake City is no longer just a gateway to the great outdoorsits also a welcoming destination with ascendant culture(#31),new museums,and.local

224、breweries,which,over the past three years,have multiplied due to relaxed local potency limits(and public health measures).The transfor-mation began with the arrival of the XIX Olympic Winter Games 20 years ago,as the city thawed its reputation as an ber-conservative cowboy town with Mormon family va

225、lues to become the lifestyle magnet of quaint cafs and stylish restaurants that it is today.SLC continues to pour millions into develop-ment projects and the beautification of its downtown,and the city has matured into an urban experience as much as an outdoor one.Of course,the proximity of the Wasa

226、tch Ranges stunning canyons and 11,000-foot peaks is still the reason many adrenaline junkies travel and move here.And they work hard,too:Salt Lake ranks an impressive#16 nationally in our Prosperity categoryled by its low poverty rate(#7)and growing knowl-edge-based professional sector(#21).A thriv

227、ing desert metropolis thats now just outside the top 10 nationally by population,Phoenix has seen the fast-est growth of any major U.S.city in the past decade.According to the latest census data,it added 163,000 resi-dents,bringing the core citys popula-tion to 1.6 million,with its metro on the cusp

228、 of five million.And whats not to love?A growing roster of fine museums,a vibrant artist community and 300 days of sunshine.Get a street-level view of the citys increasingly considered urban planning with a stroll through Roosevelt Row Arts District,or RoRo,as locals call it.Art galleries,studios,re

229、staurants and bars sit side by side in this walkable creative district in the downtown core.The newest addition to the downtown arts district is Pemberton PHXpart art exhibit and part foodie magnet,where locally loved restos like Babas Falafel and Saint Pasta host pop-up dinners year-round.Given the

230、 buzz emanating from the desert,hotel development is everywhere,with 25 projects that will yield more than 5,000 guest rooms,from the massive VAI Resort to the elemental luxury of the Global Ambassador.Less than an hours commute from Washington,D.C.,Baltimore offers a slower pace of life and signifi

231、cantly cheaper housing than the hyper-charged capital.But the window to buy into one of Baltimores diverse,historic commu-nities is closing fasthome prices in the city reached a 10-year record high a year into the pandemic and have only fallen slightly since.No wonder the citys beguiling urban pocke

232、ts and dipping crime rate are attracting visitors and curious potential residents seeking unvarnished American urbanism and some of the countrys best museums(#15).According to Q4 2022 numbers,the citys downtown is back to 95%of pre-pandemic activity.Good thing,too,because the signature placemaking i

233、nvestment is finally opening in phases in South Baltimores industrial Warner Street district(since rebranded to The Walk Warner Street),with plans for a new entertainment district between M&T Bank Stadium and Horseshoe Casino Baltimore being implemented.The city also boasts one of the most educated

234、citizenry in America(#16),partially the result of Johns Hopkins University,which ranks#4 in our University subcategory and is also Baltimores largest employer.The great outdoorsand high sala-riesare calling,and Salt Lake is doing its best to keep you in town.Rapid growth,ambitious architecture and a

235、 reverence for the outdoors blends a heady mix in the desert.Baltimores historic subtleties and educated citizenry make for a beguiling hometown with some familiar struggles.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 28POPULATION METRO 1,990,000HIGHLIGHTS7 UNIVERSITY15 FACEBOOK CHECK-INS26 ST.LOUIS MISSOURI27 TAMPA FLORI

236、DA28 NASHVILLE TENNESSEEPOPULATION METRO 2,820,000HIGHLIGHTS9 UNIVERSITY15 GOOGLE SEARCHPOPULATION METRO 3,175,000HIGHLIGHTS10 ATTRACTIONS13 OUTDOORSThe home base for artists like Jack White,Kings of Leon and the Black Keys reclaimed its live-music glory with a full slate of before-times festivals l

237、ike the CMA Fest and Bonnaroo,as well as new shows and attractions.The buzziest is the duet between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the historic Ryman Auditorium that created the Rock Hall at the Ryman exhibit celebrating one of Americas most revered stages,includ-ing stories about Elvis Presley,

238、James Brown,Dolly Parton,the Foo Fighters and dozens more.The 2021 opening of the National Museum of African Amer-ican Music,a vital center to educate the world,preserve a legacy and cele-brate African Americans in creating the American soundtrack,is just one reason why Nashville ranks#16 in our ove

239、rall Programming category.Massive devel-opments like the new home of the Nash-ville SC Major League Soccer team in Wedgewood-Houstona 30,500-person soccer-only facility with double-tiered standsjoin the city-building ambi-tion behind the opening of more than a dozen hotels over the next two years,as

240、 well as the massive expansion of the citys#20-ranked airport.Americas gateway to the West has always been an understated city of neighborhoods and cultural elegance.It performs well for Nightlife(#18)in fact,Miles Davis is a native sonand ranks#21 for Programming,led also by a top 20 finish in our

241、Restaurants subcat-egory.This was always a stealthy food town,too,but no longer,with recent openings like the Mediterranean-forward Casa Don Alfonso,the first in the U.S.for Mario Iaccarino,a Michelin-starred Italian restaurateur,in the Ritz-Carlton St.Louis.More accessible is the newish City Foundr

242、y STL food hall,serving an atlas-worth of goodies.The city is also investing in its infrastructure,especially as it pursues meetings and events once more.The AC Next Gen project that will update and expand the Americas Center Convention Complex downtown should be open early next year,improv-ing the#

243、17 Convention Center ranking.Recently opened downtown hotels offer sweet perches from which to explore new placemakinglike the non-motor-ized Brickline Greenway connecting to city parks,and Lacledes Landing,a converted warehouse district overlook-ing the Mississippi that boosts the citys nightlife a

244、nd dining ranking even more.In Tampa,the natural and built envi-ronments are as in sync as Point and Kucherov.The city has a low crime rate,361 days of annual sunshine and sprawl-ing and diverse parks and outdoor areas(garnering a#13 ranking),including nearby beaches like Fort De Soto Park and Clear

245、water.Chief among the park-lands is the Tampa Riverwalk,a 2.6-mile continuous waterfront corridor along the banks of the Hillsborough River and Garrison Channel.From the newly reno-vated Florida Aquarium you can stroll to the Tampa Bay History Center,the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts,the conve

246、ntion center and other spots contributing to Tampas#10 ranking in our Attractions subcategory.The city is also flexing its downtown investment these days,with last falls phase one opening of the multi-billion-dollar Water Street Tampa in the heart of the city,spearheaded by The Tampa EDITION,a truly

247、 five-star luxury property with Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser feed-ing guests.The project also boasts a new promenade and a dozen high-end bars,restaurants,condos and hotels that youd expect from a place bankrolled by Bill Gates and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.(And you thought that hock

248、ey player reference earlier was random.)The hospitality and revelry that defined Nashville for decades has finally returned.One of Americas music capitals is an energetic crossroads of the nation.Floridas outdoor wonderland has a taste for the finer things.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 2929 DETROIT MICHIGAN3

249、0 SAN ANTONIO TEXAS31 CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINAPOPULATION METRO 2,660,000HIGHLIGHTS10 AIRPORT CONNECTIVITY17 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIESPOPULATION METRO 4,392,000HIGHLIGHTS8 CONVENTION CENTER11 COST-OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNINGSPOPULATION METRO 2,558,000HIGHLIGHTS6 ATTRACTIONS8 RESTAURANTSAmericas Old South

250、is up to new tricks in Charlotte,a global banking power-house(the second-most important in the U.S.after New York)and ranked#17 in our Fortune 500 Companies subcat-egory.All that productivity comes with relative affordability,given Charlottes#17 spot in our Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings subcatego

251、ry.No wonder the city ranks#24 for Prosperity.The already walkable downtown just got a boost with the recently extended east-to-west hybrid streetcar system that runs an impressive four miles over 17 stops.The city is further investing in its economic innovation with massive projects like the medica

252、l school campus and an inno-vation district called The Pearl,funded by Atrium Health and Wake Forest Baptist26 acres in Midtown that will help position Charlotte as a destination for research and innovation and create thousands of jobs this decade alone.But with 1,000 apartments,a hotel,restaurants

253、and bars,the project will be a destination,too.As will a former Sears department store that reopened last year as the Visual and Performing Arts Center,a new home to dozens of galler-ies,studios,theaters and classrooms.Detroit has been on top of the world“the arsenal of democracy”in the 1950s,as Mot

254、or City revvedand in the depths.But while the bulldozing of 20,000(and counting)vacant structures since 2016 is ongoing,the city is expanding,with more residents seemingly arriving than leaving(finally!).The city even ranks#15 for Instagram Hashtags and top 25 in our economically key Promotion categ

255、ory.Claude Molinari,CEO of Visit Detroit,says the citys recent“Detroit Wins”campaign aims to communicate the message that Detroit is“an authentic region of the country.”Approximately$7 billion in investment means more than 200 projects are ongoing or complete,seen in places like the redevelopment of

256、 historic Eastern Market,with its massive food halls and office space.Motor City is also thinking beyond the car,with vital infrastructure like the 6.6-mile QLINE streetcar loop connecting the Wood-ward Corridor.Work on the$240-million,27.5-mile Joe Louis Greenway is in full swing and will improve D

257、etroits#57 Outdoors ranking.So will the massive,city-spanning RiverWalk pedestrian and park development that will eventually connect the citys two iconic bridges by foot and bike paths.The genius of San Antonio is its stew-ardship of its greatest urban asset and attraction:the River Walk.The pedestr

258、ian promenade along the San Antonio River,extended from three to 15 miles a decade ago,is a scenic link that connects self-propelled citizens and visitors with the city.On one end theres the five colonial missions,a UNESCO heritage site just enhanced with the new Alamo Exhibition Hall&Collections Bu

259、ilding.On the other,the San Antonio Zooand,in between,the San Antonio Museum of Art,the Texas Golf Hall of Fame and dozens of other eclectic stops and river-side cafs.No wonder the city ranks#6 in our Attractions subcategory,a number that is likely to improve given the steady announcements about new

260、 sites ranging from“a world-record-setting themed roller coaster”to the“worlds tallest and fastest screaming swing.”Three gigantic hotels have just opened along its path,including the innovative Artista San Antonio Hotel,the InterContinental and the Thompson Hotel.After all that walk-ing,make sure t

261、o feast in one of Amer-icas only(along with Tucson)UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy and its#8-ranked restaurants.Affluent,easy to love for its southern charm and open for business and pleasure.Americas comeback story is writing its next chapter.Rich in distinctly Texan attrac-tions,San Antonio i

262、s a place for all seasons(and reasons).WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 30POPULATION METRO 957,000HIGHLIGHTS5 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT9 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES32 SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA33 RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA34 BRIDGEPORT CONNECTICUTPOPULATION METRO 2,397,000HIGHLIGHTS12 BIKING20 UNIVERSITYPOPULATION METRO 1,414,00

263、0HIGHLIGHTS6 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT15 COST-OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNINGSConnecticuts largest city is also one of Americas oldest:it was first colonized in the mid-1600s and local entrepre-neurialism grew exponentially(and industrially)once the railroad link was established in 1840.With its 90-minute,6

264、0-mile train ride from New York City,Bridgeport maintains a wealthy and educated citizenry(ranked#5 for Educational Attainment and#12 for Foreign-Born Residents),as it did when entrepreneurs like P.T.Barnum(of circus fame)not only ran businesses but also the town itself(Barnum was mayor).In these da

265、ys of WFH and secondary and tertiary cities,Bridgeport is attracting talent from priced-out cities like New York and Bostonwith these new resi-dents trading in the shoebox condo for a large Cape Cod-style house(and tidy lawn)for around$500,000.Or for any one of the historic lofts in the dozens of wa

266、rehouse conversions underway.The two-year-old,5,700-seat Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater(known locally as the Amp)is a joint venture with the City of Bridgeport in association with Live Nation.And it shows,with artists stopping by that would otherwise have skipped the town altogether.Californias st

267、ate capital is prosperous and proud,ranking well for its natural attributes,including epic weather that nourishes this self-declared“Farm-to-Fork Capital”and its fertile surroundings.The City of Treesresidents have long claimed to have the most trees per capita in the countrywas hit hard economi-cal

268、ly by the pandemic,but it isnt exactly a stranger to cataclysms:the Great Conflagration of 1852 burned 40 square blocks of the fledgling city,leaving behind what is today called Old Sacra-mento,with its cobbled streets,historic buildings and horse-drawn carriages.With so many neighborhoods to explor

269、e,the city naturally ranks#12 for biking in the country.But Sacramento isnt content with a quaint past.The just-completed$200-million-ish renovation and expan-sion of Sacramentos SAFE Credit Union Convention Center(currently ranked a middling#46)is part of the citys C3 Proj-ect,along with the commun

270、ity theater and Memorial Auditorium.New hotels like The Exchange(an adaptive reuse and renovation of downtowns iconic Cali-fornia Fruit Building),as well the Hyatt Centric hotel(constructed behind the century-old brick facade of the Marshall Hotel),are vital guest room additions to a downtown core t

271、hat needed them badly.The City of Oaks is part of North Caro-linas Research Triangle,one of the countrys largest and most successful research parksthink high-tech and biotech,along with advanced textile development.The city also boasts three major research universities,which supply a pipeline of you

272、ng,cheap,bril-liant talent that ranks#6 for Educational Attainment nationally.Is it any wonder,then,that Apple recently announced a$1-billion,281-acre Raleigh campus that will open later this decade?Forecasts indicate it will house more than 3,000 employees.Good thing,too,because new arrivals are in

273、creasingly drawn to Raleigh for its affordable housing,and the city ranks#15 for Cost-of-Living-Ad-justed Earnings.With all of the residents pouring into town to try before they buy,exciting hotel openings are plentiful,from this falls long-stay focused Tempo by Hilton Raleigh Downtown to the new Ki

274、mpton opening in late 2025.Place-making matters here,too.The North Carolina Freedom Park should be open by now,honoring the African American struggle for liberty.Raleighs already improving Outdoors ranking(#53)will keep climbing as a result.History and smarts come together in Connecticut.Green,bount

275、iful and affluent,Californias capital is big on local stewardship.A booming economy and a global intellect poise this Carolina powerhouse for the future.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 3135 PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA36 NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT37 TUCSON ARIZONAPOPULATION METRO 1,043,000HIGHLIGHTS14 BIKING14 MUSEUMSPO

276、PULATION METRO 2,371,000HIGHLIGHTS14 UNIVERSITY14 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIESPOPULATION METRO 865,000HIGHLIGHTS1 UNIVERSITY13 WALK SCOREFast-growing Tucson is getting its sun-kissed,well-toned arms around its distinct sense of place.Take its unique culinary attributes:Americas first UNESCO City of Gastron

277、omy boasts citizens like Barrio Breads James Beard Award-winning Don Guerra,who serves up baked perfection using locally grown heritage grains,and local favor-ites like Borderlands Brewing retooling its hefeweizen with white Sonora wheat.Buzzy newcomers are also launch-ing locally first,whether its

278、the newly opened BATA(where 90%of all ingre-dients are sourced within 400 miles of your table),or new hot spots by Maria Mazon,of Top Chef fame,whose BOCA Tacos y Tequila has long been required eating.Tucsons#34 Restaurant rank-ing will rise.Local stewardship has also embraced Tucsons urban bounty,e

279、specially with the 150-acre Barrio Viejo neighborhood,sprinkled with Pueblo Revival architecture dating back to the 1800s.New creative businesses have opened in the historic buildings;the iconic 108-year-old Teatro Carmen is being restored(an investment sure to bolster Tucsons Top 25 Programming ran

280、king);and there are whispers that a National Historic Landmark designation for the district is imminent.Its Steel City,City of(440!)Bridges,Andy Warhols birthplace and home of the NFLs“Stillers.”Sports tourism is huge in a city that is also home of the Penguins and the Pirates(tied for a#17 ranking

281、in our Pro Sports Teams subcategory).Not surprisingly,sports tourism contributes more than a billion dollars annually in visitor spending and almost$15 million in state and local tax revenues,according to local numbers.Theres art,too:Pittsburgh is home to#23-ranked museums,including one dedicated to

282、 local son Warhol(which just unveiled its six-block Pop District)and another to the steel industry,called Rivers of Steel.Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center power the citys#14 University ranking and an overall sense of practicality and stewardship(a reason why urbanist a

283、nd author Richard Florida launched his career here).New Pittsburgh residents often marvel at the citys joyful walk-ability(#24)and hills everywhere,made more fun by Mount Washingtons funic-ularsthe last such operating inclines in America and remnants of a system that once contained 17 around the cit

284、y.Pittsburgh Brewing is writing the citys next sudsy chapter with a 40-acre desti-nation site along the Allegheny River in an 1883 complex.Five U.S.presidents studied and lived here,as well as countless members of Congress,Supreme Court justices,Hollywood stars and captains of indus-try.Yale Univers

285、ity(tied for tops in our University subcategory),founded in 1701 and one of Americas oldest institutions of higher learning,has educated many of the countrys best and brightest,but its also the cultural and economic center of this leafy,seaside city,whose residents take full advantage of all the res

286、ources on offer in a capital of power and prestige.The fact that more than a third of adult residents have at least a bachelors degree earns New Haven a#36 ranking for Educational Attainment.Yale(including its medical center)is also the citys largest employer and larg-est taxpayer,making this effect

287、ively a company town.The school also attracts and retains international talent,and ranks an impressive#32 in our Foreign-Born Resident subcategory.New Havens living museum vibe(including some of the stealthiest examples of American architecture in the nation)can be appre-ciated by foot,given the#13

288、Walk Score ranking,or by bike(#14),with a requisite picnic at 350-year-old parks like New Haven Green(now with free wifi!).Arizonas second city is ascending fast,with bold city leadership and placemaking.Good things brewing.A history-packed town that knows how to create the powerful.WORLDSBESTCITIES

289、.COM 32POPULATION METRO 552,000HIGHLIGHTS11 BIKING13 RESTAURANTS38 MADISON WISCONSIN39 CLEVELAND OHIO40 PORTLAND MAINEPOPULATION METRO 681,000HIGHLIGHTS4 POVERTY RATE7 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTPOPULATION METRO 2,088,000HIGHLIGHTS12 CONVENTION CENTER17 PRO SPORTS TEAMSIt may be Maines capital,but at jus

290、t over half a million people,the other Port-land is the smallest city in our top 100 that ranks as high as it does.It offers a special blend of post-pandemic urban attributes:smart people(#13 for Educa-tional Attainment),Biking(#11)and natu-ral endowment(#14 for Outdoors)the latter two powering its

291、impressive#15 finish in our important Place category.Expect to hear more about“Forest City”soon,given local investment and,um,more global factors.Lets start macro:the New York Times cited numerous climate change experts that chose Portland as a highly resilient city,not prone to seawater flooding(it

292、s high up),air pollution(remote!)or wildfires,with plenty of fresh,clean water.The city is building for the coming climate migrants(or at least the WFH ones)and is undergoing unprecedented devel-opment,led by the Old Ports Portland Foreside,the largest development project the city has seen in decade

293、s,to be completed by 2026.The mixed-use neighborhood will consist of more than 60 businesses and 600 housing units in a 10-acre,eight-block district where trains were built for more than a century.Madisons enviable position as both capital of Wisconsin and the site of the states largest university(r

294、anked#20 in the nation)has certainly fueled its livability in previous rankings(ours and seemingly everyone elses).The city is firing on all cylinders,buoyed by high-paying work thats long evolved from academia and public service to splinter into ascendant tech start-ups and satellite offices eager

295、to recruit U of W talent in health care,IT and manu-facturing.all amid an unprecedented talent shortage.Case in pointMadison gained more technology sector jobs in the first year of the pandemic than in the prior half decade,according to a report by Brookings Institution.The employ-ment boom is power

296、ing Madison to#18 in our overall Prosperity category.Even big dogs like American Family Insurance have arrived in town,lured by its smarts(#7 for Educational Attainment)and rela-tive,but fleeting,housing affordability.The city even seems to have that riddle solved for the time being,boasting the fou

297、rth-lowest poverty rate in America.The ability to get around without paying for a car may help the citys cause:it ties at#14 for Biking.Few American cities boast a rebirth story like Clevelands.Fifty-four years after the Cuyahoga River infamously caught fire in 1969,the“City of Champions”walks talle

298、r.Increasingly diversified universi-ties and colleges welcome students with open arms.and with 40-plus brewer-ies,growing urban wineries(you read that right)and lauded restaurants that dont just fill bellies but also mission statements.Take the EDWINS Lead-ership and Restaurant Institute in the Buck

299、eyeShaker neighborhood,which teaches former prisoners culinary trades and gives them a professional footing.Its just one reason why the citys#41 Restaurants ranking is poised to ascend.The city is full of this kind of practical ambition and doing the right thing:from the newly renamed MLB Cleve-land

300、 Guardians to the work of the new Cleveland Talent Alliance that aims to make the city“one of the fastest grow-ing and most diverse,inclusive and welcoming metro areas in the Midwest by 2030,”according to David Gilbert,president and CEO of Destination Cleve-land.Young talent has plenty of reasons to

301、 stay,from affordable housing to a revitalized,walkable downtown with an impressive cache of 19th-century archi-tecture and stately streetscapes.Under the radar and on top of a warming world.This oft-cited example of livabil-ity,job creation and millennial magnetism checks all the boxes.Where second

302、-tier-city cool meets affordability.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 3341 ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO42 COLUMBUS OHIO43 RICHMOND VIRGINIAPOPULATION METRO 1,314,000HIGHLIGHTS14 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES26 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTPOPULATION METRO 917,000HIGHLIGHTS13 BIPOC RESIDENTS15 SHOPPINGPOPULATION METRO 2,139,000HIGHLI

303、GHTS21 COST-OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNINGS25 RESTAURANTSRichmond has always radiated a“genteel and understated nature,”as the New York Times observed in a sugar-coated acknowledgment of the cruel history of this capital of the Confeder-acy.The city today is a radiant blood diamond stepping bravely towa

304、rd confronting a past that slavery built,and becoming stronger and more vital to the union for it.Its#27 ranking in our Sights&Landmarks subcategory is indicative of Richmonds legacy and its fight to do right by it.The Richmond region has always embraced green space,with gems like the James River Pa

305、rk system a destination for both the active(kayaking and rafting)to the pensive who just want to read under the shadow of a willow oak.The citys Outdoors ranking of#49 will improve as Confederate monuments are reimagined as inclusive public spaces across the city.Speaking of education,the citys#28 M

306、useums rank-ing just got a boost with the$30-million reno of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture,including regional partner-ships with institutions around the statesuch as one with the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.Diverse cultures,authentic art and dynamic traditions h

307、ave shaped a centu-ries-old story in Albuquerque.Theres the vintage neon glow of Route 66,the pink hues of the Sandia Mountains at sunset and the cottonwood bosque of the Rio Grande.ABQ ranks#39 in our Product categoryindicative of deep infrastructure and local investmentincluding a#19 ranking in th

308、e Museums subcategory.In a city rich in cultural heritage from Spain,Mexico and local Indigenous Peoples,the architecture is as diverse as the cuisine,inspired by a colorful(and spicy)palate:green and red chiles are stapleseven in desserts.Despite this daring gastronomy,people still wont believe tha

309、t Albuquerque ranks#37 for Restaurants in America.Burque,in local parlance,is also a cultural hot spot,stacked with more than 100 galleries,a symphony orches-tra,theaters and even an opera scene.Its shopping,ranked#15 in the coun-tryahead of places like Boston and D.C.may be even more surprising tha

310、n the restaurants.New hotels are opening,and the Avanyu Plaza is destined to be a business and cultural corridor in the heart of the city.Setting it apart from many Midwest metros,Ohios capital and largest city is one of Americas fastest-growing placesan economic powerhouse thats also home to Ohio S

311、tate University (#25 in our University subcategory).And Buckeye football isnt the universi-tys only contribution to the local econ-omy:with more OSU graduates deciding to stay in town,Columbus is an emerg-ing tech mecca with a thriving arts scene.The city is buoyed by a growing number of start-ups,a

312、s well as by top employer Ohio State and Fortune 500s(for which Columbus ranks#26)like Nationwide Mutual Insurance and L Brands.Urban reuse and development is everywhere,from small bets on brand-ing retail strips like the new Common Thread fashion district to doubling down on fortifying historic pla

313、ces like the Trolley District with its craft brew-eries and restaurants.The Peninsula neighborhood is a new-build destination anchored by the 198-room Makeready property called The Junto,stacked with 13,000 feet of event and meeting space,restaurants and cafs.For lovers of the outdoors,the nearby Qu

314、arry Trails Park is going to be the site of the countrys first urban via ferrata,a popular style of fixed-rope and rung climbing.Mellow and understated by design,Richmond is a quiet influence on the union.Natural beauty and a life-time of outdoor pursuits blend perfectly in ABQ.A Midwest masterpiece

315、.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 34POPULATION METRO 1,214,000HIGHLIGHTS15 WALK SCORE19 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT44 CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA45 MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN46 HARTFORD CONNECTICUTPOPULATION METRO 800,000HIGHLIGHTS7 OUTDOORS8 MUSEUMSPOPULATION METRO 1,575,000HIGHLIGHTS17 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES24 NIGHTLIFEWith

316、 deep roots as an original American townfirst as a Connecticut River trad-ing post in 1633 that colonized Podunk settlements and then today as one of the countrys most prosperous and well-ed-ucated citiesHartfords investment in placemaking is paying off.It has Ameri-cas oldest public park,respects v

317、ision-aries with honors like a sculpture park dedicated to Abraham Lincoln and is home to Katharine Hepburns gravesite.It revels in its role nurturing Mark Twains childhood imagination,which would fuel the celebrated author for decades.And,yes,you can visit his home(now the Mark Twain House&Museum).

318、Its#15-ranked Walk Score speaks to a pre-car urban grid.But Hartford doesnt dwell in the past,even as it plans for its 400th anniversary in 2035:ranking#28 for Fortune 500 companies in town,this“insurance capital of the world”is invest-ing in its thriving arts and entertain-ment scene,a revitalized

319、riverfront and even more parks and public gardens,especially as the Hartford400 invest-ment is secured.With a#19 ranking for Educational Attainment by its citizenry,it seems like the smart thing to do.A beguiling fusion of built environment and coastal transition landscapesgolden islands,channels an

320、d marshesCharleston is one of North Americas most architecturally significant destina-tions,drawing design pilgrims and shar-ing its own,too(artist Shepard Fairey is a local).Post-pandemic Charleston is reclaiming its place on elevated travel itineraries and in the hearts of inves-tors.The anticipat

321、ed Moxy Charleston Downtown should be open by the time you read this,joining devoutly local The Palmetto,which just opened in the citys French Quarter.Its traditionally strong Place ranking is led by its#7 spot for its sublime parks and outdoors.A city rich in cultural,natural and military heritage,

322、Charleston is#8 for Museums,and will improve that ranking with the recent opening of the vital,$100-million Inter-national African American Museum on the former site of Gadsdens Wharf,the horrific disembarkation point into Amer-ican slavery for an estimated 30,000 African people over centuriesthe la

323、rgest such port in the country.It illu-minates the influential,underreported histories of Africans and their descen-dants in South Carolina,highlighting their diasporic connections throughout the nation and the world.Milwaukee threads the needle on post-pandemic magnetism,offering economic opportuni

324、ty,courtesy of its Fortune 500 Companies(#17)and urban authenticity with big-city excitement.Located on Americas third coast,Wiscon-sins largest city combines cherished traditions and open arms(and hous-ing affordability).It celebrates its beer heritage(ranking#24 for Nightlife)and a vibrant farm-to

325、-table culinary scenebuilt from a century of feeding and brew-ing for a continent.Try the Milwaukee Public Market for a quick bite,or Braise for an indulgent one.Plans to expand the downtown Milwaukee convention center are proceeding,building on a downtown renewal kickstarted by the Northwest-ern Mu

326、tual Tower and Commons in 2017,Fiserv Forum(home of the NBA Bucks)in 2018 and the BMO Tower.Milwaukees freshest news is the rebirth of Bronzeville,a vibrant African American district from the early 1900s that was bulldozed in the 1960s when freeway construction(and racist urban policy)removed more t

327、han 8,000 homes and businesses.Orga-nizations led by people of color have contributed$400 million so far,with the reopening of Americas Black Holo-caust Museum last year drawing praise and even more curious touristsand prospective talentfor years to come.Connecticuts capital is prosperous,safe and d

328、elightfully bookish.The Holy City boasts historic elegance by day and all kinds of revelry by night.Milwaukee is rebuilding as an honest hometown for everyone.WORLDSBESTCITIES.COM 3547 CINCINNATI OHIO48 INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA49 DURHAM NORTH CAROLINAPOPULATION METRO 650,000HIGHLIGHTS6 UNIVERSITY7 COST-

329、OF-LIVING-ADJUSTED EARNINGSPOPULATION METRO 2,257,000HIGHLIGHTS12 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES17 PRO SPORTS TEAMSPOPULATION METRO 2,111,000HIGHLIGHTS15 ATTRACTIONS24 CULTUREDurham is one of Americas top college townsanchored by Duke(ranked#6 in our University subcategory),a private research university with

330、 a global academic reach and alumni like Melinda Gates and Apple CEO Tim Cook.After several semesters of lockdowns and with fewer students to fuel Durhams usual vibrancy,the city is getting back up off the mat.Making up for lost time is everywhere,led by Raleigh-Durham International Airport,a 20-min

331、ute drive from campus and a vital part of putting this small North Carolina city on the flight paths of almost a dozen carriers pre-pandemic.A$650-million upgrade,including an expanded terminal,is funded by the 2021 federal infrastruc-ture program and will improve the citys already impressive#30 Air

332、port Connec-tivity ranking and help bring the world back to town.After all,a citizenry that boasts a#8 ranking for Educational Attainment and that enjoys the seventh-best Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings in America is increasingly a magnet for site selectors.Take Google,which opened its Google Cloud

333、 office in town last year as part of the plan to hire 1,000 when its engineering hub is operational.Cincinnati has simmered with vibrancy for a few years now,and as second-tier cities ascend,its time has come.Already an economic forcewith a Fortune 500 Companies ranking of#12 and a top 25 finish in our Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings subcategory,the city is invest-ing in its ability to get busine