These Are The World's Most Successful Cities Ranked

Despite only covering two percent of the planet’s surface, cities are responsible for 80 percent of the world’s economic production. The people who populate them (roughly 3.8 billion individuals) choose concrete over countryside because it affords them more job opportunities. But if you want to fulfill your potential choose wisely—some cities are better than others when it comes to facilitating the success of residents, and they aren’t necessarily the obvious ones.

According to the latest data from JLL City Momentum Index (CMI)—which examines 42 socio-economic and real estate factors—the most successful city in the world is Bangalore. India’s tech hub is emblematic of the country’s economic ascent—an impressive total of six Indian cities feature in the CMI top 30 this year.

Here’s how the top 10 shapes up:

Bangalore, India
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Silicon Valley, USA
Shanghai, China
Hyderabad, India
London, UK
Austin, USA
Hanoi, Vietnam
Boston, USA
Nairobi, Kenya

Bangalore replaces London, which previously held the number one spot for two consecutive years. The period of transition and relative instability in the wake of Brexit cost the English capital five spots; it slipped to number six on the list.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, many of the most successful cities are ones with a thriving tech industry. Of the eight American cities that feature in the top 30, six have a very high density of technology companies: Silicon Valley (3rd), Austin (7th), Boston (9th), Seattle (20th), San Francisco (21st) and Raleigh-Durham (24th). The other two—New York (14th) and Los Angeles (27th)—are also “underpinned by robust technology sectors.”

So there you have it. To live your best life and capitalize on your talents—especially if they’re tech related—move to one of these innovation-oriented global cities.

About the author

Esme Benjamin

Wellness Editor

Born and raised in Bristol, England, Esme has been geeking out over syntax her entire life. She studied English Lit by the Brighton seaside before moving to London to pursue her writing career in 2009, going on to work for Grazia Daily, The Telegraph and SheerLuxe. In 2013 she swapped The Big Smoke for The Big Apple, where she trained as a yoga teacher and contributed to Refinery29, Self, Fitness Magazine and Greatist. When she's not glued to her laptop or iPhone you'll find her drinking Kale Margaritas at an East Village happy hour, planning her next adventure, or hand-standing (with more vigor than skill) at the yoga studio.