CULTUREMAP AUSTIN – If you live in Austin, you can confidently say you live in one of the best cities on the planet — at least according to one new study, which also provides definitive proof that we're better than Dallas (not that we needed it).
Austin ranks No. 43 on the new list of 100 best cities in the world. Two other Texas cities also make the list: Houston, at No. 42, and Dallas, at No. 47.
The annual ranking quantifies and benchmarks the relative quality of place, reputation, and competitive identity for the world's principal cities with metropolitan populations of one million or more. Vancouver, Canada-based Resonance Consultancy Ltd., which specializes in marketing, strategy, and research for the real estate, tourism and economic development sectors, conducted the study.
This year, London tops the list, followed by Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Dubai.
At No. 43 Austin, is quickly becoming America’s new hometown, according to the report. Highlights for Austin include:
- A No. 40 ranking for Global 500 headquarters
- A No. 38 employment ranking, as tech giants like Oracle move headquarters to the city
- The No. 23 ranked University of Texas at Austin
- South by Southwest, the annual summit of business, music, and creativity
As for No. 42 Houston, the report describes the city as an “educated, diverse, and hard-working” powerhouse. Highlights for Houston include:
- A population increase of almost 300,000, thanks to both domestic and international immigration
- A No. 26 global ranking for Culture, with more than 145 languages spoken at home
- A No. 31 ranking for Restaurants, with a flurry of post-pandemic launches
- A top 10 global GDP per Capita finish
- One of the top five Googled cities over the last year
With a metro population of 7,320,663, Dallas (No. 47) is a home to “economic reality,” the report says. Highlights for Dallas that helped earn it a spot on the list include:
- No. 6 global ranking in Airport Connectivity, thanks to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
- Sixth largest LGBTQ+ community
- No. 24 ranking in the world for Global 500 companies
- A No. 42 ranking for Convention Center that the study says is likely to ascend now that Dallas City Council has approved plans for a new $2-billion, 2.5-million-square-foot facility to be built adjacent to the current one by 2028
- A No. 82 Programming ranking due to institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Museum of Asian Art and the renowned Nasher Sculpture Center, plus theaters, symphony and opera venues, restaurants, and bars
On the list overall, only 25 U.S. cities made the cut, and only New York was ranked in the top 10. You can view the full list and find more information about the 100 best cities here.
This article originally appeared in CultureMap Austin.