In a rapidly changing world, it can be challenging to determine which cities are poised for ongoing success and which might soon fade out of relevance.
When choosing where to live, raise a family, get an education, or start a business it’s important to understand how a given city performs when compared to its national and international peers.
Even some of the most famous metropolises in the world – like New York, Beijing, and Melbourne – have notable deficits, despite their international prominence and economic significance.
“The future of cities will depend not only on their size or wealth, but also on their ability to innovate, anticipate, and respond with agility to emerging challenges,” said professors Pascual Berrone and Joan Enric Ricart in a statement. “The key to urban progress lies in combining strategic vision with operational flexibility.”
Berrone and Ricart are the co-authors of the 2025 IESE Cities in Motion Index. Each year, the business school ranks 183 major cities, across the globe, based on their performance in nine categories: technology, human capital, social cohesion, economy, government, environment, mobility and transportation, urban planning, international profile, and technology.
Among the study’s most notable findings was the somewhat contradictory performance of American cities. New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C. all ranked among the top twenty most dynamic cities in the world.
Despite the strong rankings, nearly every American city was dinged for low levels of social cohesion. Researchers determined the rankings in this category based on metrics like inclusivity, community well-being, elderly care, healthcare quality, and equitable access to safe environments.
“In the face of global conflicts, cities have a unique responsibility to go beyond traditional diplomacy and promote peace and stability through solidarity and active support for affected communities,” wrote Berrone, in the report, regarding leaders’ responsibilities to ensure high levels of social cohesion.
Click through to see the five most dynamic cities in the world.
