New York ranked best American city for 9th year in a row

Residents of New York City often call it the best city in the world. Well, it turns out it is at least the best city in the U.S., according to a new ranking of the best 100 US cities, which puts Los Angeles second and Chicago third.

New York City was ranked at the top of the pillars for livability, lovability, and prosperity for the ninth year in a row. The annual ranking is from Resonance Consulting, a leading advisory in place branding, tourism, and economic development.

The ranking took into consideration an eclectic mix of factors that range from the number of large companies and ease of airport connectivity to the number of nightlife and outdoor recreation experiences and the volume of check-ins on Facebook and mentions on Instagram.

“For those building America’s urban future – whether through capital deployment, headquarters decisions, retail footprint strategy or place marketing – this data offers more than rankings. It offers clarity, risk context and a roadmap to opportunity,” said Chris Fair, president and CEO of Resonance Consultancy.

“These 100 metros are aligning investment attraction with livability and cultural capital—redefining what a ‘best city’ means in this decade.”

According to the ranking, the top 10 best cities in the US for 2025 are:

1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. San Francisco
5. Seattle
6. Miami
7. Boston
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Las Vegas
10. San Diego

According to what factors?

There are a lot of factors to consider in evaluating quality of life, cost of living, and other factors that play into a city’s popularity. Many American cities are dealing with serious issues like the growing threat of climate change, rising interest rates, strain on local infrastructure, and geopolitical tensions.

Some cities – notably Los Angeles just this year – have also dealt with natural disasters like wildfires. California, home to the greatest number of cities in the top 100 list, grapples with forest fires every year, which destroy property, devastate woodlands, and cause air quality to suffer.

Another set of challenges are linked to political concerns, like for example, a sharp drop in international visitors. That may be partially caused by highly publicized reports of immigration detention and a lack of enthusiasm for the current government. In some cases, visitations are down by up to 15% compared with 2019.

“With shifting global perceptions influenced by tariff disputes and politics, U.S. cities are leveraging their cultural assets and innovative spirit more than ever,” says Jason McGrath, EVP at Ipsos, a research partner that collaborated in the index.

“Our findings suggest that America’s top cities brilliantly weave local culture with economic prospects, aligning with global and domestic travel trends to create premier experiences for both residents and travelers.”

Livability, lovability, and prosperity

Among the various factors that are considered for the yearly index, livability includes things like air quality, healthcare, housing affordability, green spaces, green spaces, and walkability, among other related things.

Another factor is lovability, which considers less tangible (but still very important) things like nightlife, shopping, restaurants, culture, museums, and the popularity of cities reflected in instagram posts, Facebook ‘check-ins’, and Tripadvisor reviews.

Lastly, the index also considered factors related to prosperity, which mostly relates to human capital and how a city generates wealth. This involves analyzing aspects like a city’s labor force, the number of large companies, airports, universities, unemployment rates, poverty rates, and the local GDP per capita.

Notable mentions include Miami, in sixth place, which boasts high livability and lovability scores and is a rising star with a great airport, impressive nature and parks, and a huge luxury hospitality scene.

Ranked among the top 20 cities with a population under 3 million, Orlando, Florida; Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and San Jose, California are also notable mentions for being up-and-coming cities with a lot of potential. Whether offering great attractions, lower prices, or good business environments, small cities are on the rise across the U.S.

“Cities that top our 2025 rankings are not just reacting – they’re leading,” notes Chris Fair, president and CEO of Resonance Consultancy.

“They’re reshoring advanced manufacturing, doubling down on R&D ecosystems, investing in multimodal connectivity and creating magnetic cultural districts that attract talent and visitors alike. Think Pittsburgh’s robotics corridor, Miami’s health tech ascent or Nashville’s surge in creative class in-migration. These metros are aligning investment attraction with livability and cultural capital – redefining what a ‘best city’ means in this decade.”