New York tops Global Cities Index 2026; Tokyo leads in Asia

New York — New York has retained its position as the world’s top city in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2026, while Tokyo has emerged as Asia’s highest-ranked city.
In the index covering 1,000 cities, New York ranks first, followed by London in second and Paris in third place. Tokyo, ranked ninth overall, is Asia’s leading city.
The index evaluates cities across five categories: economy, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. The economy carries a 30 percent weight, human capital and quality of life 25 percent each, while environment and governance account for 10 percent each. Governance is assessed at the national level, meaning cities within the same country receive the same ranking.
New York’s lead is underpinned by its $2.6 trillion metropolitan economy in 2025, the largest in the index. Its strength in finance, technology, media and corporate headquarters helped it rank first in economy and fifth in human capital.
London leads in human capital, supported by its universities and concentration of highly educated workers. Nearly 40 percent of its residents are foreign-born. Paris, with a trillion-dollar economy, ranks tenth for quality of life, aided by high life expectancy, relatively strong incomes and cultural facilities including around 130 museums.
Seattle ranks fourth overall, followed by San Francisco in fifth and Dublin in sixth. San Jose is eighth and has the highest per-capita GDP of any city in the index, estimated at $238,700 in 2025. However, San Jose ranks 121st in human capital, while Boston ranks 289th in environment, partly due to flood risk.
Copenhagen ranks first for governance but 18th overall. Zurich is also in the top 10. Tokyo ranks third for human capital but 454th for environment, as earthquakes, typhoons and other natural hazards affect its score.
Oxford Economics said eight of 2025’s top 10 cities remain in this year’s top 10. It expects rapidly growing Asian cities to gain economic influence through expansion in advanced manufacturing, technology and business services, making future rankings more competitive.