This year's Smart City Index 2024 has once again examined 142 of the world's leading “smart” cities.
They were assessed both on the services actually provided and on residents' satisfaction with the technological solutions implemented. European and Asian cities continue to dominate most of the top positions.
For the fourth year running, Zurich, in Switzerland, has been named the smartest city, topping the list of the world's best smart cities thanks to positive feedback from its residents.
Further down the ranking, Oslo, the capital of Norway, holds onto second place, while the Australian capital Canberra, only included in the index last year, has leapt straight into third place.
Unfortunately, Italian cities haven't fared particularly well.
Bologna, considered Italy's smartest city, only managed 78th place. It has plunged from its previous 51st-place ranking due to issues such as poor air quality, heavy traffic and limited job opportunities, even though its healthcare services remain highly rated.
Milan sits in 91st place, held back by high levels of air pollution. The city nonetheless remains highly regarded for its lively cultural scene and for the technological innovations supporting events and urban mobility.
Rome – in 133rd place out of 142 cities – comes last among the Italian cities. The capital is perceived as lacking in safety and heavily congested, with shortfalls in public transport and recycling, as well as not particularly transparent governance. Despite this, schooling and civic engagement receive positive marks, helping shape its overall ranking.
Satisfaction among North American residents is declining, as shown by the sharp drop of several cities in the United States and Canada.
Here are the top ten:
- Zurich
- Oslo
- Canberra
- Geneva
- Singapore
- Copenhagen
- Lausanne
- London
- Helsinki
- Abu Dhabi
Compared to 2023, Geneva and Singapore have climbed the rankings, while Abu Dhabi – which was only 13th last year – has now broken into the top ten.
Overall, the cities that have consistently delivered the best results since 2019 include Zurich, Oslo, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Beijing and Seoul.
But the ranking could finally shift in future editions, with several smart cities beginning to emerge. In particular, Sydney, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tallinn, Melbourne and Riyadh all look set to break into the Smart City Index's future top tens.