A new list ranks the world's top 20 cities. This is where Toronto placed
The annual list ranking the world’s leading cities has been published for 2026, and Toronto has again clinched a top spot.
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The annual list ranking the world’s leading cities has just been published for 2026, and Toronto has again clinched a top spot. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
The 2026 Global Cities Index, published by Oxford Economics, evaluates 1,000 across the globe on a variety of metrics and are scored on five categories: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. (The Canadian Press/Keito Newman)
This year’s list was compiled into the top 50 and also included a new list of 28 cities to watch worldwide. Here are the top 20 cities in the annual ranking. (The Canadian Press)/Evan Buhler)
20. Toronto, Canada Toronto is again the highest-ranked Canadian city on the list, coming in at 20th for the second year in a row. The city is lauded as “Canada’s premier centre for business, finance, culture, and art.” Toronto placed 19th globally for economics and 14th for human capital, though quality of life ranked 259th and environment 292nd. It also placed 61st for its governance, with Oxford Economics noting its “robust civil liberties protections.”
Oxford Economics applauded Toronto for its high economic stability, large immigrant population and high number of corporate headquarters. Toronto’s weak points, the ranking notes, are its pricy housing market, relatively volatile climate, and less economic diversity. (The Canadian Press/Pawel Dwulit)
The other top global cities New York, London and Paris all held onto their top three positions this year, while eight out of the top 10 cities from 2025 have made it back onto the list this year. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
19. Munich, Germany The city remained the highest-ranked Germany city on the list, particularly thanks to its quality of life (16th place) and economics (31st) rankings. The ranking says Munich’s “competitive wages, high life expectancy, and many recreation and cultural offerings” contributed to its high quality of life score. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
18. Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen’s ranking is unchanged this year. The Danish capital received a gold medal for its governance (1st), as the ranking says it “achieves the strongest results across all cities for its favourable business environment and institutional quality, reflecting low levels of corruption and administrative burdens.” In light of this, Copenhagen has a strong economic and demographic performance that helps support future growth. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
17. Dallas, United States Rising two places from last year, the ranking says Dallas has demonstrated consistently strong economic growth in recent years, evolving into the fourth-largest economy in the United States. Dallas placed 6th for economics worldwide as a result. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
16. Melbourne, Australia Melbourne dropped 10 places on this year’s list, but the ranking says it remains a leading city for its economy, livability and business. It is still considered to be the cultural and sporting capital of Australia, with officials pointing to its slew of art galleries and major sporting events it hosts. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
15. Stockholm, Sweden The Nordic city is one of only seven cities worldwide to rank in the top 100 in every category “with no glaring weaknesses” in any of them. Sweden is the largest city in the Nordic region in GDP (US$221 billion) and population (2.5 million people). (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
14. Washington, D.C., United States The ranking says the city has some of the most educated residents in the world (and the most educated in the U.S.) and applauded its services sector supporting government operations (like law firms, non-profits and hotels). “Overall, the city’s fortunes are closely tied to its role as the U.S. capital,” the list reads, noting that in good times it can attract people to visit but in bad, “the political upheaval can be crippling.” (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
13. Sydney, Australia This year the financial capital of Australia placed ahead of Melbourne, with the ranking especially applauding Sydney for its economy (driven largely by tourism) and its high quality of life, which is backed by its low crime rate, high household incomes and long life expectancy. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
12. Los Angeles, United States The entertainment capital has the third-largest GDP in the world, at US$1.4 trillion, following New York City and Tokyo. While it is best known for its film industry, the ranking noted that its tech and aerospace industries are also driving factors to its high GDP. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)
11. Oslo, Norway Rising six places this year, Oslo is one of the seven cities to rank in the top 100 category worldwide. The ranking says the city’s stability is a driving factor for its well-rounded performance, noting that its diversity across sectors has made it an attractive destination for business. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
10. Zurich, Switzerland Heading into the top 10 list is Zurich, with the ranking crediting its very high GDP per capita as a driving force (US$131,500 per person). The Swiss city’s best ranking is its quality of life, thanks to its high incomes (second in Europe) and long life expectancies. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
9. Tokyo, Japan Tokyo is the highest ranked city in Asia, largely in part to its economic might and vibrancy. “An established economy, extensive human capital, and strong and secure institutions have created a stable metropolis that appeals to business and individuals, both domestically and internationally,” the ranking said, adding that it should remain highly relevant in the upcoming years. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
8. San Jose, United States Home to Silicon Valley, San Jose boasts the highest GDP per person across the 1,000 cities evaluated in the ranking at US$238,700 with more than a third of households earning over $350,000 annually. Though it boasts significant wealth, the ranking says it has a high level of income inequality, ranking bottom-third worldwide. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
7. Boston, United States Thanks to Boston’s innovation, technology, and life sciences sectors, the coastal town has safely secured its top 10 ranking. Though it is well-regarded for its universities, the ranking says the Donald Trump administration’s funding cuts to the National Institute of Health and National Science Foundation could threaten Boston’s position as a hub of innovation and education in the years to come. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
6. Dublin, Ireland Dublin is a strong economic player in Europe, thanks to its rapid employment growth and recent economic momentum driven by high-value sectors, like finance and tech. Though the city has a severe housing shortage and limited economic diversity, the ranking says it is “anchored by robust economic growth, a highly skilled workforce, and a strong environmental profile.” (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
5. San Francisco, United States Entering the top five cities on the list is San Francisco. The Californian city’s global ranking is pinned to its booming tech sector, which the list says is driven by advantages and disadvantages. Though highly unaffordable to live in, the list says the city’s charm and cultural amenities are a boon for tourism. “Time will tell whether the volatility of the tech sector and housing market will cause San Francisco to move up or down in future rankings,” the ranking reads. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
4. Seattle, United States The coastal city’s economic strength—thanks for housing Microsoft and Amazon—is what propels Seattle to the fourth global spot. The city was also credited for its diverse culture and arts, contemporary music scene, array of national parks, and good air quality. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
3. Paris, France Coming in third place, Paris is lauded as being a leader in commerce, culture, diplomacy and gastronomy and is the fifth-largest city in the world for its GDP (US$1 trillion). Paris is also ranked in the top 10 for its human capital and quality of life, which are driven by long life expectancy, and easy access to culture (with 130 museums and more than 1,800 listed monuments). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
2. London, United Kingdom London has secured its second place on the global list largely for its economics and human capital rankings, placing seventh and first worldwide, respectively. “Alongside its deep base of knowledge-intensive industries, diverse and highly skilled workforce, strong position in data centre development, elite universities, and unmatched cultural offer, London is well placed to remain one of the world’s top performing global cities for years to come,” the ranking reads. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
1. New York, United States Grabbing hold of that gold medal is New York City, once again. The combination of its global leadership in advertising, fashion, finance, media and tech, and its high productivity rates secures its top spot in the economics category. The ranking tips its hat to New York’s world class institutions and access to some of the most “exciting” cultural spots. Though there are some areas where the city can still improve, with the ranking pointing to its housing and environmental risks, Oxford Economics says it expects New York City to continue to dominate in the coming years. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
