STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A recent study ranked the most desirable urban areas in which to live, work and visit, and the Big Apple topped the list.
Yes, New York City took first place, according to research by Resonance, a respected global consulting firm.
The research was based on a methodology that includes a large variety of crucial statistics on livability, desirability and prosperity.
Rankings were based on cities with over half a million residents, and the study was recently published in a Travel and Leisure digital post.
Finding the best city in America is no easy task, but each year the consulting company ranks cities based on shopping, landmarks, sights and categories. And New York takes the top spot on this list for the ninth consecutive year.
“In 2024, it is U.S. urban recovery writ large, with a dizzying roster of new shows, hotels and parks — and record real estate prices,’’ Travel and Leisure quoted from the report. “But the Big Apple is always worth the price of admission, especially in these glory days.”
Estimates show that the city would recover 97% of its pre-pandemic visitation levels by the end of this year, the report stated.
Despite booming tourism, it is not all good news for New York City. Office occupancy is at 50% from pre-pandemic levels, and subway ridership is down as well, the report noted.
Second on Resonance’s list of the best cities in America is Chicago. The company highlights its “infrastructure and affordability that eludes many other iconic global cities.”
Chicago was second in the nightlife subcategory and first in the convention center subcategory, measuring the size of the largest convention center in the city. The metro area also hosts the second-most Fortune 500 headquarters in the country, behind New York, and ranks in the top five in several prosperity categories, including job postings and professional services.
Los Angeles takes the bronze.
The City of Angels has some of the best restaurants in the country, the report found. And it ranks second for museums.
The report also highlighted the city’s LAX investment project and America’s first high-speed, all-electric rail, which, by 2028 is expected to connect Los Angeles with Las Vegas — a boost to tourism and job growth while reducing the city’s carbon footprint.
Miami and Las Vegas round out the top five best cities in America, according to the study, with Sin City also ranking first in the attractions subcategory and Miami in the foreign-born residents’ subcategory.
The study ranked San Francisco, Boston and Washington, D.C., is the sixth, seventh and eighth spots, respectively. The last two spots are for Seattle (ninth) and Houston (10th).
And the Big Apple can hold it’s on own an international level, as well.
It’s one of only two American cities named one of Renosance’s top 10 of the best world cities in 2024, along with San Francisco.
