London takes first place in 2025 World's Best Cities report

London is the world’s leading city according to the 2025 World’s Best Cities report, a global study published by Resonance and powered by Ipsos that evaluates cities based on their livability, lovability, and prosperity.

With its tenth consecutive win, London has demonstrated its enduring global appeal in the face of economic and political headwinds. The city's rich history, vibrant arts scene, and diverse culinary offerings continue to draw visitors and residents alike. The city ranks 1^st on the lovability index, 2^nd on the prosperity index, and 3^rd for livability, and it is particularly strong on nightlife and airport connectivity.

This year, New York City overtook Paris for the second-place spot — a win that affirms its status as a global hub for culture and finance. Paris, still ranked 1^st for sights and landmarks and 2^nd for shopping, fell to third place this year, while Tokyo’s world-class shopping, cuisine, and hospitality landed it in fourth place. It was followed by Singapore, which earned top marks on infrastructure and innovation.

Since 2014, Resonance, a leading consultancy for tourism, real estate and economic development, has produced the World’s Best Cities report, which has become an indispensable asset for policy groups, politicians, urbanists, and investors around the globe.

This year, Resonance worked with Ipsos, one of the world’s leading market research and polling companies, to incorporate perception data from global citizens on the places where they would most like to live, the places they would most like to visit, and the places that they believe would offer the best job opportunities.

The resulting survey included responses from more than 22,000 people across 30 countries — a partnership that falls in line with Ipsos’ dedication to research that is global in scope and impact. 

Jason McGrath, executive vice president and head of Ipsos’ Corporate Reputation practice, said:

This data is unique in the sense that we’re not just measuring a pre-selected list of the largest cities, but we instead allow survey respondents to tell us where they want to live, visit, and work, regardless of the size of the location. Our survey generated a wide variety of places, from the largest cities to the smallest towns, and provides a unique dataset that can be evaluated on a number of demographic variables to understand citizen preferences.

For a look at the full ranking and methodology behind the 2025 World’s Best Cities report or to learn more about the complementary America’s Best Cities report, visit www.worldsbestcities.com.