New York has claimed first place in Oxford Economics’ 2026 Global Cities Index, finishing ahead of London and Paris in a comparison of 1,000 cities worldwide. The result puts the city at the forefront of a ranking that weighs economic performance alongside other measures of urban strength.

The index combines five categories: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. Designed to support decisions by businesses, investors and policymakers, it offers a broader assessment than a ranking based solely on visitor appeal or residents’ lifestyles.

New York’s strongest result was in economics, where it scored 100. Its remaining scores were 89.5 for human capital, 80.8 for quality of life, 72.8 for environment and 75.7 for governance. London, meanwhile, achieved the highest human-capital score of 100, demonstrating that the overall winner does not lead every category.

These numbers also require some context. Oxford Economics uses a relative scale, with 100 representing the strongest performance in the dataset. A maximum score therefore identifies a category leader; it does not mean a city has no room for improvement.

Five of those places are occupied by American cities. Across the wider top 100, Europe and North America account for 78 entries, underlining their continued prominence in the index.

The report also looks beyond today’s leaders. Its “Cities to Watch” selection identifies places with potential to rise in future rankings. Dubai and Riyadh feature alongside American cities including San Antonio, Boise, Durham and Jacksonville. Both Dubai and Riyadh have entered the overall top 50 for the first time.

Readers can explore the differences themselves through Oxford Economics’ online comparison tool. It lets users select up to four cities and compare their scores side by side—a useful way to see how places compare on the factors that matter most to them.

For New York, the result reinforces its standing as a leading global city. For anyone considering where to live, work, or build a business, the individual categories offer a useful next step beyond the headline ranking.