We usually don’t brag about any ranking that wouldn’t win us a medal at the Olympics. But we can’t resist bragging about Seattle being #6 in the world! When it comes to Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance, we’re right up there with New York, London, Tokyo and Paris in the Global Cities Index ranking of the top 1,000 largest cities in the world.
Being ranked #6 isn’t bad, considering 994 other cities—including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Melbourne and Zurich—are looking up to us, green with envy.
What makes us stand out in the world? According to the report, our technology sector leads the way, along with aerospace and retail (Amazon, Costco, Starbucks, etc.). Our large employers give the city one of the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person rates in the world at $136,000, based on a city GDP of $558 million.
The Emerald City placed 4th in Economics 40th in Human Capital, 40th in Environment and 56th in Quality of Life. As with any major city, Seattle did have room for improvement. While #40 in Human Capital isn’t bad out of 1,000 cities, the report noted slower-than-expected population growth and an aging population as reasons why Seattle didn’t rank higher. The city also needed to work on its income equity and housing affordability.
Seattle also got dinged for its temperature anomalies weather-wise and vulnerability to coastal flooding. We can’t help but wonder if the judges had ever visited Seattle. We can’t really move the city (or the state, for that matter) to a warmer locale, and with climate change, our weather is going to be a lot more livable in the years to come than in other parts of the world. And when it comes to coastal flooding, a flat coastline is a rarity here since we were formed by massive glaciers that etched their memories in the hilly countryside on which the city and surrounding areas are built.
Are you anxious to read and judge for yourself whether we’re a place to do business, invest or visit? We could continue with the hyperbole, but the report speaks for itself.