Seattle has emerged as the smartest city in the U.S. for 2024, overtaking last year’s winner, Austin, Texas, according to the latest Smart City Index released by ProptechOS.
The index, which evaluated cities based on tech infrastructure, sustainability, and the tech job market, placed Seattle at the forefront with an overall score of 75.7 out of 100.
The index assessed cities using 16 metrics across three main categories: tech infrastructure and connectivity, green infrastructure, and the tech job market.
These metrics include the number of free WiFi hotspots, AI and Internet of Things (IoT) companies, broadband download speeds, air quality, tree coverage, electric vehicle (EV) charging points, and the number of tech job postings.
By analyzing these factors, the index aimed to determine which cities are best prepared to embrace and thrive in a smart city future.
Seattle’s ascent to the top spot was attributed to its strong performance in both tech infrastructure and sustainability.
The city is home to major tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, which contribute significantly to its high number of AI (34 per 100,000 people) and IoT companies (13 per 100,000 people).
Additionally, Seattle has made notable strides in green infrastructure, increasing its tree coverage by 13,700 hectares between 2010 and 2020 and installing ten EV recharging points per 100,000 people.
Austin, Texas ranked third overall but was deemed the best city for smart infrastructure, due to the city’s high average broadband download speed of 275.60 Mbps and a significant number of AI companies (337, or 35 per 100,000 people).
The study’s methodology was based on standardized data from the OECD’s guidelines for smart cities, and included 68 cities, covering the largest U.S. cities by population and major European capitals.
Thought it failed to claim a spot in the top ten, the study recognized Kansas City, Missouri for its green credentials, boasting over 12,000 acres of parkland and plans to plant 10,000 more trees within the next three years.
The city’s air quality is rated as “good” by IQAir, a distinction shared by only 30 other U.S. cities in the study. Additionally, Kansas City has a high number of EV charging points.
The index also evaluated European cities, with Paris emerging as the smartest city in Europe with a score of 76.4, overtaking last year’s leader, London.
Paris excels in tech infrastructure and connectivity, with 99.9% 5G coverage and the second-highest number of AI specialist companies in Europe, according to the report.
Newsweek has previously mapped the U.S. states with the highest IQs and which states have the best education systems.
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