what happened, h-town?

Houston surprisingly plummets in prestigious list of best cities in the world

Houston fell from No. 42 last year to No. 66

Economic investments and population growth are definitive highlights of Houston's success over the last year, but they weren't enough to keep it within the top 50 best cities in the world, according to a prestigious report by Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing advisors Resonance Consultancy.

The annual "World's Best Cities" report quantifies the relative qualities of place, reputation, and competitive identity for the world's principal cities with metropolitan populations of 1 million or more.

London topped the list again for 2024, followed by Paris (No. 2), New York (No. 3), Tokyo (No. 4), and Singapore (No. 5).

Houston slipped from its position as No. 42 last year to a surprising No. 73 in 2024.

However, the report primarily focuses on the city, its cultural diversity, and its astronomical prospects, rather than its ranking.

"In the past year, immigration both domestic and international has swelled the metro population to above seven million and the city today is one of America’s most ethnically diverse metropolises," the report said.

Houston's cultural footprint has always been significant, and has substantially developed throughout the years. According to the report (which cited the latest U.S. Census data), there are over 145 languages being spoken "at home" which is nearly as many as New York. And the city will soon have a new community center for those of all faiths and backgrounds: the nation's first Ismaili Center.

But it's Houston's stellar ambitions as Space City that is a major highlight in its shining overview.

"[The] Houston Spaceport is an FAA-licensed urban commercial spaceport offering unprecedented access to a thriving aerospace community," the report said. "The head start the city has in building a cluster of aerospace companies manufacturing locally is staggering, especially considering that the spaceport can eventually serve as the country’s takeoff point for passenger jets capable of flying at supersonic and hypersonic speeds."

Austin and Dallas also earned spots on the World's Best Cities list for 2024, but only one took a weighty tumble from the previous year's rankings. Dallas fell from No. 47 in last year's report to its current rank as No. 66.

Austin maintained its position as No. 43 for the second consecutive year, but the report suggests Houston is a much bigger player than what others have been led to believe about the Texas capital.

"Austin may get the attention, but the promise of the Lone Star State drawing Californians and New Yorkers is quietly being fulfilled in Houston," the report said.

The top 10 best cities in the world, according to Resonance Consultancy, are:

No. 1 – London, United Kingdom
No. 2 – Paris, France
No. 3 – New York, New York
No. 4 – Tokyo, Japan
No. 5 – Singapore
No. 6 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Barcelona, Spain
No. 9 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
No. 10 – Seoul, South Korea

The full list of cities and the report's methodology can be found on worldsbestcities.com.

reports rankings best cities austin houston dallas

H-Town rising

Houston leaps back into top 50 'World's Best Cities' list for 2025

Photo by Adrian Newell on Unsplash

Houston made a big leap back into the top 50, ranking No. 40, after previously plummeting into No. 72 last year.

Lively Houston has regained its rightful place among the top 50 best cities in the world, according to a prestigious new report by Resonance Consultancy.

The Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing advisors ranked Houston the 40th best city worldwide for 2025 in its annual "World's Best Cities" list.

The report quantifies the relative qualities of livability, "lovability," and prosperity for the world's top 100 cities with metropolitan populations of 1 million or more. New to the 10th anniversary edition, Resonance partnered with global market researchers Ipsos to include perception-based data into the rankings, surveying over 22,000 people in 30 countries worldwide to determine "the most desirable places to visit, live or work."

Houston made a major rebound after plummeting to No. 73 in last year's report. In 2022, Houston ranked No. 42.

Resonance refers to its previous "World's Best Cities" reports and its 2024 "America's Best Cities" list – which ranked Houston in the top 10 – when explaining the Bayou City's successes. The report praised Houston's vast cultural diversity and placed a great focus on its economic prosperity, even going so far as to suggest Houston residents make more money "and can sock more away."

"...[W]here America’s fourth-largest city truly takes off is in its economic heft and wealth, ranking No. 9 globally for GDP per Capita and No. 14 for Fortune 500 companies in town," the report said. "All that rolls up into an overall Prosperity index ranking of No. 36, which is even more impressive given the No. 14-ranked Price-to Income Ratio [of the city]."

Elsewhere in Texas, Austin and Dallas also earned spots on the World's Best Cities list for 2025, but only one made a similar rebound from the previous year's rankings. Dallas moved up from No. 66 in last year's report to its current rank as No. 55. Meanwhile, Austin took its first tumble out of the 43rd spot (which it had occupied for two years straight) and now ranks No. 53.

London held onto its crown as the No. 1 best city in the world for 2025, followed by New York (No. 2), Paris (No. 3), Tokyo (No. 4), and Singapore (No. 5).