Glasgow named among 'World's Top 100 Best Cities' as its 'reputation soars'

Glasgow has been named among the World's Top 100 cities by a prestigious website, which says the city manages to stay "real" as its "reputation soars".

Resonance has conducted extensive research on the rise of cities for more than 15 years and regularly releases its top 100 rankings and this year Glasgow has placed at 72, ranking higher than cities like Cape Town, Athens and Pheonix in Arizona.

Speaking about the study, the Resonance team say they look at the "key trends propelling growth" and the "factors that shape our perception of urban regions as desirable places to live, visit and invest".

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The 10th annual 2025 World’s Best Cities Report, it tags Glasgow with the fact that "creative celebration and a pursuit of affordable opportunity keep Glasgow real, even as its reputation soars".

Thanks to ranking highly in education and culture, the writers of the report wrote: "Glasgow powers to its Top 100 ranking on the strength of education, with the planet’s #21 spot for educated citizenry and a world-renowned university founded in 1451, the fourth oldest in the English-speaking world (ranked #32 globally). The University of Glasgow counts economist Adam Smith and U.S. Founding Father James Wilson as alumni. And the world is taking notice. Tech start-ups hungry for cheap space and talent are drawn to the city’s working-class authenticity over pricier European capitals."

Also highlighted is our growth in accessibility thanks to a rising number of international flights and the number of new hotels planned such as the recently opened Address in the city centre.

But keen to highlight our cultural appeal, they added: "But it’s not like Glasgow has gone corporate. This is the home of Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland, and Glasgow is still buzzing from its 2020 designation as the U.K.’s top cultural and creative city by the European Commission. Its #86 ranking in our Culture subcategory will rise in the coming years."

The annual rankings have been lauded as one of the world's most thorough researched with Bloomberg calling it, “The most comprehensive study of its kind" thanks to its ability to identify cities that are "most desirable for locals, visitors, and businesspeople alike, rather than simply looking at livability or tourism appeal".

London was named at number 1 on the list, while New York, Paris, Tokyo and Singapore all made the top five.

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