Seattle has been crowned the smartest city in the U.S., with Miami and Austin ranking closely behind, according to a recent study.
The research assessed 16 key indicators across three main categories: connectivity and infrastructure, sustainability, and the tech job market. These metrics were used to determine the overall scores for each city.
Seattle, home to tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft, excelled in tech infrastructure, boasting 34 artificial intelligence companies and 13 Internet of Things companies per 100,000 residents.
In terms of sustainability, Seattle has enhanced its tree coverage by 13,700 hectares from 2010 to 2020 and has established the equivalent of 10 electric vehicle charging points per 100,000 residents.
Seattle has edged out last year's top city, Austin, to claim the title of the smartest city in the U.S., with an overall score of 75.7 out of 100. Miami wasn't far behind, achieving a score of 75.4.
However, Austin still came out on top for smart city infrastructure, scoring 86.2 out of 100. This is attributed to its high broadband download speed of 275.60 Mbps—well above the U.S. average of 217.14 Mbps—and its concentration of 337 AI companies, or 35 per 100,000 people.
The Texan city showcases its blend of culture and technology through its annual SXSW event, which draws more than 300,000 attendees each year.
The study, from the real estate technology company ProptechOS, also ranked the smartest cities in Europe, and Paris—with an overall score of 76.4—surpassed last year's winner, London, to emerge as the leader.
The French capital boasts 99.9 percent 5G coverage from average network providers, the second-highest number of AI companies in Europe and the third-highest number of free Wi-Fi hot spots. Paris is also recognized for its traffic management systems, which monitor noise levels and air quality.
"Cities adapting to greener ways of living are set to thrive. U.S. and European cities are leading the way toward a smarter future by evaluating their tech infrastructure and sustainability alongside a tech-driven job market," Erik Wallin, the founder and chief ecosystem officer at ProptechOS, said in a statement.
"Embracing sustainable practices endorsed by global leaders is essential. The United Nations views smart infrastructure as crucial for urban growth. Advancements in smart cities and future technologies such as next-generation wireless communication and artificial intelligence are expected to reduce environmental impacts and enhance living standards," Wallin continued.
The evaluation of tech infrastructure and connectivity was based on several factors, including the number of free Wi-Fi hot spots, the quantity and density of AI and IoT companies, average broadband download speeds, median 5G coverage per network provider, and the number of airports.
Meanwhile, green infrastructure was assessed based on air quality, measured by exposure to PM2.5, tiny particles in the air that can harm health.
Other factors include 10-year changes in tree coverage, both loss and gain; the number of electric vehicle charging points and their density per 100,000 people; and the number of LEED-certified green buildings.
The tech job market was evaluated on the number of tech jobs advertised per 100,000 people.
The full findings of the study, which was conducted in April, were published on ProptechOS' website.
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