Global accolades

Austin ranks among world’s 100 best cities in prestigious new report

Austin is the No. 43 best city in the world, according to a new study. (And yes, we beat Dallas.)

If you live in Austin, you can confidently say you live in one of the best cities on the planet — at least according to one new study, which also provides definitive proof that we're better than Dallas (not that we needed it).

Austin ranks No. 43 on the new list of 100 best cities in the world. Two other Texas cities also make the list: Houston, at No. 42, and Dallas, at No. 47.

The annual ranking quantifies and benchmarks the relative quality of place, reputation, and competitive identity for the world's principal cities with metropolitan populations of one million or more. Vancouver, Canada-based Resonance Consultancy Ltd., which specializes in marketing, strategy, and research for the real estate, tourism and economic development sectors, conducted the study.

This year, London tops the list, followed by Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Dubai.

At No. 43 Austin, is quickly becoming America’s new hometown, according to the report. Highlights for Austin include:

A No. 40 ranking for Global 500 headquarters
A No. 38 employment ranking, as tech giants like Oracle move headquarters to the city
The No. 23 ranked University of Texas at Austin
South by Southwest, the annual summit of business, music, and creativity

As for No. 42 Houston, the report describes the city as an “educated, diverse, and hard-working” powerhouse. Highlights for Houston include:

A population increase of almost 300,000, thanks to both domestic and international immigration
A No. 26 global ranking for Culture, with more than 145 languages spoken at home
A No. 31 ranking for Restaurants, with a flurry of post-pandemic launches
A top 10 global GDP per Capita finish
One of the top five Googled cities over the last year

With a metro population of 7,320,663, Dallas (No. 47) is a home to “economic reality,” the report says. Highlights for Dallas that helped earn it a spot on the list include:

No. 6 global ranking in Airport Connectivity, thanks to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Sixth largest LGBTQ+ community
No. 24 ranking in the world for Global 500 companies
A No. 42 ranking for Convention Center that the study says is likely to ascend now that Dallas City Council has approved plans for a new $2-billion, 2.5-million-square-foot facility to be built adjacent to the current one by 2028
A No. 82 Programming ranking due to institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Museum of Asian Art and the renowned Nasher Sculpture Center, plus theaters, symphony and opera venues, restaurants, and bars

On the list overall, only 25 U.S. cities made the cut, and only New York was ranked in the top 10. You can view the full list and find more information about the 100 best cities here.

rankings

Hit the Road

Austin City Council passes resolution over MoPac expansion concerns

Photo courtesy of KVUE

The City Council has taken issue with some environmental concerns and planning that may be outdated.

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) has been looking to make improvements on MoPac Expressway South from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane to try to improve traffic. It is looking to add up to four express toll lanes.

But the Austin City Council recently passed a resolution over its concerns with the project.

“[The resolution] tells the city manager to work with the CTRMA on the MoPac South Project. When you see state money being spent on projects that affect the local community, we want to make sure we are holding the highest standard possible," Councilmember Paige Ellis said.

Some of the concerns listed in the resolution include that it's been more than 11 years since CTRMA held its original scoping meeting; that the Recommended Build Alternative has not changed substantially since 2015; and that fine particulate matter in the air in Travis County already exceeds healthy metrics; plus others.

Ellis said she has some environmental concerns.

"The environment is protected for species like the golden cheeked warbler and salamanders, so we want to make we are sure limiting impervious cover," Ellis said.

The CTRMA said its environmental study evaluates potential harms and mitigations to things like water quality and endangered species. The CTRMA added that it has "worked extensively with the city of Austin throughout the study."

Read the full story, including information on how to submit feedback, and watch the video at KVUE.com. CultureMap has added a paragraph to this excerpt listing some details from the City Council document.