Savills’ latest Resilient Cities Index highlights continued dominance at the top, alongside strong upward momentum from several US and European cities.
The world’s leading urban centres remain firmly in place in the 2026 edition of Savills’ Resilient Cities Index, with New York, Tokyo and London retaining the top three positions. Seoul follows in fourth place, reflecting continued stability among the world’s largest and most globally connected cities.
The rankings underline the enduring strength of megacities, which continue to benefit from deep capital markets, established infrastructure and strong talent ecosystems. However, the latest data also points to notable movement further down the index, particularly among US cities.
These shifts reflect deeper structural changes explored in our analysis of how infrastructure and investment are redefining urban resilience across global cities.
Top 5 most resilient cities in 2026
The top five cities in the 2026 index remain largely unchanged, signalling long-term structural resilience.
- New York
- Tokyo
- London
- Seoul
- San Francisco
These cities continue to lead across key pillars including economic fundamentals, technology and knowledge economy, ESG factors and real estate performance.
US cities lead upward movement in rankings
Several cities recorded significant gains compared to 2024, with US markets showing particularly strong momentum.
Seattle posted the largest rise, climbing nine places to rank 20. Houston followed with a seven-place increase, while Miami rose six positions. In Europe, Dublin advanced five places.
Other cities including Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco and Sydney also recorded moderate gains.
The upward movement reflects a combination of factors highlighted by Savills, including population growth, business investment and evolving real estate strategies, particularly in markets benefiting from technology and infrastructure investment.
Berlin sees sharpest decline as some cities slip
While most ranking changes are incremental, a few cities recorded notable declines.
Berlin experienced the largest drop, falling five places. Singapore declined by two positions, while Boston, Los Angeles and Copenhagen each slipped by one place.
Despite these movements, the overall stability of rankings suggests that many global cities continue to perform consistently across resilience metrics.
Stability at the top highlights strength of global megacities
The lack of movement among the top-ranked cities reinforces the structural advantages of large global hubs. New York, Tokyo, London and Seoul continue to demonstrate resilience through their ability to attract capital, talent and occupiers at scale.
At the same time, the shifting positions elsewhere in the index point to increasing competition, as cities invest in infrastructure, innovation and liveability to strengthen their long-term appeal.
Savills’ Resilient Cities Index evaluates global cities across economic strength, technology and knowledge economy, environmental, social and governance factors, and real estate performance. The 2026 rankings suggest that while leadership remains concentrated among established megacities, momentum is building across a broader group of urban markets.
