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New York just scored the silver medal on the global stage, coming in as the number two city in the world in Resonance Consultancy’s 2026 World’s Best Cities ranking. Yes, London hung onto the crown again, but New York City isn’t exactly sulking in the corner. Our racked up praise for its cultural might, airport power moves and the kind of urban glow-up only New York can pull off, from shiny towers to subway upgrades that, miraculously, appear to be happening in real life.
The report credits Gotham’s “ongoing investment in its cultural economy, massive urban infrastructure projects and global infatuation despite current politics” as key to its high placement. Tourism is still a juggernaut, with nearly 65 million visitors in 2024 and about 64.1 million expected in 2025 as domestic demand powers through and city attractions expand beyond Manhattan. That spend is over $70 billion, which means the souvenir shops and omakase counters are doing just fine.
The airport flex is real, too. JFK’s $19-billion New Terminal One project is barreling toward a mid-2026 partial debut and the city’s airport ecosystem helped secure its number two global ranking for connectivity. This means more gates, more lounges and fewer “my flight boards in five minutes and I’m still on the AirTrain” meltdowns. Fingers crossed.
Beyond the runways, New York’s congestion-pricing rollout in early 2025 shaved traffic south of 60th Street and delivered a windfall of funding for the MTA’s $68.4-billion capital plan. That includes long-awaited signal upgrades and accessibility improvements at dozens of stations. In other words, there’s actual proof of transit progress, which feels as rare as a peaceful subway car at rush hour.
Meanwhile, cranes are practically a city mascot again. JPMorgan Chase’s gleaming new headquarters now reigns over Park Avenue, and office-to-residential conversions like the former Pfizer headquarters—slated to deliver 1,602 units—hint at a Midtown future where office ghosts become homes with actual lights on at night. Hudson Yards’ next chapter is pivoting from casino dreams to more housing and parkland and waterfront neighborhoods like Williamsburg are becoming climate-resilient playgrounds.
Culturally, the city is leaning into its status as a superpower. The Studio Museum in Harlem’s new home and the New Museum’s OMA-designed expansion are among the high-profile openings buoying NYC’s top 5 museums ranking. And with the FIFA World Cup final landing across the Hudson in 2026, expect a global spotlight brighter than Times Square at midnight.
No one needed a report to tell New Yorkers they live at the center of the universe. But having the receipts doesn’t hurt.