Get us in your inbox

The chicago river and skyline
Photograph: Shutterstock

These are the most beautiful skylines in America

Find gleaming lights and stunning architecture across the country's top thriving cities

Erika Mailman
Written by
Erika Mailman
Advertising

There’s something so impressive about looking out over a city skyline...during the day, clouds drift past the skyscrapers and towers. At night, a multitude of gleaming lights remind us of the many people who make cities so vibrant and exciting. If you’re hoping to travel to places in search of the most beautiful skylines, a new listing by Work + Money also helps those who are thinking to relocate. Their list of rave-worthy skylines includes mention of the city’s gross domestic product (the number of goods/services for sale there)—so you can thrive financially while also adoring your city view. This ranked list contains some beautiful gems.

1. New York, NY

The epicenter of all things, according to many, this extraordinary city has a GDP of $1.87 trillion and a population of 8,930,002 (we’re excited for those last two citizens). The skyline is epic and continues growing, with old favorites like the Empire State Building and a new one planned on Fifth Avenue.

2. Los Angeles, CA

This beloved film industry town has a GDP of $1.1 trillion and a population of 3,919,973. Its outcropping of skyscrapers is beautiful against the backdrop of the Hollywood hills and the iconic Hollywood sign, seen from various vantage points.

3. Chicago, IL

The John Hancock Center and Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower) thrill visitors to this midwestern city with a GDP of $715 billion and a population of 2,756,546.

4. San Francisco, CA

With a GDP of $594 million and a population of 887,711, the city by the bay gleams with old favorites like the Coit Tower and newer ones like the Salesforce building.

5. Washington, D.C.

Our nation’s capital has many iconic buildings in its skyline, like the Washington Monument obelisk and, of course, the capitol itself. It has a GDP of $579 billion and a population of 707,109.

6. Dallas, TX

This city’s playful skyline includes the sphere-topped Reunion Tower, which glows at night like a neon dandelion. Dallas’s GDP is $524 billion and its population is 1,325,691.

7. Houston, TX

Houston, another city in Texas with a great skyline, catches some great sunrises and sunsets in its glass windows. It has a GDP of $489 billion and a population of 2,345,606.

 8. Philadelphia, PA

Enjoy old-world Pennsylvania with clock-festooned towers and Art Deco skyscrapers, as well as more modern buildings. Philly has a GDP of $457 billion and a population of 1,619,355.

9. Seattle, WA

With an instantly recognizable skyline thanks to its fabulous Space Needle, Seattle has a GDP of $444 billion and a population of 762,687.

10. Atlanta, GA

Atlanta’s beautiful skyline seems to organically rise in height until you reach the tallest buildings at the center—the city’s been used in many film productions to show what a quintessential American city looks like. It has a GDP of $432 billion and a population of 514,457. 

You may also like
You may also like
Advertising