Map reveals the 'smartest' cities in the US

A map has revealed the 'smartest, tech-friendly cities' in the US - with Seattle reigning number one followed by Miami and Austin.

The cities were ranked on their tech infrastructure and connectivity, sustainability, and the tech job market, and how prepared they are for a smarter future, according to real estate technology company ProptechOS 2024 who published the study.

Seattle - home to tech titans Amazon and Microsoft  - garnered a winning overall score 75.7 out of 100, as best prepared for a smarter future. The Emerald city has a robust tech infrastructure with 34 artificial intelligence (AI) companies and 13 Internet of Things (IoT) per 100,000 people. 

They were also noted for sustainability, as their tree coverage increased over a decade - 2010 to 2020 - to a stunning 137,000 hectares -roughly 340,000 acres. 

Seattle reigns number one as the 'smartest (tech) cities' in the US and home to tech giants Amazon and Microsoft 

PropTechOS map shares the smartest tech friendly cities in the U.S 

They also built the equivalent of 10 electric vehicle recharging points per 100,000 people, as per the report. 

Next up was Miami 75.4, Austin 72.7 followed by San Jose 71.6 and Oakland 70.8; Boston, 70.2; San Francisco, 69.5; New York City; 65.5, Los Angeles 65.2 and Atlanta 64.3.

Last year, Austin, Texas took the number one slot as smartest city in the U.S, but were beat out this year by Seattle by just a few mere points.

Even so, the Texan city still took the number one for smart city infrastructure, scoring 86.2 out of 100, in the 2024 study (Seattle came in a close second with 85.7). 

This ranking was attributed to its high broadband download speed of 275.60 Mbps—exceeding the U.S. average of 217.14 Mbps—and its concentration of 337 AI companies, or 35 per 100,000 people.

Each year, the iconic Austin's SXSW event, South by Southwest, that takes place mid-March each year celebrates the convergence of tech, film, music, education and culture.  Last year's event drew more than 345,000, SWSW reported. 

The study explained that infrastructure and connectivity was based on the quantity and density of AI and IoT companies, the average speed of broadband download, median 5G coverage per network provider, the number of free Wi-Fi hot spots, and the number of airports, Newsweek reported. 

Green infrastructure was measured by exposure to PM2.5, tiny particles in the air that can harm health, and air quality, as per publication.

Additional factors in this category include changes in tree coverage over a 10-year-period - that shows a loss or gain. The number of electric vehicles that are being charged including, density per 100,000 people; and the number of LEED-certified green buildings, as per the publication 

Lastly, The tech job market was evaluated on the number of tech jobs advertised per 100,000 people.

Miami, Florida came in second place as the 'smartest (tech friendly) city in the US 

Erik Wallin, the founder and chief ecosystem officer at ProptechOS, said in a statement that 'cities adapting to greener ways of living are set to thrive,' according to Newsweek.

'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.'

Wallin continued: '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,' as per the publication.

The other cities that came in - in the 11th to 20th spot include in order, Kansas City, Houston, Tucson, Denver, Tampa, Baltimore, Nashville, Chicago, Dallas, and Minneapolis. 

ProptechOS also named the 'smartest cities in Europe' with London as number one followed by Pareis.