Geography of Prosperity Index
The Geography of Prosperity Index is a US national-level index ranking 250 cities on "a range of factors that are intended to represent future-readiness for a prosperous life".[1][2] The Index was created in advance of a book titled The Geography of Prosperity: A New Map of the American Dream (MIT Press, 2027).[1]
History
The index was developed by Bradley Schurman from Human Change and Jaymes Cloninger from Motivf, and was launched at SXSW in March 2026.[1][3]
Metrics
The index uses five metrics in its rankings: population renewal, climate resilience, automation readiness, social cohesion, and governance and foresight.[4]
Rankings
| Rank | City |
|---|---|
| 1 | New York City |
| 2 | Durham, North Carolina |
| 3 | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| 4 | Boston |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma |
| 6 | Washington-Arlington |
| 7 | Frederick, Maryland |
| 8 | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| 9 | Albany-Schenectady |
| 10 | San Francisco-Oakland |
The Villages in Lady Lake Florida, were ranked last.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 Cloninger, Jaymes; Schurman, Bradley (2026-03-13). "The Map of U.S. Prosperity Is Changing. Here's Where Companies Should Invest". Harvard Business Review. ISSN 0017-8012. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
- ↑ "A new index lists the 5 most prosperous U.S. cities". Quartz. 2026-03-24. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
- ↑ Karlis, Michael (2026-03-18). "Study: San Antonio is Texas' worst-positioned large metro for future prosperity". San Antonio Current. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
- ↑ https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/geography-of-prosperity-index/
- ↑ https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/article/retire-to-new-york-city-new-index-redefines-what-makes-a-great-place-for-retirees-103000325.html