Smart City Index 2025: Zurich leads the world, Italy struggles

The Smart City Index 2025, published annually by the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in collaboration with the Singapore University of Technology and Design, is a key tool to evaluate how “smart” a city is—meaning how effectively it integrates digital technologies into urban management to improve residents’ quality of life. The index analyzes 142 cities worldwide and is based on two main pillars:

• Structures: existing infrastructure, including transportation, healthcare, housing, waste management, safety, and connectivity.
• Technologies: adoption of digital solutions in public services, administration, mobility, and civic engagement.

These factors are combined with citizens' direct perceptions, gathered through surveys that reflect real experiences of urban life.

Global Ranking: Europe and Asia at the top

For the fifth consecutive year, Zurich ranks as the smartest city in the world, followed by:

• Oslo 🇳🇴
• Canberra 🇦🇺
• Geneva 🇨🇭
• Singapore 🇸🇬

These cities stand out for their sustainability, energy efficiency, smart mobility, and participatory governance. Europe benefits from well-established infrastructures and digitalized services, while Asia is notable for its rapid adoption of advanced technologies. North American cities, on the other hand, saw a significant decline due to infrastructure and safety issues.

Italy in the Smart City Index 2025: a challenge and an opportunity

Italian cities in the ranking experienced a decline compared to 2024, highlighting ongoing structural and digital challenges:

• Bologna: 78th position (down from 51st in 2024)
• Milan: 91st position (was 71st)
• Rome: 133rd position (was 122nd)

Key issues identified include:

• Severe traffic congestion
• Air quality still unsatisfactory
• Inefficient public transportation
• Limited digitalization of public services
• Low citizen participation in decision-making processes

These issues not only lower the quality of life but also affect the ability of Italian cities to attract investors and talent.

Why the Smart City Index matters to companies

Monitoring the evolution of the Smart City Index helps not only citizens but also companies understand where opportunities for development, innovation, and investment are emerging. Sources: imd.widen.net, www.citynext.it, www.canaleenergia.com