São Paulo, Rio, and Brasilia Rank Low in Global Smart Cities Index

Zurich, Switzerland, tops the list for smart city technology adoption, as per the Institute for Management Development (IMD) ranking announced Tuesday.

The IMD Smart Cities Index 2024 considered technical performance across various indicators, incorporating responses from residents.

In the latest edition, no American city made it into the top 20. The highest-ranked, New York, is listed at 35th. Below is the top 20:

• Zurich
• Oslo
• Canberra
• Geneva
• Singapore
• Copenhagen
• Lausanne
• London
• Helsinki
• Abu Dhabi
• Stockholm
• Dubai
• Beijing
• Hamburg
• Prague
• Taipei
• Seoul
• Amsterdam
• Shanghai
• Hong Kong

Last year saw a rise in the rankings for several U.S. cities, which have since declined in 2024.

With elections approaching, the public is increasingly critical of areas that require enhancement, noted Bruno Lanvin, President of the Smart City Observatory, a contributor to the study.

The ranking is a joint effort by IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Smart City Observatory, with WeGo (World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization) in Seoul.

The study asked residents about cashless payments, facial recognition comfort, and data sharing for traffic improvements.

Brazilian cities rank near the bottom, with Brasilia at 131st, São Paulo at 133rd, and Rio at 140th among 143 cities, each dropping 2-3 places from last year.

Thus, Brasilia was placed in Category C, while Rio and São Paulo were in Category D, the lowest in a scale that goes up to AAA.

Researchers inquired about residents’ major concerns in each city.

In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, security and healthcare services were the top two concerns, respectively.

In Brasilia, healthcare services were the primary concern, followed by security.