New York named top city in Zohrab Mamdani’s first year

New York City, the capital of the United States, has been recognized as the best city in the world in its first year as mayor of Zohrab Mamdani. The city has been ranked number one in the world, surpassing London and Paris, in the 2026 Oxford Economics Global Cities Index.

The recently released index evaluates 1,000 of the world's largest cities on five criteria: economy, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance. New York topped the overall index with a score of 100.

The city received a full 100 marks in the economy category. It also achieved 89.5 marks in the human resources category, 80.8 marks in the quality of life category, 72.8 marks in the environment, and 75.7 marks in good governance.

New York is followed in the overall ranking by London in the UK and Paris in France. Seattle and San Francisco in the US also made it into the top five cities.

Oxford Economics said New York and London have long held the top spot among global cities due to their strong economies and labor markets. The success of these cities is due to years of structural development and economic strength, according to the institute.  

Zohrab Mamdani was sworn in as the 112th mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026. New York's rise to the top in his first year in office has sparked widespread discussion.

During Mamdani's election, some critics expressed concerns that some of his proposed policies could negatively impact the city's economy. However, the Oxford Economics report did not give credit for New York's top position to any one individual, mayor, or administration.

The report said that the assessment was made taking into account long-term structural factors such as the cities' economic size, stability, employment, human resources, quality of life, environmental conditions, and good governance.

According to Oxford Economics, the 'Global Cities Index' not only highlights a city's current position, but also provides insight into its long-term potential and future trajectory.