10 Cities Whose Economies are Primed for a Boom

A city’s economy drives its job market, determines access to its goods and services and creates its wealth-building opportunities. February data from the Economist reported 353,000 more jobs in January 2024, and the S&P 500 index surged 15%, which is good news for investors.

In 2024, we’re primed for an economic boom. But some cities are more robust than others. According to economic data from the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index, the United States leads the world economy category, holding seven spots on the top 10 list. Here are the top 10 cities in the world driving finance and industry.

• Population: 20.5 million
• GDP: $2.3 trillion
• GDP per person: $114,000

The Big Apple, considered the economic capital of the world, grabbed the top spot for the economics category on the 2024 Global Cities Index. New York is the central hub for finance, media, fashion, technology and much more. While New York took the hardest hit among cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, it made a quick recovery.

• Population: 12.9 million
• GDP: $1.3 trillion
• GDP per person: $101, 800

Los Angeles is recognized as the major entertainment center of the world, with studios such as Sony, Warner Brothers and Paramount based in Greater Los Angeles. But the City of Angels is also known for other major economic producers, including aerospace and technology, such as Northrop Grumman, SpaceX and the largest manufacturing center in the United States.

• Population: 2 million
• GDP: 475 billion
• GDP per person: $242,900

Ranking third on the list is another California city: San Jose. This city drives the economy in Silicon Valley. Tech giants include Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, Nvidia, Microsoft and other industry leaders. San Jose ranks highest in GDP per person out of 1,000 cities reviewed.

• Population: 4.1 million
• GDP: 558 billion
• GDP per person: $136,600

Home to Amazon, Microsoft and the biggest U.S. coffee producers, Seattle landed a spot on this list. Companies such as Boeing make the city a major player in the aerospace industry. And don’t forget Emerald City’s retail giants, which employ thousands of people, including Starbucks, Nordstrom, Costco and other leaders, contributing to the GDP per person index.

• Population: 4.6 million
• GDP: $778 billion
• GDP per person: $168,600

With the second highest GDP per person in the world, the San Francisco Bay area is home to renowned clothing brands Levi Strauss, The Gap and Banana Republic, as well as Wells Fargo bank — not to mention Uber and major tech companies Adobe and Apple. Although the city hit some rough spots during the dotcom era and the housing bust, the economic forecast is positive for 2024.

• Population: 8.1 million
• GDP: $742 billion
• GDP per person: $91,600

Dallas has attracted many large corporate relocations to the city in several industries, like finance, aviation, manufacturing and tech, including companies like Toyota, Texas Instruments, Charles Schwab, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, creating a behemoth of jobs. The city ranks as the sixth largest metropolitan city in the U.S. and ninth in the world.

• Population: 12.8 million
• GDP: $1 trillion
• GDP per person: $78,800

London ranks as the seventh top city in the economics category on the Global Index list. The city is a major force in every industry from education to technology and the arts. Totaling $1 trillion, London has the third-highest GDP in the world.

• Population: 9.4 million
• GDP: $869 billion
• GDP per person: $92,900

The Windy City is home to 40 four-year educational institutions and a large financial sector housed in the Chicago Loop. Chicago holds the spot for the third largest GDP in North America and the sixth largest in the world. Greater Chicago, including the city and its suburbs, is a major hub for a variety of industries, including finance, fintech, manufacturing and more.

• Population: 13.2 million
• GDP: $941 billion
• GDP per person: $71,200

Paris has pioneered the global economy in fashion, design, gastronomy, tourism, art and foreign policy for centuries. It has the second-highest GDP in Europe — the fifth in the world — and ranks ninth in the global economy. The City of Light draws millions of travelers for business and leisure every year.

• Population: 36.3 million
• GDP: $1.4 trillion
• GDP per person: $38,700

Tokyo is a major global financial center and holds second place for the largest GDP, slightly ahead of Los Angeles. Although the GDP growth fell 3.2% in the third quarter of 2023, according to Deloitte, it regained its position in 2024.