While recent reports from the Census Bureau suggest that Chicago could be on its way to losing its place as the third-largest city in the country, we’re still very much the Second City in terms of reputation.
Resonance Consultancy, an international consulting group behind worldsbestcities.com, recently released its ranking of America’s 100 Best Cities, placing Chicago at #2 as the second-best city in the country.
Claiming to be “building the most comprehensive city rankings on the planet”, Resonance’s annual lists rank cities by using “a combination of statistical performance and qualitative evaluations by locals and visitors.”
These 31 performance and perceptions metrics are used to determine three key factors: “Livability, Lovability, and Prosperity” to define each city’s score.
While Resonance is also behind Europe’s 100 Best Cities and the World’s Best Cities, this weekend saw the release of its annual ranking of cities in the United States with metro populations of 500,000 people or more.
In its eulogy to Chicago, Resonance wrote “America’s great Midwest metropolis pulses with infrastructure and affordability that eludes many other iconic global cities.”
Chicago was named #1 in the Convention Center subcategory and #2 in the Nightlife subcategory. “Meetings and conventions of all sizes are back, pouring into McCormick Place and its stunning Lake Michigan perch, ranked #1 in our Convention Center subcategory,” wrote Resonance.
Meanwhile, the ranking rhapsodized over Chicago’s nightlife and bars saying “The local purveyors of the nation’s second-best nightlife (trailing only NYC) are always happy to keep the party going indoors, especially the Diageo Beer Company people, who opened the second worldwide location of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in the West Loop neighborhood last summer. This is only further proof of the understated beer culture in a town with 160 breweries, the most of any U.S. city (sorry, Seattle).”
A shout-out was also given to the city’s live music scene and particular emphasis went to its restaurant and hospitality sector while mentioning”the recent immortalization by FX series The Bear.”
“From Chef José Andrés’ three-year-old Bazaar Meat and Bar Mar inside Bank of America’s new Chicago headquarters to the city’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, Donald Young, debuting Venteux, a French brasserie in the new Pendry Chicago hotel, this town is fed well,” said Resonance.
View the full 2024 America’s Best Cities ranking.