Youthful Cities Global Indexes

Since 2013 Youthful Cities has been measuring cities from the perspective of youth (ages 15-30). Through two global indexes, three Canadian Indexes and two global surveys we’ve measured infrastructure, cost of living, quality of life, access to education and much in between. All of this has been done in order to understand how youth feel about the “youthfulness” of their cities, and which cities place the greatest emphasis on supporting young people and people who identify as “youthful”.

Global Index 2015

This report is an amalgamation of data, research, and perspectives from the YouthfulCities Survey, Index, Global Summit Delegates, and Hackathons. It includes a total of 101 indicators organized across YouthfulCities’ 20 Urban Attribute categories, grouped into three themes: Live, Work, and Play. The 2015 Index expanded the number of cities involved, offering a more in-depth understanding of what is working in cities.

As you flip through the report, you will see that each of our 20 Urban Attributes is approached from a few different perspectives: first we have the city rankings, and the observations made based on these rankings; then, we have the input from our Global Summit delegates and the results of the Hackathons which explore the Challenges, Visions, and Innovations. We invite you to explore what youth want from cities, how they envision the future of urban life, and how we can drive that vision forward.

Download the 2015 Report

Global Index 2014

In 2014, we launched the inaugural Youthful Cities Index, the first ever ranking of metropolises from a youth perspective. In collaboration with thousands of young people around the world (across five global regions), we developed a rich reservoir of youth-centered data on what matters to young people in their cities. Over 100 unique indicators were developed to measure all aspects of life in a city — from green space, public transportation and access to education to diversity of food, nightlife and entrepreneurship. We are proud to say that the Financial Times has backed our methodology and that their statisticians have given us their seal of approval.

Download the 2014 Report

YouthfulCities Global Index 2014 overall score infographic.

Global Affordability Index

Today’s young people are at the center of building. Civic leaders, policymakers, and municipal strategists in cities around the world are beginning to recognize youth as their city’s greatest assets. Youth are now widely recognized to be the world’s largest untapped resource — and the secret sauce to driving a city’s competitive edge, stimulating development, and finding new solutions to pressing urban problems. Yet for youth, they are faced with a crisis of affordability, in housing, transportation and daily living costs.

The YouthfulCities Affordability Index is a first-of-its-kind statistical ranking of the world’s top cities from a youth perspective. And Affordability is a critical issue. We compared cities on 9 Indicators of affordability to determine which cities were the most affordable for youth.

Download the 2014 Affordability Index