Looking into a future gone increasingly urban, the professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has made a list of the ten cities or urban areas that will be the richest in 2020.
"As global urbanisation continues apace - 2008 is the first year in history in which more than half of the world's population lives in towns and cities - figures compiled by PwC show which conurbations are expected to come out on top in terms of wealth and affluence over the next decade. The research looked at the world's top cities and ranked them by gross domestic product by using purchasing power parity exchange rates (the rate that gives you equal buying power in each country). It shows that the mega-cities of Tokyo and New York (with GDPs similar to that of Spain and Canada), lead the pack by a considerable margin."
Topping the list are Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, London and Chicago.
FULL STORY: Richest Cities And Urban Areas In 2020
Opinion: Why Linking Driving to GDP Misses the Point
The argument that car-centric development is good because it boosts national GDP ignores the massive costs of driving to everyday Americans.
Report: Transportation Emissions Sully California's Environmental Reputation
There's good and bad news from an annual assessment on the Golden State's economy and environment. Gross domestic product per capita increases as emissions per capita decrease, with the major exception of emissions from transportation.
More Evidence of the Economic Upsides to Traffic
Because it forces infill and efficient transit, among other things, traffic is actually good per capita GDP and jobs.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research