RALEIGH – A new report from an international consulting firm ranks Raleigh as No. 25 among the 100 Best Cities in the US with Durham coming in at No. 44 and Charlotte at No. 34.

Resonance calls Raleigh the home of “a booming economy and global intellect,” adding the city is a “powerhouse for the future.”

Durham, meanwhile, is: “One of America’s top college towns is growing from within while welcoming the world.”

And what about the Queen City? “Affluent and easy to love for its southern charm, North Carolina’s biggest city is open for business and pleasure.”

New York topped the 100 list followed by Los Angeles. Raleigh-rival Austin, Texas, came in 17th.

Cities were ranked on six criteria:

  • Place
  • Product
  • Programming
  • People
  • Prosperity
  • Promotion

Raleigh scored best for “people” and “prosperity.”

Highlights from the report:

“The City of Oaks checks all the boxes for a bright, ambitious city of the new south: Raleigh is part of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, one of the country’s largest and most successful research parks—think high-tech and biotech research and advanced textile development. Ranked #26 for Prosperity among larger U.S. cities, including #20 for highest median Household Income, Raleigh is also a magnet for immigrants. It ranks #13 in our People category, comprising the subcategories of Education Attainment and Foreign-Born Residents. But it’s in education where Raleighites truly shine bright—ranking #7 in the U.S. for educated big-city citizenry.”

Durham, meanwhile, was cited for “product” amd “people.”

“Durham is one of America’s top college towns and at the heart of it is Duke, a private research university that has a global academic reach and counts among its game-changing alumni Melinda Gates and Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook. Duke ranks #6 in our University category. In a city that ranks #6 for Educational Attainment and #35 for Weather, it’s not surprising that the 55-acre Sarah P. Duke Gardens and lively neighborhoods like Rockwood and South Square are mere steps away from the campus,” the report says.

Charlotte’s top rankings came in “product” and “promotion.”

The Queen City is “a global banking powerhouse (the second most important in the U.S. after New York) and holder of the #23 spot in our ranking for Fortune 500 companies in town. Locals in the Queen City are smart, too: Charlotte ranks #33 in our Educational Attainment subcategory. The prosperity is easily accessed and distributed, powered by Charlotte’s #10 ranking for Airport Connectivity. People call their downtown Uptown, but the good news is that it’s all walkable,” the report notes.

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