Analysis from ProptechOS exploring 95 major cities across Europe and the US shows that Paris has claimed the smart city crown, outperforming London.
Each city received a score out of 100 for overall performance in each category. ProptechOS examined 17 equally weighted indicators across three key categories:
- Tech infrastructure & connectivity
- Green infrastructure & sustainability
- Tech job market
Paris scores 75.8 on the index compared with London’s 66.0; placing the British capital in sixth.
Paris dominates in critical technology metrics, with 5G download speeds 156Mbps faster than London. Paris also boasts 6ms better network latency, creating a significant digital experience gap between the two rivals. While London excels in sustainability with 5,009 green-certified buildings (triple Paris’s count), it wasn’t enough to close the technology gap separating these historic competitors.
London ranks in sixth in Europe overall but falls to 12th place in the crucial tech infrastructure and connectivity category, scoring only 61. This is significantly lower than Stockholm, with a score of 89.6, followed by Oslo, Paris, and the Estonian capital Tallinn.
London’s absence from Europe’s top 10 tech infrastructure and connectivity rankings raises questions about Britain’s digital readiness compared with Nordic countries, which have claimed three of the top five positions. This infrastructure gap could determine which European cities attract tomorrow’s innovators and technology investments.
In a surprising development, Glasgow has emerged as the UK’s top performer in tech job markets, ranking 18th in Europe with an index score of 62.2, while London trails in 22nd place (56.7). Neither British city approaches the European leaders, with German urban centres claiming six of the top 10 positions.
Cologne, Frankfurt, and Munich have all established themselves as premier technology employment hubs.
“Our 2025 Smart City List identifies cities that excel in combining advanced technological infrastructure, sustainability, and tech-driven employment opportunities. These leading cities aren’t just adopting smart technologies – they’re leveraging them to create more sustainable, connected, and economically dynamic places to live and work,” said Dr. Erik Wallin, Founder and Chief Ecosystem Officer, ProptechOS.
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