Toronto has secured the 20th spot in the 2025 Oxford Economics Global Cities Index, marking a strong return after being absent from last year’s ranking. The index evaluates 1,000 global cities based on five pillars: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, and Governance. Toronto was the top-ranked Canadian city, earning high marks for economic stability (19th) and human capital (13th), thanks to its strong financial sector, universities, and large immigrant population.

While the city was praised for GDP and job growth, it underperformed in Quality of Life and Environment due to housing unaffordability and climate volatility. Still, it remains in the top quartile globally for life expectancy and income equality. Toronto also ranked well in Governance (27th), helping earn its place as one of the world’s “Global Leaders”—a designation shared with cities like New York, London, and Tokyo. The report highlights Toronto’s role as a resilient, innovative hub in an uncertain global economy.