Seattle is the most future-ready city in the country, according to a new report from Point2 Homes. But we’re not talking about hover cars and jetpacks — we’re talking about how Seattle is poised to thrive in the years to come.
Point2 analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities to determine which are the readiest for the future based on five categories that demonstrate urban longevity: business and technology, internet connectivity, environment and sustainability, transit and mobility and economy and demographics.
Seattle was the highest-ranking city overall, boosted by its rank as the No. 1 city in the country for environment and sustainability.
That ranking probably won’t come as a surprise to most Seattleites, though — residents of the Puget Sound area are likely well aware of the city’s strengths in sustainability. With 435 all-electric fuel stations, 22 all-alternative fuel stations and 66,810 electric vehicle (EV) registrations, Seattle is a nationwide leader for the EV revolution.
The city also boasts 6.58 parks per 10,000 residents, 648 LEED-certified buildings, and the highest rate in the country of renewable energy per 10,000 residents. Seattle also has the second-best air quality in the country, beat only by Spokane.
Aside from Seattle’s strong scores in environment and sustainability, the city is also one of the fastest-growing hubs for technology companies, like Microsoft, Amazon and Starbucks.
Seattle ranked No. 3 for transit and mobility, with ample public transit, bike sharing programs, walkable areas and an average commute time of only 26 minutes.
The city also ranked No. 6 for economy and demographics, with an annual median income of $110,781 and an unemployment rate of 5.3%.
Finally, Seattle ranked No. 14 for internet connectivity. Over 95% of households have internet connection, while 66.31% have fixed broadband coverage and 66.89 have mobile broadband coverage. There’s also 1,345 free WiFi hotspots around the city.