by 
As leading global advisors to visionary places that seek bolder ideas and better futures, Resonance has conducted extensive research on the rise of cities for more than 15 years.
The study looks at key trends propelling growth and the factors that shape the perception of urban regions as desirable places to live, visit and invest.
The newest ranking is the ninth annual America’s Best Cities Report and the most ambitious yet, powered by a new partnership with global research firm Ipsos that incorporates perception-based data from thousands of U.S. residents.
The overall America’s Best Cities rankings are determined by analyzing this public perception, combined with a wide range of factors that have demonstrated moderate to strong correlations with attracting prime age population (age 25 – 44), visitor expenditure, and/or business formation.
The result is an important, timely analysis of U.S. cities that are leading their regions, states and the country in economic growth and visitor attraction—building resilient futures in the face of economic uncertainty and environmental polycrisis.
Rounding out the top 5 are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.
Charleston, South Carolina came in at #31, being described as:
Charleston’s momentum is palpable, from harbor cranes to daring hotels to vital museums (for which it ranks #12). Charleston International logged a record 6.3 million passengers in 2024, is already sketching a bigger terminal, and just welcomed the Element Charleston Airport and Drury Plaza hotels this spring. In town, the six-story, 191-room Cooper debuts on the harbor this fall with five restaurants and its own marina.
Charleston’s newest and most important draw is the $100-million International African American Museum on the former site of Gadsden’s Wharf, the disembarkation point into American slavery for an estimated 100,000 African people over centuries—the largest such port in the country. A new genealogy center helps visitors research their own history. The modern waterfront is moving forward with the Union Pier redo, unlocking 65 acres of waterfront parks, flood-proof streets and mixed-income housing beside the French Quarter. Investment is flooding in, with Google breaking ground on two $2-billion data center campuses in Dorchester County and investing another $1.3 billion into its Berkeley site. Hundreds of high-wage cloud jobs should come online as a result. King Street retail is equally hot (Shopping ranks #19) with Gucci’s new 4,200-square-foot flagship just opened in Charleston Place.
Highlights for Charleston were #6 in air quality and #11 in low unemployment rate.
Click HERE for full report.
Click HERE for report methodology.
Stay connected and subscribe to Charleston Daily.
