The magnetic city

City Pulse 2025
GENSLER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
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What makes a city magnetic?
Cities are more than just places to live — they are hubs for opportunity, engines of upward mobility, and catalysts for human connection. As urban populations continue to grow, the potential of cities to improve quality of life and foster human connection becomes ever more critical. Tracking how cities perform on key metrics helps designers, governments, and city planners to make their cities more livable, more competitive, and more magnetic.

How is your city performing on key metrics?

Percentage of respondents rating their city’s performance as “Good” or “Excellent” on each factor.
A group of people walking down a street with buildings on either side.
Key Finding 01

Population movement is a vital force within the urban ecosystem.

The movement of people is also the movement of ideas, innovation, and culture. As individuals settle in new places, they carry with them skills, perspectives, and values that reshape industries, communities, and creative expression. This continuous flow of talent and knowledge fuels economic dynamism, fosters new collaborations, and drives cultural exchange. Urban transformation means recognizing the most influential factor in city experience: its people.
Respondents in Africa and North America are more likely than average to leave their current city.
Africa
37%
North America
33%
Europe
32%
Latin/South America
32%
Middle East
30%
Asia Pacific
29%
The percentage of respondents in each region who indicated they are likely to move out of their city. Global average is 32%
A person and a child walking on a sidewalk.
Key Finding 02
When given a choice, people move to cities that meet their most basic needs.
While the details shift somewhat depending on place, life stage, and gender, people are attracted to cities that meet their fundamental needs — chief among them: safety, affordability, access to jobs, and quality healthcare.
Affordability, safety, and healthcare needs attract new residents to cities.
The five qualities that the highest percentage of global respondents indicated were very or extremely important when deciding to live in a city.
A group of people walking under a bridge.
Key Finding 03
Practical needs get people to move to new cities, but positive emotions get them to stay.
What keeps someone living in a city is not just what it offers but rather, how it feels. Long-term attachment is built through emotional connection. A city becomes home when it inspires pride, offers moments of joy, and fosters a true sense of belonging. People stay in cities that cultivate this strong sense of attachment to place.
People stay in their city because they enjoy it and feel a strong sense of belonging.
1.I don’t feel bored in my city.
2.I feel at home in my city.
3.I am proud of my city.
4. My city is getting better as a place to age.
5. My sense of belonging has grown over time.
Out of 152 predictors, the five strongest in determining an individual's likelihood of staying in a city.
Conclusion
Design for Attraction. Build for Belonging.
The successful cities of the future will need to both attract top talent and foster an environment where residents want to stay. Cities must become a magnet for populations from every life stage, from young professionals to established adults, families with children, and older adults. Prioritizing development and policy changes that promote multigenerational living encourages people to start businesses, build families, age in place, and contribute long-term to the economy and culture of a city.
 
Methodology
Data for City Pulse 2025: The Magnetic City was gathered via an anonymous, panel-based survey of 33,000 total urban residents in 65 global cities. The survey was conducted online from July 18 to November 22, 2024. Survey respondents were recruited by the third-party research firm Qualtrics. Respondents were required to live within city administrative boundaries, except for Los Angeles, where residents were required to live within county administrative boundaries. Respondents were demographically diverse across gender, age (18+), income, and education levels. Quotas for demographic and geographic characteristics were carefully monitored and enforced during fielding to ensure balanced distributions per city.
THE MAGNETIC CITY
CITY PULSE 2025
GENSLER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
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Download Gensler’s City Pulse 2025: The Magnetic City report to learn about the factors that shape urban residents’ decisions to move to, stay in, and leave their current city.