Oxford Economics recently named Jacksonville one of five North American metro areas highlighted as a top “City to Watch” in its 2026 Global Cities Index report — alongside Boise, Durham, San Antonio, and Edmonton — putting an international spotlight on the city’s m
Rather than a strict numerical ranking, the “Cities to Watch” designation is a curated list: Oxford Economics selected these five metros because they have defied recent global economic headwinds to post strong productivity gains and diverse employment growth, often while being overlooked because they are not traditional “gateway” cities.
The Civic Council recently identified the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index as a valuable series of metrics to help the community align around a shared goal for progress for local institutions, such as government, businesses, philanthropy, and nonprofits.
City leaders celebrated the “Cities to Watch” recognition as an important milestone in Jacksonville’s pursuit of becoming a world-class city. This past year, city leaders set the goal of Jacksonville becoming a Top 50 Global City for cities with a population of 4 million and below. This 2026 index ranks Jacksonville 97th in the world according to that metric, an improvement from 119th in the world in 2025.
The Oxford Global Cities Index evaluates 1,000 of the world’s largest cities across five categories: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, and Governance. Drawing on Oxford’s economic forecasts and publicly available datasets, the Index looks beyond economic performance to assess the broader conditions that shape a city’s success and residents’ lives.
Oxford Economics pointed to Jacksonville’s diversifying economy, anchored by finance, technology, fintech, and professional business services, as a key driver of its rise in the rankings. Technology alone contributed 26 percent of Jacksonville’s total GDP growth in 2025, according to the report, helping push the city’s GDP-per-job into the top 20 among U.S. metros. Oxford Economics also cited recent investment activity, alongside the city’s beaches, wildlife preserves, and water sports as part of its broader appeal.
