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Chicago's Future is a World Beater Compared to Most Other Big Cities

By DNAinfo Staff on June 10, 2013 3:05pm  | Updated on June 10, 2013 3:23pm

 Traders signal offers at the Chicago Board of Trade.
Traders signal offers at the Chicago Board of Trade.
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Getty Images/Scott Olson

CHICAGO — Chicago makes the top 10 in a new worldwide measurement of future competitiveness, coming in at No. 9.

The forward-looking list, by the respected Economist Intelligence Unit, looked at 120 cities to measure how competitive they will be in 2025.

Among the factors in compiling the list: the ability to attract capital, business, talent and tourists.

Chicago scored 65.6 points out of total possible score of 100 for the list, which ranked New York as the most competitive in the world.

In the report, "Hot Spots 25: Benchmarking the future competitveness of cities," researchers said Chicago's economy is projected to grow by an average of 3 percent a year. 

Chicago scores points for its ability to attract immigrants, "projected improvements in government effectiveness," health care quality, ease of airline connections and water supply.

The city also gets a nod for its position as America's "second most financial hub" behind New York and it ranks above any other U.S. city in its ability to deal with "environmental challenges."

The future viability of cities is particularly important as the population continues to migrate to urban areas, the researchers say.

A hundred years ago, 2 out of 10 of the world's population lived in urban areas; by the middle of the 21st Century, 70 percent of the planet's population will reside in cities, the researchers write.

Writing recently in the New York Times, columnist David Brooks argued that the dysfunction of the federal government is making local governments more important and powerful.

Noting Chicago's position on the Economist list, Brooks writes: "Its rise in the rankings is fueled by the fact that the city is taking care of fundamentals: $7.3 billion in infrastructure spending over the next two years, a community college program that links education to employment."

The top ten global cities and their scores are:

1. New York, 75.7

2. London, 73.1

3. Singapore, 71.2

4. Hong Kong, 68.1

5. Tokyo, 68.0

6. Sydney, 67.3

7. Paris, 67.0

8. Stockholm, 65.7

9. Chicago, 65.6

10. Toronto, 64.7

The study was conducted for Citigroup.