Chicago vs New York

New York leads Chicago by 11 points on the CIRA Index, 80 to 69. Chicago grades better on 1 measures, New York on 12; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Chicago 69, New York 80
• OECD: Chicago 67, New York 81
• UN Tourism: Chicago 64, New York 81
• UNDRR: Chicago 66, New York 75

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Chicago 70, New York 90
• Economy and jobs: Chicago 92, New York 100
• Climate and hazards: Chicago 65, New York 75
• Water and environment: Chicago 50, New York 75
• Community and housing: Chicago 75, New York 75
• Access and continuity: Chicago 71, New York 75

Where Chicago is stronger

• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (City of Chicago / Choose Chicago, 2026). Grade 2/4.

Where New York is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 28.4 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 8.5 % of international arrivals or nights (NYC Tourism + Conventions / Office of the Mayor of New York City, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 84.2 % average annual occupancy (New York City Tourism + Conventions, 2025 Annual Report (via ILoveNY), 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.8 % of the labour force (New York State Department of Labor, August 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 404.6 kg per resident per year (NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Draft Solid Waste Management Plan 2026, 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Green space: 23.4 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (New York City Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice, Urban Forest Plan, 2021). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Short-let density: 0.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (NYC Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement / U.S. Census Bureau 2024 ACS, June 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (NYC Hazard Mitigation Plan / Port Authority of NY & NJ, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (NYC Emergency Management, Office of the Mayor, 2024). Grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Chicago in full · New York in full

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