Trento leads the ranking of the smartest cities in Italy in 2026, followed by Aosta and Bologna

Starting from the common use of technology capable of guaranteeing a greater quality of life for residents, the analysis carried out by the Capitoline higher education school assigns a score to the cities on each of the categories considered: economy, administrative capacity, traffic management, environmental and energy efficiency, attention to citizens' health, safety and culture.

For further information: Smart City in Italy, a market worth over 1 billion: the strategies of post-PNRR municipalities

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What emerges first and foremost from the survey is the anxiety of large cities which, despite shining on individual parameters, perform worse than medium-small towns in terms of the overall idea of a "smart" municipality. Naples, for example, is in penultimate place but Rome is no better, thirteenth with 39 points, two positions below Turin. Milan is the only Italian metropolis to enter the national top ten, in ninth place with an average score of 43.3. As the study explains, high urban density leads to an increase in both environmental problems, such as congestion and pollution, and economic problems, starting with the cost of housing and services.

For further information: Smart City, Bologna is the most "intelligent" city in Italy. Followed by Milan and Turin

Limiting ourselves to the individual categories, the Lombardy capital surpasses all other cities in the economy with an overall GDP that exceeds 228 billion euros and a GDP per capita of around 52.8 thousand euros. Milan also shines in terms of job opportunities with an unemployment rate that stops at 4.3%.

For further information: The 2025 ranking of the smartest cities in Italy

What penalizes the metropolis is above all the real estate market with a clear gap compared to the rest of the country and prices that are often prohibitive both for those wishing to buy and for those considering renting. The result is a lively "coming and going" of inhabitants at a rate of 40 thousand residents per year. Despite the undoubted professional opportunities, many decide to move from Milan - perhaps towards the hinterland - in search of cheaper homes.

The winner among the municipalities for governance capacity is Bologna, where six out of ten residents access public administration services via app or web, higher figures than Milan and Turin. The Emilia-Romagna capital also prevails in the education ranking with 40% of the population in possession of a post-diploma qualification and a large representation of university students, 178 per 1,000 inhabitants.

In terms of urban mobility, Aosta is, according to the Rome Business School ranking, the city that guarantees citizens the most effective travel. To travel 10 kilometers in the Aosta Valley capital it takes an average of 13.5 minutes compared to over 30 in Rome and Milan. Positive data also rewards the city with regards to the climate with a green cover of over 50% and PM 2.5 levels around 10mg, against a limit of 25mg.

Looking at the general ranking, the podium sees Bologna in third place with an overall "smartness" index of 47.5 points, four less than Aosta, second with 51 points. Trento stands at the top of the 2026 survey, taking the lead with 52.5 points. Despite not prevailing in any of the six categories analysed, the capital of Trentino Alto-Adige obtains the highest average score, confirming the data also found in other surveys which crown it as the capital with the highest quality of life.

As the Rbs study shows, Trento is climbing the ranks due to its ability to maintain high levels on all the parameters considered, without presenting gray areas. The capital is awarded for energy efficiency as well as in the organization of mobility in the area, 46% of which is covered by greenery. The result is a concentration of ultrafine dust halved compared to the permitted limit and encouraging data on life expectancy, around 85 years. For those looking for a house in the city, prices are growing moderately with an average price between 3,300 and 3,500 euros per square meter and rents for three-room apartments around 1,000 euros, above the average but far from the costs required in large cities.

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