LaSalle ECGI: London and Paris maintain leading positions

London ranks as Europe’s leading city for projected real-estate occupier demand for the sixth year running in the latest annual edition of the European Cities Growth Index (“ECGI”, formerly the European Regional Growth Index, or “E-REGI”). Following closely behind, Paris retains its position as one the “Big Two” European cities owing to its position as one of Europe’s key innovation and technology hubs.

While London retains its top position, its ECGI score worsened compared to last year, due to pressures on GDP growth. In 2022, the ECGI score worsened for 57 cities across Europe, the highest number since the Great Financial Crisis.

Polarization between London and UK regional cities also continued to widen in this year’s index.

Conversely, German cities proved to be less volatile in economic crisis and complementary of each other, with four German cities making it into the index’s top 20.

More broadly, since the ECGI’s inception in 2000, only London, Paris and Munich have consistently ranked in the top 10. Moreover, Amsterdam’s inclusion in the list this year comes due to the city’s human capital and employment growth prospects which remain exceptionally strong.