Trento has been named Italy’s leading smart city in a new ranking that assesses how technology and urban infrastructure contribute to residents’ quality of life.
The study by Rome Business School evaluates regional capitals across six categories: economic performance, administrative capacity, mobility, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, healthcare and safety, and culture and education.
Trento recorded an average score of 52.5, followed by Aosta with 51 and Bologna with 47.5. Larger cities performed less strongly, with Milan ranking ninth at 43.3 and Rome 13th with a score of 39. Turin placed 11th, while Naples was second from the bottom.
Why Trento leads
Trento did not rank first in any individual category but performed consistently across all six areas, avoiding major weaknesses.
The city performs particularly well in energy efficiency and urban mobility. Green areas account for 46% of its municipal territory, while concentrations of ultrafine particles remain below half of the relevant limit. Life expectancy reaches 85 years.
Housing costs have also remained relatively moderate compared with Italy’s largest cities. Average property prices in Trento currently range between €3,300 and €3,500 per square metre, rising to around €4,000 in the city centre. Rents for three-room apartments are around €1,000 per month.
Milan leads on economic strength
Milan ranks first in the economic category, supported by a total GDP of more than €228 billion, GDP per capita of around €52,800 and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
However, the city’s economic strength comes with significantly higher housing costs. The study notes that around 40,000 residents leave or arrive in Milan each year, excluding the natural balance between births and deaths, with housing costs cited as one factor behind population turnover.
Bologna and Aosta excel in other areas
Bologna leads the governance category, with around 60% of residents interacting with public authorities through apps or online services. It also ranks first in education, with almost 40% of its population having post-secondary education and 178 university students per 1,000 inhabitants.
Aosta performs best in mobility and environmental sustainability. Travelling 10 kilometres takes an average of 13.5 minutes in the city, compared with more than 30 minutes in Rome and Milan.
Green areas account for around half of Aosta’s municipal territory, while PM2.5 pollution levels stand at 10 micrograms per cubic metre, compared with a limit of 25. Turin and Milan record particulate pollution levels roughly twice as high.
Genoa, meanwhile, ranks first in the living category, which assesses factors including life expectancy, healthcare provision, road safety, poverty risk and housing accessibility.
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