Argentina's First Urban Performance Index Ranks 43 Cities

For the first time, the consulting firm Enclave has developed an Argentine Cities Index (ICA) that evaluates the urban performance of 43 localities, representing 60% of the country's population. The index aims to provide local governments, investors, and organizations with data-driven insights for decision-making. It analyzed all provincial capitals and several intermediate cities based on 17 indicators across three dimensions: economic performance, social cohesion, and urban habitat quality. Key indicators included citizen safety, healthcare, education, digital connectivity, cost of living, energy availability, and administrative simplicity, with business activity, physical connectivity, and safety receiving the highest weighting. The top ten cities were Bahía Blanca, Córdoba, Mendoza, Río Cuarto, Buenos Aires City, Santa Rosa, Rosario, Rafaela, Santa Fe, and Godoy Cruz. Lomas de Zamora ranked last, with several cities from the Norte Grande region also among the lowest performers, highlighting a concentration of better performance in central Argentina and underscoring national territorial integration challenges. Fabio Quetglas, co-founder of Enclave, stated the index can help local governments identify strengths and weaknesses. The report also revealed a disconnect between economic dynamism and social well-being, with cities like Neuquén leading economically but Bahía Blanca excelling in social welfare. Quetglas noted that housing and social service deficits, especially in the face of migration, could hinder long-term development. Smaller cities with populations under 340,000 generally performed better in safety management. Regarding social cohesion, measured by access to potable water and urban informality, 15 cities achieved maximum scores while eight scored zero. In urban habitat, accessible economic capitals like Bahía Blanca and Córdoba led, offering good urban amenities at reasonable living costs. Buenos Aires City was the sole leader in physical connectivity, underscoring persistent logistical limitations in other parts of the country.