Digital Cities Survey 2025 Winners Announced

November 18, 2025 — The Center for Digital Government (CDG) today announced the winners of the 2025 Digital Cities Survey Awards. The annual survey and awards program recognizes cities that are propelling city government innovation to new heights. From San José’s responsible use of AI to Tamarac’s Smart Parks initiative, this year’s honorees demonstrate how cities are turning technology into trust, measurable impact, and stronger communities.

“What stands out this year isn’t just the technology, it’s the focus on the impact on constituent services,” said Teri Takai, Chief Programs Officer at the Center for Digital Government. “These cities are applying innovation where it matters most: keeping people housed, making streets safer, and building community trust. They’re showing that when technology is guided by purpose, it delivers results that citizens can feel.”

This year’s first-place winners by population category include:

• City of San José, Calif. (500,000 or more)
  San José shaped and advanced the GovAI Coalition’s policy agenda, applied privacy-first analytics to prevent housing evictions, and co-developed open-data road safety models with academic and civic partners. Strategic upskilling and data-driven service delivery support an agile, inclusive, and tech-enabled government.
• City of Long Beach, Calif. (250,000 – 499,999)
  Long Beach advanced cybersecurity, digital equity, and innovation initiatives through programs like Pitch Long Beach! and the Long Beach Collaboratory, increasing resident trust in its city innovation from 47% to over 95%.
• City of Scottsdale, Ariz. (125,000 – 249,999)
  Scottsdale is modernizing IT and public services through AI initiatives, drone-assisted public safety, and a real-time Smart Water Grid, with a strong focus on community engagement and data security.
• City of South Bend, Ind. (75,000 – 124,999)
  South Bend enhanced collaboration and community safety via the Real-Time Crime Center and the Commuters Trust transportation program, improving efficiency, accessibility, and the overall resident experience.
• City of Tamarac, Fla. (up to 75,000)
  Tamarac is boosting operations and digital equity through AI-driven programs like the Omni-Channel Call Center and Smart Parks, supported by multi-year technology planning.

“When government doesn’t work, people don’t trust it,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “By bringing both the technology and the culture of innovation that defines Silicon Valley into City Hall, we’re finally moving the needle on the problems our residents are demanding we solve. Thanks in part to our robust ALPR system, San José is the safest big city in the nation. Thanks to our bus route optimization, we’ve shortened transit commutes by nearly 20%. Thanks to our AI-powered translation services, we’ve increased access to civic life for all our residents. Technology is making our neighbors’ lives better. And with permitting, homelessness prevention, and object detection AI pilots in the works, this is just the beginning.”

“I’m incredibly proud that Long Beach has once again been recognized as a top Digital City for an unprecedented fifth year in a row,” said Lea Eriksen, director of Technology and Innovation and chief information officer for the City of Long Beach. “This honor reflects the hard work of our Technology and Innovation team, our partners across all city departments, and the strong support of our mayor and City Council for investing in technology that truly serves our community.”

Population of 500,000 or more
1st City of San Jose, CA
2nd City of Los Angeles, CA
3rd City of San Diego, CA
4th City of Charlotte, NC
4th City of Seattle, WA
5th City of Boston, MA
6th City of Mesa, AZ
7th City of Austin, TX
8th City of Albuquerque, NM
9th City of Phoenix, AZ
10th City and County of Denver, CO

Population of 250,000-499,999
1st City of Long Beach, CA
2nd City of Wichita, KS
3rd City of Virginia Beach, VA
4th City of Chandler, AZ
5th City of Riverside, CA
6th Town of Gilbert, AZ
7th City of Durham, NC
8th City of Miami, FL

Population of 125,000-249,999
1st City of Scottsdale, AZ
2nd City of Roseville, CA
3rd City of Bellevue, WA
4th City of Columbia, MO
5th City of Norfolk, VA
5th City of Olathe, KS
6th City of Baton Rouge, LA
7th City of Corona, CA
7th City of Frisco, TX
8th City of Grand Prairie, TX
9th City of Rancho Cucamonga, CA
10th City of Alexandria, VA

Population of 75,000-124,999
1st City of South Bend, IN
2nd City of Carson, CA
3rd City of North Port, FL
4th City of Avondale, AZ
5th City of Independence, MO
6th City of Westminster, CO
7th City of Lynchburg, VA
7th City of Roanoke, VA
8th Village of Schaumburg, IL
9th City of Thousand Oaks, CA
10th City of Carlsbad, CA

Population of up to 75,000
1st City of Tamarac, FL
2nd City of Marietta, GA
3rd City of Gainesville, GA
4th City of Coral Gables, FL
5th Village of Tinley Park, IL
6th City of Danville, VA
6th City of Punta Gorda, FL
7th City of Newark, CA
7th City of Delray Beach, FL
8th City of Kalamazoo, MI
9th City of Williamsburg, VA
10th City of Dunwoody, GA

To view the awards article and winner summaries, CLICK HERE.

CDG extends thanks to corporate partners supporting this milestone year: Premier Members – Amazon Web Services, CGI, Smartsheet, and Warshall; Corporate Members – Accela, EY, Genesys, Granicus/Carahsoft, SHI Public Sector, and Tyler Technologies.

Top Priorities Driving City Innovation in 2025
CDG’s survey identifies the top priorities shaping city technology agendas this year, led again by a focus on security, automation, and equity.

1. Cybersecurity (top priority for 11th consecutive year)
2. AI, Generative AI, and Machine Learning
3. Budget and Cost Control
4. Business Process Automation
5. Constituent/Customer Engagement
6. Disaster Recovery and Continuity of Operations
7. Business Intelligence and Analytics
8. Application Modernization
9. Data Governance and Open Data
10. Talent Management

Top 5 most pressing challenges your city faced in the past year:
1. Funding constraints including multiyear funding
2. Staff shortages
3. Federal or state policies and/or legal constraints
4. Social issues such as homelessness, immigration
5. Federal or state-mandated responsibilities transferred to cities

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• On average, two-thirds of cities reported the top areas of GenAI use in cybersecurity, threat detection, and personal productivity.
• More than a third of respondents are actively identifying use cases with GenAI.
• Just over a third have implemented some or all of the survey’s suite of 27 tools, signaling a major shift in digital government readiness.

Celebrating Digital Leadership
Winners will be honored at the Digital Cities Awards Dinner during the National League of Cities “City Summit” on November 19, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City hotel.

Earlier that day, CDG will host a workshop, “Efficiency, Talent, and Transformation: A Shared Playbook for CIOs and City Leaders,” from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. MT. The session will bring together technology and city leaders to exchange strategies for operational excellence, workforce innovation, and digital transformation.

About the Center for Digital Government
The Center for Digital Government (CDG) is a national research and advisory institute focused on technology policy and best practices in state and local government. A division of e.Republic, CDG provides insight, benchmarking, and recognition programs to support innovation across the public sector.

Contact:
Janet Grenslitt
Director of Surveys and Awards
e.Republic | Center for Digital Government
916-932-1361
jgrenslitt@erepublic.com