Wrocław took the third spot on the podium in the ranking of Europe’s fastest-growing cities, trailing only Dublin and Prague, according to the CEE Investment Report: Thriving Metropolitan Cities, authored by Skanska, Colliers International, and Dentons. Four other Polish cities also made it into the TOP 20.

GDP Growth Is One of Wrocław’s Strengths

Among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the European Union, as many as 16 cities from Central and Eastern Europe made it into the top 20. Although Dublin took first place—as it is one of the most important investment destinations—the next 14 cities on the list are from that region.

Wrocław owes its high ranking mainly to its very strong GDP growth over the past 10 years, which stood at 79%. Only Bucharest recorded a higher growth rate (96%).

The ranking was based on three criteria: productivity (GDP per capita), connectivity (measured by passenger traffic at major EU city airports), and human capital, which was estimated using the percentage of employees with a college degree. The ranking included cities with a population of over 250,000.

Industrial Center and Software Developers

According to the report’s authors, Wrocław is known for two main characteristics. First, the city has a very high-quality workforce that is well-educated, skilled, and multilingual, which means it is highly capable of working in an international environment. This is reflected in the fact that Wrocław’s software developers are rated the highest in Europe. The second characteristic of the capital of Lower Silesia is that it serves as a strong industrial hub for German manufacturing companies, which locate their service centers in Wrocław itself and their logistics centers around the city.

The ranking of the 20 fastest-growing cities in the EU is as follows:

1. Dublin (Ireland)
2. Prague (Czech Republic)
3. Wrocław (Poland)
4. Sofia (Bulgaria)
5. Košice (Slovakia)
6. Bucharest (Romania)
7. Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
8. Krakow (Poland)
9. Timisoara (Romania)
10. Vilnius (Lithuania)
11. Iași (Romania)
12. Bratislava (Slovakia)
13. Kaunas (Lithuania)
14. Gdańsk (Poland)
15. Szczecin (Poland)
16. Porto (Portugal)
17. Warsaw (Poland)
18. Tallinn (Estonia)
19. Barcelona (Spain)
20. Birmingham (United Kingdom)

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Hume’s Institute stands for knowledge. PMR Market Experts stands for experience. When we join forces, you gain a competitive advantage. See how we can support your business.

Marcin Uryga

Senior Analyst