PeopleForBikes’ 2025 City Ratings rank the bikeability of nearly 3,000 cities across the U.S. and around the world. For the first time, this year’s ratings divide New York City into its five boroughs, recognizing the local-level work being done to improve bicycling. Three boroughs landed in the top 10 best large U.S. cities for biking for 2025: Manhattan took the #10 spot with a score of 51 (out of a possible 100), Queens came in at #4 with a score of 63, and Brooklyn took this year’s #1 spot with a score of 73, narrowly surpassing last year’s top-scoring large city, Minneapolis.

So how did Brooklyn become the best large U.S. city for biking? An impressive network of safe and connected places to ride. New York City as a whole is home to 1,550 miles of bike lanes, bike paths, and neighborhood greenways, making it North America’s largest bicycle network. Brooklyn specifically has more miles of bike lanes than any other borough.

Brooklyn’s bike network. Image credit: PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis

In addition to an impressive network of dedicated bike infrastructure, Brooklyn’s borough-wide residential speed limit of just 25 mph also makes its streets low-stress and safe for bicyclists according to PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis, the data-driven program behind City Ratings.

Image credit: PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis

On a citywide level, 99% of New York City residents live within one mile of its bike network, making bicycling an easy and accessible transportation option in the densely populated and developed city.

“I think what’s so special about biking in Brooklyn is that you’re never doing it alone — there’s always so many people doing the same thing,” says Alexa Sledge, director of communications at Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit organization dedicated to better biking and walking in the five boroughs. “We know that there is safety in numbers. When drivers are in their cars on the street, they’re expecting to be around people riding bikes.”

As New York City’s bike network grows, so does the number of people riding. Between 2008 and 2023, the estimated total daily cycling trips made in NYC grew from 240,000 to 620,000, with an astounding 226.3 million trips made by bike in 2023.

“Biking is the easiest and fastest way to get around,” says Drew Bennett, founder of Good Co. Bike Club, a Brooklyn-based cycling club founded in 2020 as a way for the Black community to come together through a love of cycling during the pandemic. “MTAs are good, but trains can be delayed or slow. If you want to get somewhere fast, go by bike.”

While Bennett says biking for transportation is one of the main reasons people get on a bike in Brooklyn (with an estimated 25,000+ residents commuting by bike in 2023), the borough does have some amazing recreational riding.

“I would say my favorite place to ride is Prospect Park where you don’t have to worry about cars or other bikers because there is so much space,” says Sledge. “I also love the greenways — there’s one that stretches all along the outer edge of Brooklyn.”

Biking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo courtesy of Michael DeHerrera

Whether it’s for transportation or recreation, Sledge also says Brooklyn’s bridges are another key element of what makes the borough great for biking. “We have a huge network that all connects in downtown Brooklyn. So much of Brooklyn gets to Manhattan over the bridges, and you really get to see a different perspective of the city versus taking the subway.”

Even with its impressive existing infrastructure, Brooklyn’s bike network continues to grow. “One of our newest bike lanes is on Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy,” says Sledge. “It’s a major thoroughfare that didn’t have any protected bike lanes. Having a safe bike lane makes it safe and easy to ride through central Brooklyn.”

While New York City is the most densely populated city in the country, Sledge still has some sage advice on how cities and towns of any size can prioritize better and safer biking. 

“Make the fight bigger than one single bike lane — it’s exhausting to go one at a time,” she says. “By leveraging a citywide plan, you can take it from trench warfare to a much bigger project and vision.”

Outside of infrastructure, culture and community can make just as much of an impact on getting more people riding. 

A local youth joins hundreds of others riders for Good Co. Bike Club's Freedom Ride across Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of Ryan Birkicht

“People want community. I think that goes unnoticed or unappreciated a lot,” says Bennett. “You need to create spaces where people can feel included and welcome. There are bike clubs for everyone: women, older folks, kids. People want to feel like they belong. That’s kind of where our name came from — when you’re with Good Co., you’re with good people."

Want to know how your city scores? Explore the entire 2025 City Ratings by visiting cityratings.peopleforbikes.org.

America Has a New Best Large City for Biking

Photo courtesy of Galena Country Tourism #GalenaCountry

Just three hours west of Chicago lies Galena, Illinois, a charming town long celebrated for its ties to President Ulysses S. Grant and its picturesque, walkable downtown. For decades, it’s been a favorite destination among history buffs and weekend wanderers, welcoming more than 1.5 million visitors each year. But lately, a new kind of visitor is arriving — bicyclists, drawn by scenic routes, rolling hills, and a growing network of bike infrastructure that is transforming how people experience the region.

That momentum is proven in the data. PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings program gave Galena a score of 55 for 2025, crossing the critical infrastructure “tipping point” of 50. According to PeopleForBikes, communities that pass this threshold score have the proper safe and connected infrastructure in place to support real, lasting growth in bicycling. In other words, Galena is no longer just welcoming bicyclists, it is actively supporting them. 

However, reaching that tipping point is a recent development for Galena. Just five years ago, in 2020, the city’s score was only 25. So what changed? And more importantly, how can other communities learn from Galena’s progress to help their own cities cross the critical 50-point threshold?

PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings evaluates how well a city’s network of bicycle infrastructure (protected bike lanes, multi-use paths, and low-stress neighborhood streets) connects people to the places they want to go. In recent years, Galena has made a visible commitment to critical connections — the kinds of bike infrastructure that prioritize vulnerable road users and make everyday riding a practical choice for more people.

Here are the key investments driving Galena’s transformation:

Starting at Recreation Park, this 8-mile crushed limestone trail is ideal for hiking, biking, and even cross-country skiing come winter time. What makes it stand out, especially in a town of just 3,500 residents, are two premium bicycling amenities at either end:

Farside Downhill Trails at Chestnut Mountain — The only lift-access mountain bike park in Illinois, and a rare amenity for a small Midwestern town.

Luke Krolikowski, director of snowsports/mountain bikes at Chestnut Mountain. Photo courtesy of Ryan Birkicht

Galena Bike/Skate Park — A progressive space for youth and adults to build and advance their biking skills.

Local youth enjoy Galena's BMX park. Photo courtesy of Ryan Birkicht

The trail also connects directly to quiet country roads throughout Jo Daviess County, serving as a gateway to the region’s growing gravel riding scene. These gravel roads are among the best in the country, thanks to the county’s location in the Driftless Region, known for its rugged hills and scenic terrain. 

In fact, Chicago-based components manufacturer SRAM has used the region to test and demonstrate products for bicycle industry journalists from around the world.

“The Driftless Region offers a rare blend of rolling hills, scenic river valleys, and quiet, well-maintained roads that make every ride feel like a true getaway. Galena, in particular, captures the essence of gravel — where adventure meets tranquility. It’s not just about putting our components to the test; it’s about immersing ourselves in the ride, the landscape, and the story they tell together.” - Michael Zellmann, global road and corporate communication manager, SRAM

One of Galena’s most impactful recent developments is a 1.5-mile multi-use path that connects its historic downtown with essential destinations, including:

This connector enables residents and visitors alike to ditch their cars and explore Galena by bike. The Spring Street Trail was a high-impact project that directly contributed to the city’s leap in City Ratings.

Galena also capitalized on a donation from local cycling club The Galena GOATS to fund a series of low-cost, but high-visibility, bike infrastructure upgrades. These included:

Painted sharrows along key biking corridors

Bicycle right-of-way signs on popular routes

New bike racks offering front-row parking for two-wheeled visitors

While these small investments don’t show up in the City Ratings score, they do cement a town as a place where people want to ride and should be considered as a stepping stone to larger infrastructure projects.

Galena GOATS members Trisha Wollam, Susan Barg and Karla Nicholas standing by a sharrow indicator off Galena's Main Street. Photo courtesy of Ryan Birkicht

Galena didn’t just get lucky, it got organized. Residents, planners, and local advocates worked together to build momentum, layer small wins into larger successes, and invest in the infrastructure that makes biking part of daily life. If you want to bring that kind of transformation to your community, here’s where to start:

Every city has a long-term roadmap. It’s often called a comprehensive plan, and it may include sub-plans for active transportation or bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

Request a copy from your local planning department or city website.

Look for existing bike infrastructure goals and ask about timelines.

Find out how future projects get added to the plan, then work that process to propose new connections.

Infrastructure matters but so does visibility. One of Galena’s smart strategies was to embed biking into the town’s identity.

Ask schools to feature biking in newsletters, marquee signs, or back-to-school communications.

Encourage tourism boards to include bikes in travel guides and on event calendars.

Support or start community rides, bike-to-school days, or learn-to-ride programs to create energy and awareness.

3. Build Coalitions That Influence Change

You don’t need a massive movement to make progress. What you need is a small, committed group that speaks with purpose.

“City council members face criticism constantly, so when residents bring forward thoughtful projects that propose solutions for the city, those requests tend to have a great influence on elected officials.” — Mark Moran, former Galena city administrator

Form a neighborhood coalition focused on safe streets and active transportation.

Attend city council meetings with a few members of your group and designate one person to speak on behalf of the coalition. Present solutions, stay positive, and avoid confrontation.

Read past meeting minutes to identify other residents with similar goals. Look for adjacent coalitions—those working on health, equity, youth development, or environmental sustainability—and find ways to collaborate.

Support and elect leaders who bike or who understand the role of safe, connected infrastructure in a thriving community. Use the election process to ask candidates where they stand on bicycling and active transportation.

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) are always looking for high-quality content and partnerships. Cycling can help them attract new visitors and boost local business.

“Spoon-feed the tourism office. Destination Marketing Organizations are experts at leveraging engaging content. Bicycling routes, maps, events, pictures—those are pieces of gold for the marketing engine that the DMO has developed.” — Terry Mattson, CEO + President, Galena Country Tourism

Set up a meeting with your DMO. Bring routes, maps, event ideas, and compelling images to share.

Make it easy for them to tell your story. Whether it’s a new trail, a family ride, or a cycling festival, offer your expertise and serve as a subject matter expert they can rely on.

Frame it as a win-win. Most DMOs are eager for content that supports local business and helps the region stand out.

Galena may have reached a City Ratings tipping point, but its work is far from finished. The community continues to push forward, investing in the kinds of infrastructure and experiences that will not only raise its score — but also raise the quality of life for everyone who lives in or visits the region.

A new multi-use path has been proposed in front of Galena’s newly built high school, middle school, and elementary buildings. Once completed, this path will make it significantly easier for students to walk or bike to school. It’s a smart investment that combines transportation, health, and quality of life outcomes, while reinforcing Galena’s commitment to building safe, age-inclusive infrastructure.

Gravel cycling is quickly becoming one of Galena’s signature draws. And as a growing category for the bike industry, Galena has an opportunity to lean into its natural appeal being located in the Driftless Region. The area has already earned a reputation as one of the most compelling gravel destinations in the world. 

One example, cycling apparel and lifestyle brand Rapha championed a regional ride called the Ten Thousand. The grueling 100+ mile gravel ride with 10,000 feet of elevation gain winds through the rugged hills of Jo Daviess County, with Galena serving as the cultural and logistical hub for the event. While Rapha has since passed the torch to local organizers like James Hillis, founder of Driftless Cycling Tours, the ride still draws national attention and reinforces Galena’s growing profile in the gravel scene.

“Galena makes an ideal base for participants of the Ten Thousand, offering riders a bikeable town where they can easily access lodging, cafés, shops, and more. It’s the kind of connected community we’re proud to support.” — Matt Duer, wholesale manager, Rapha North America

Galena, Illinois: From Historic Charm to Bicycling Destination

Photo courtesy of Experience Fayetteville.

Across the Heartland — the 20 states that make up the middle of America — communities of all sizes are proving that great cities for biking aren’t just on the coasts. From the network of protected bike lanes of Minneapolis to the interconnected greenways across Northwest Arkansas, local leaders and advocates are making dedicated investments in bike infrastructure to give more people safe and easy ways to move around their communities. 

The Heartland includes Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Image courtesy of Heartland Forward.

This year’s City Ratings, PeopleForBikes’ annual program ranking the bikeability of nearly 3,000 cities across the globe, highlights the growing momentum toward more connected and mobile communities being built across the Heartland. Cities and towns of all sizes throughout the region are committing to safer streets, investing in protected infrastructure, and offering expanded mobility options for residents and visitors alike.


City Ratings scores are evaluated on a scale of 0-100, with a score of 50 seen as the tipping point to becoming a great city for biking.

Minneapolis (72) is a long-time national leader in building high quality bike infrastructure. Last year, Minneapolis ranked as the top large city for biking in the entire U.S. thanks to their  connected network of protected bike lanes, off-street trails, and low-speed neighborhood streets. Just across the river, St. Paul, Minnesota, earned a score of 61, showing that connectivity and bikeability does not stop at city borders.


Meanwhile, other Midwest metropolitan areas like Milwaukee (50) and Detroit (43) are gaining ground by reimagining how streets serve all road users, no matter how they choose to get around. Cleveland (37) rounds out the top five big cities, signaling a growing interest in improved active transportation in numerous states across the Heartland.

Heartland cities in the mid-size category are proving that big progress doesn’t only happen in big cities. La Crosse, Wisconsin (65), saw a four-point rise over last year’s ratings, highlighting an ongoing commitment to investing in safe places to ride that make it easier for residents to get from where they live to where they need to go. In college towns like Ames, Iowa (64), and Madison, Wisconsin (61), city planners are building connections between parks, schools, and downtowns to make commuting by bike an option for everyday trips.


Some of the most exciting stories in City Ratings each year come from the smallest dots on the map. The car-free Mackinac Island, Michigan, leads all U.S. cities — not just those in the Heartland — with the first perfect score of 100 in City Ratings program history. Sauk City, Wisconsin (90), a newcomer to this year’s ratings, and Washburn, Wisconsin (89), both helped the Badger State secure the top spot as the best state for biking in the Heartland, with an average population-weighted score of 48. These small cities are classic examples of communities where people are able to easily rely on bikes for trips to the grocery store, doctor's office, post office, or any everyday destination. 

Fayette, Missouri, and Murdock, Nebraska, both scoring 89, are also punching above their weight. Their success offers a blueprint for other small towns across the U.S. looking to boost livability, health, and economic opportunity through better bike access.

Riders explore the Art Trail at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, one of many off-street paths connecting residents and visitors to destinations across the city by bike. Photo courtesy of Patty Valencia.

Arkansas continues to build a strong cycling culture, with five cities represented in this year’s regional rankings. Alongside Arkansas’ top city Fayetteville (51), cities like Bentonville (46) — home to world-class mountain bike trails — and Bella Vista (44) are showing how cycling can become a core part of a city's identity. Rogers (38) and Springdale (34) round out the list, showcasing the tremendous work being done to transform the entire Northwest Arkansas region into a haven for biking — both for recreation and transportation.

What unites these Heartland communities isn’t just geography. It’s the shared commitment to creating places where people can move freely, safely, and joyfully. Whether it's a big-city investment in protected bike lanes or a small-town push for a network of slow streets, the efforts all add up to something bigger: a future where everyone can access the countless benefits of biking.

To learn more about PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings and see how your city scored in this year’s ratings, head to cityratings.peopleforbikes.org.


Want to make your community a great place to ride a bike? Improve your city’s score with PeopleForBikes’ resources. Together, we can make biking better for everyone!

Highlights From the Heartland: Communities Building a Better Future for Biking

There’s nothing quite like the freedom you feel when pedaling a bike. If I could tell my younger self anything, it might go something like this:


"José! I know you’re living it up, running wild through the streets of Newark. Right now, your world is blocks and stoops, pickup games, and your father’s corner store. But one day, you’ll discover something that will change everything: the bicycle. That simple, two-wheeled machine will open up the world in ways you can’t imagine right now. Across bridges, into the woods, up mountains, down coastal paths, through cities you never dreamed you’d visit. It will give you freedom, connection, and a sense of purpose. Once you learn to ride, you’ll never look at your neighborhood, your city, or your future the same way again." 

That’s the beauty of the bike — it helps us see our world differently. Today, more people in the U.S. are riding than ever before.

According to newly released data from PeopleForBikes’ 2024 U.S. Bicycling Participation Report and Single Sport Reports from the Physical Activity Council, ridership increased 14% since 2016, far outpacing the nation’s 4% population growth in that same time. In fact, more than one in four Americans rode a bike last year, and casual riders — those who hop on a bike for fun or fitness a few dozen times a year — are leading the way.

What’s driving this boom? People are riding to find joy, spend time outside, and achieve independence.


But participation is only part of the story. Where people ride and how safe, connected, and fun those rides feel matter just as much. That’s where our 2025 City Ratings come in. New for this year, our annual City Ratings reveal how thousands of bike projects are transforming communities nationwide. From protected lanes in Brooklyn, New York, to natural surface trails in Big Sky, Montana, cities with high City Ratings scores are investing in high quality places to ride, and it’s paying off. Not just in better bike scores, but in healthier people, more vibrant local businesses, and stronger communities.

That’s why this moment matters. While the cost of just about everything is rising, the freedom of a bike ride remains priceless. With over 2,000 bike projects currently being tracked nationwide, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build better places to ride for everyone. 


The connection is clear: cities that build bike infrastructure see real, measurable improvements in bikeability. Whether it’s a bridge-to-trail connection in Anchorage, Alaska, or a neighborhood bikeway in Corvallis, Oregon, cities that prioritize better places to ride are being rewarded not just with higher scores, but with stronger communities, healthier residents, and more people choosing to ride bikes.

Cities on The Rise: High Scores and Active, Funded Projects

The following cities are leading by example, investing in high-quality bike infrastructure and seeing the benefits in real time.

Anchorage, Alaska
Score Improvement: 33 (2018) > 64 (2025)
Active Project: In 2024, Anchorage piloted protected bike lanes connecting the Coastal Trail and Chester Creek Trail through downtown, expanding access and safety for cyclists. Learn more.

Asbury Park, New Jersey
Score Improvement: 44 (2020) > 61 (2025)
Active Project: The city is undertaking traffic calming and bike/pedestrian safety upgrades on Third and Fourth Avenue to support Safe Routes to School. ​Learn more.

Ashland, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 54 (2017) > 81 (2025)
Active Project: Ashland is enhancing bike infrastructure across the city, including improvements on 11th Street West to safely connect students to reach the local elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as Northland College. ​Learn more.

Burlington, Vermont
Score Improvement: 20 (2017)  > 61 (2025)
Active Project: Burlington is developing the city’s first bike park at Leddy Park, featuring progressive jump lines and flow trails for riders of all ages and skill levels. ​Learn more.

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Score Improvement: 23 (2017) > 68 (2025)
Active Project: The Hampshire Street Safety Improvement Project installed separated bike lanes to create a more comfortable biking connection between Inman Square and the Port/Kendall Square. ​Learn more.

Cape Charles, Virginia
Score Improvement: 56 (2023) > 68 (2025)
Active Project: Construction has begun on the Eastern Shore Rail-to-Trail project, creating a shared-use path that connects Cape Charles and Cheriton. ​Learn more.

Chico, California
Score Improvement: 44 (2018) > 57 (2025)
Active Project: The Downtown Chico Complete Streets Project seeks to improve connectivity and safety by closing gaps in bike infrastructure. ​Learn more.

Corvallis, Oregon
Score Improvement: 38 (2018) > 71 (2025)
Active Project: The Tyler Avenue (East) Neighborhood Bikeway Project will include signage, pavement markings, speed humps, and other treatments to provide a safe and comfortable street for cyclists and pedestrians. ​Learn more.

Fayetteville, Arkansas
Score Improvement: 29 (2017) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The Maple Street  Improvements project will add a two-way protected bike path along a half-mile corridor, creating a critical connection between the University of Arkansas and the Razorback Regional Greenway. ​Learn more.

Galena, Illinois
Score Improvement: 25 (2020) > 55 (2025)
Active Project: Reconstruction of U.S. 20/Illinois 84 modernized Galena's main thoroughfare, better connecting cyclists and pedestrians traveling between downtown Galena and businesses to the north. ​Learn more.

Hailey, Idaho
Score Improvement: 25 (2021) > 77 (2025)
Active Project: The Blaine County Community Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan includes Safe Routes to School improvements as well as the creation of key connections to the Wood River Trail. ​Learn more.

Jackson, Mississippi
Score Improvement: 37 (2022) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The city recently completed improvements to the MLK Equality Trail, enhancing the pedestrian and cycling experience. Two other sections of the trail will be rebuilt in the next year. ​Learn more.

Jackson, Wyoming
Score Improvement: 67 (2017) > 80 (2025)
Active Project: Teton County is already home to more than 53 miles of pathways, but local advocacy group Friends of Pathways is working to connect missing links. This includes a Dutch-style solution to Snow King Avenue, a critical travel corridor. Learn more.

La Crosse, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 32 (2017) > 65 (2025)
Active Project: The STH 16 (La Crosse Street) Project created dedicated bike lanes and traffic calming measures on a vital community street. ​Learn more.

Lawrence, Kansas
Score Improvement: 27 (2018) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: Lawrence was awarded a Trail Accelerator Grant from IMBA to create new mountain bike trails in Cameron’s Bluff. Learn more.

Logan, Utah
Score Improvement: 27 (2019) > 49 (2025)
Active Project: The 1.8-mile Blacksmith Fork River Trail will connect people from Ridgeline High School to the Blackhawk Soccer Complex in Cache Valley.​ Learn more.

Longmont, Colorado
Score Improvement: 43 (2017) > 56 (2025)
Active Project: Construction has begun on the Highway 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project, which will feature a nine-mile paved bikeway and intersection safety improvements. Learn more.​

Madison, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 50 (2017) > 61 (2025)
Active Project: Madison has numerous projects underway, including the Glacial Drumlin and Capital City Connector trail, which will connect the metropolitan areas of Wisconsin’s largest cities — Madison and Milwaukee. Learn more. 

Maple Grove, Minnesota
Score Improvement: 40 (2017) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: The Eagle Lake and Bryant Lake Regional Trails plan will create a 17-mile trail connecting the communities of Maple Grove, Plymouth, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. Learn more.​

Menlo Park, California
Score Improvement: 29 (2020) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The Middle Avenue Complete Streets project (Project) will install bicycle and pedestrian improvements along the entire length of Middle Avenue between Olive Street and El Camino Real. Learn more.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 27 (2017) > 50 (2025)
Active Project: Protected bike lanes will be installed on Walnut Street in a high-crash corridor to improve safety for all road users. Learn more.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Score Improvement: 39 (2017) > 72 (2025)
Active Project: The 18th Avenue NE Trail Gap project will build a new off-street bike trail to fill a trail gap in northeast Minneapolis. Learn more.

Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Score Improvement: 12 (2020) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: Oak Bluffs constructed a bike and pedestrian walkway along Beach Road to improve safety along the seaside corridor. Learn more.

Ojai, California
Score Improvement: 58 (2022) > 69 (2025)
Active Project: The city received funding through the Active Transportation Program to add two-way bike lanes along the Maricopa Highway. Learn more.

Our annual City Ratings is a data-driven approach to evaluate, compare, and celebrate the best cities for biking in the U.S. and around the world. Based on data from PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA), each city receives a City Ratings score on a scale of 0-100. 


High-scoring cities often perform well across six factors captured in the acronym SPRINT: safe speeds, protected bike lanes, reallocated space for biking and walking, intersection treatments, network connections, and trusted data.


For 2025, we ranked nearly 3,000 cities worldwide, including 209 new U.S. cities. This year’s ratings feature the return of our best city for biking — the car-free Mackinac Island, Michigan — which boasts the first perfect score in City Ratings history. We also welcome a brand new best large U.S. city for bicycling — Brooklyn, New York — narrowly edging out Minneapolis, Minnesota, which took home the top spot in last year’s rankings. In our European ratings, the tremendous work done to improve bicycling in Paris boosted the French capital to our top international city for bicycling, showing that dedicated investments directly translate to improved City Ratings scores.

Medium U.S. Cities (50,000–300,000 population)

2025 marks the eighth year of City Ratings, PeopleForBikes’ annual, data-driven program evaluating the bikeability of nearly 3,000 cities across the U.S. and around the world. Generated using our Bicycle Network Analysis, City Ratings scores reflect the ease in which people can safely get from where they live to where they want to go via low-stress bike routes.


Scores are calculated on a scale of 0–100, with 50 considered a critical tipping point in building momentum to becoming a great city for biking. With updated scores each year, City Ratings allows city leaders and local bicycle advocates to track progress towards connected, safe bike networks in their communities.


High-scoring cities exhibit many or all of the components of PeopleForBikes’ SPRINT framework:

The City Ratings program continues to grow each year, with 241 new U.S. cities and 78 new international cities in 2025.

The majority of U.S. cities added to the program this year were small (+185) or medium (+51). The only new large cities for 2025 are the result of splitting New York City into its five boroughs. Don’t see your city in this year’s ratings? Fill out this form to have it added to the 2026 City Ratings.

With the addition of the New York boroughs, Brooklyn took over as the best large U.S. city for biking with a score of 73. Last year’s top large city, Minneapolis, ranks a close second with a score of 72, followed by Seattle at 66. A couple of other New York boroughs, Queens and Manhattan, are also in the top 10, knocking out Denver and Milwaukee. However, Denver and Milwaukee still saw increases in their scores of one and two points, respectively. While most large cities saw similar marginal increases of one to two points,  Washington D.C., saw the largest improvement with a score increase from 46 in 2024 to 52 in 2025. This shift means that all of the top 10 large U.S. cities have scores above 50, showcasing a nationwide commitment to improve bicycling in metropolitan areas.

The top 10 medium U.S. cities look very similar to 2024, though the order has shifted. The one newcomer is La Crosse, Wisconsin, which raised its score from 61 to 65. College towns dominate the medium cities, with Davis, California, (81) taking the top spot, ranking eight points higher than second-place Berkeley, California (73). Cambridge, Massachusetts; Ankeny, Iowa; and Ames, Iowa, all saw drops in their scores, though all three cities have active bike plans and remain in the top 10. These slight changes may be due to updated tags in OpenStreetMap, highlighting the importance of high quality data. Want to update the data for your city? Use this guide.


The car-free Mackinac Island, Michigan, remained at the top of the list for best small cities, becoming the first city in program history with a perfect score of 100. Fayette, Missouri; Sauk City, Wisconsin; and Perrysville, Ohio; are all new to the top 10 small cities this year, with Fayette seeing a nine-point leap from 2024. Seven of the top 10 small cities are located in Heartland states, indicating increasing momentum towards bike-friendly communities in the middle of the country.

In uplifting news, the average scores among top 10 cities increased for every size category compared to 2024. The average score across all U.S. cities also improved by one point over last year.

Large cities have a higher average score than small or medium cities, though small cities span a greater range of scores and have more cities scoring between 75–100.

234 U.S. cities have scores of 50 or above, up from 183 in 2024. Of the 51 new cities to reach this threshold, 21 were new to the program this year. The other 30 cities all crossed the critical tipping point thanks to dedicated investments in safe and connected places to ride and updating data in OpenStreetMap. Of the cities with scores of 50 or higher, 13 are large, 33 are medium, and 188 are small.

There are also many cities that have not yet crossed the 50-point threshold that are still showing big improvements. Typically, large cities show smaller increases from year to year due to the complexity of their road networks. In instances of large score increases, factors such as lowered speed limits or major data updates are often at play. For example, the 53-point increase for Hailey, Idaho, is due to the incorporation of a 25 mph residential speed limit citywide, which in turn increased low-stress access to the existing 20+ miles of bike paths through the town.

Since 2020, 80% of U.S. cities have improved their scores, with 22% improving by more than 10 points. In examining the changes from 2024 to 2025, 79% of city scores either stayed the same or increased moderately (between 0 and 5 points). However, it’s important to note that meaningful change on the ground takes time, and tracking scores across multiple years may provide more insight into progress than single-year improvements.

As in previous years, a trend of steady improvement is clear when looking at the top large cities over time. Most of the large cities improved by at least 1 point, aside from San Francisco and Manhattan, which each decreased by 1.

Examining scores at the state level can also provide some insight into geographic trends. Averages are calculated using population-weighting, giving more weight to the scores of cities with more people. Continuing the trend from 2024, Alaska held the top spot with an average population-weighted score of 58, down one point from last year. New York (56) took second place due to the high scores and high populations of the New York City boroughs, while Wisconsin and North Dakota both tied for third (48).

In general, northern states have higher average ratings than southern states, a fact which is also reflected in the regional population-weighted averages. With a regional average of 18, the South lags behind other parts of the country, although New England (21) isn’t far ahead.

With another year of City Ratings data and the associated maps available for viewing in the BNA, cities can now better explore the areas where they’re doing well with and identify opportunities for improvement. Overall, this year’s results continue to show positive trends towards better biking across the U.S., but a continued focus on bike-friendly policies and infrastructure investment will go a long way towards safer streets and more connected bike networks.

TAKE ACTION FOR BETTER BIKING IN YOUR CITY

U.S. Sees Steady Progress Toward Improved Bicycling Nationwide

Topics

Bike Networks

PeopleForBikes at Work on Bike Networks

News

America Has a New Best Large City for Biking

Galena, Illinois: From Historic Charm to Bicycling Destination

Highlights From the Heartland: Communities Building a Better Future for Biking

Great Rides Start at Home

2025’s Best Places to Bike

U.S. Sees Steady Progress Toward Improved Bicycling Nationwide