// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is NEOM?
NEOM scores 9.4% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #381 of 386 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
9.4%
Rank
#381 / 386
Criteria present
5 / 86
Evidence coverage
14%
NEOM's smart city score by area
0 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 14 not assessed
0 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 11 not assessed
1 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 11 not assessed
1 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 9 not assessed
0 present · 0 partial · 0 absent · 13 not assessed
2 present · 1 partial · 2 absent · 3 not assessed
1 present · 2 partial · 0 absent · 11 not assessed
Where NEOM is strong
- ▸Culture, Tourism & Recreation
- ▸Climate Adaptation & Heat
- ▸Water & Sanitation
- ▸Energy & Smart Grid
- ▸Innovation & Economic Development
Where the gaps are
- ▸Digital Government Services
- ▸Active & Shared Mobility
- ▸Climate Action & Emissions
- ▸Critical Infrastructure Resilience
- ▸Energy & Smart Grid
Evidence highlights
Energy & Smart Grid · Renewable energy share / targets
NEOM's energy company, ENOWA, has a stated goal to build a 100% renewables-based energy system at record low cost.
https://enowa.neom.com/Innovation & Economic Development · Innovation hub / startup ecosystem
Oxagon, located within NEOM, is developing a competitive ecosystem for renewable-energy manufacturing and AI-driven industries, supported by a strong digital backbone.
https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/oxagonCulture, Tourism & Recreation · Smart tourism services
NEOM is developing smart tourism services, including the use of artificial reality (AR) technology for experiencing Saudi Arabia and a startup called Kharitah that is revolutionizing smart tourism in the MENA region. Additionally, iOcean aims to establish m…
https://www.unwto.org/neom-tourism-experiences-of-the-futureClimate Adaptation & Heat · Urban heat / cooling measures
A document titled 'District-Cooling-Strategy-for-THE-LINE' indicates the existence of a district cooling strategy for THE LINE, a major project within NEOM.
https://www.scribd.com/document/688003817/District-Cooling-Strategy-for-THE-LINEAbout this assessment
NEOM was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-07-12 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.