// CITY_ASSESSMENT

How smart is Leicester?

Leicester, United Kingdom, scores 64.8% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #67 of 386 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.

Smart score

64.8%

Rank

#67 / 386

Criteria present

43 / 86

Evidence coverage

81.4%

Leicester's smart city score by area

Data, Digital & Smart Foundation64%

4 present · 6 partial · 1 absent · 4 not assessed

Mobility & Transport63%

5 present · 5 partial · 2 absent

Environment, Energy & Climate79%

8 present · 3 partial · 1 absent · 1 not assessed

Infrastructure, Water & Waste78%

5 present · 4 partial · 0 absent · 2 not assessed

Health, Education, Safety & Inclusion83%

8 present · 4 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed

Economy, Innovation & Employment100%

7 present · 0 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed

Governance, Resilience & Operating Model77%

6 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed

Where Leicester is strong

  • Public Transport & Real-Time Information
  • Green Space & Biodiversity
  • Health & Digital Health
  • Culture, Tourism & Recreation
  • Food Security & Urban Agriculture

Where the gaps are

  • Open Data & Transparency
  • Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure
  • Critical Infrastructure Resilience
  • Active & Shared Mobility
  • Water & Sanitation

Evidence highlights

Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin · Integrated urban data platform

The Leicester Urban Observatory serves as a shared platform for urban practitioners at Leicester City Council and academics from three local universities, providing a space for discussing urban issues and sharing expertise and resources.

https://leicesterurbanobservatory.org/

Air Quality & Monitoring · Air-quality monitoring network

Leicester monitors air quality, specifically nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on an hourly mean basis and PM10 on an annual mean basis, as indicated by datasets available on the Leicester Open Data portal.

https://data.leicester.gov.uk/explore/dataset/air-quality-nitrogen-dioxide-hourly-mean/information/

Air Quality & Monitoring · Real-time air-quality data

Leicester provides open air quality data, including hourly mean nitrogen dioxide levels and annual mean PM10 levels, through its 'Leicester Open Data' portal.

https://data.leicester.gov.uk/explore/dataset/air-quality-nitrogen-dioxide-hourly-mean/information/

Climate Action & Emissions · Climate action plan

Leicester City Council adopted the "Climate Ready Leicester Plan" on September 5, 2024, which outlines its updated strategy and actions for responding to the climate emergency and working towards net-zero carbon emissions.

https://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/policies-plans-and-strategies/environment-and-sustainability/climate-ready-leicester/

About this assessment

Leicester was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-07-10 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.