// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Sunderland?
Sunderland, United Kingdom, scores 68% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #45 of 386 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
68%
Rank
#45 / 386
Criteria present
37 / 86
Evidence coverage
91.9%
Sunderland's smart city score by area
7 present · 6 partial · 0 absent · 2 not assessed
6 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
4 present · 9 partial · 0 absent
2 present · 8 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
6 present · 5 partial · 1 absent · 1 not assessed
8 present · 0 partial · 0 absent
4 present · 9 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
Where Sunderland is strong
- ▸Public Transport & Real-Time Information
- ▸Health & Digital Health
- ▸Innovation & Economic Development
- ▸Culture, Tourism & Recreation
- ▸Food Security & Urban Agriculture
Where the gaps are
- ▸Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin
- ▸Active & Shared Mobility
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model
- ▸Public Safety & Emergency
Evidence highlights
Open Data & Transparency · Programmatic API access
The UTMC Open Data Service explicitly states it provides traffic and travel related data sets through an 'open Application Programming Interface (API)' that is detailed on its site, allowing free access to live data.
https://www.netraveldata.co.uk/api/Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure · Public Wi-Fi network
Sunderland has a "superfast ground-breaking free Wi-Fi network" as part of its smart city initiatives, with usage statistics available through its open data platform.
https://www.sunderlandoursmartcity.com/networks-and-solutions/Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure · City IoT / sensor network
Sunderland has a low power, wide area wireless network (LoRaWAN) specifically designed for IoT solutions, connecting sensors and devices across the city as part of its smart city infrastructure.
https://www.sunderlandoursmartcity.com/networks-and-solutions/Public Transport & Real-Time Information · Public transport network
Sunderland is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro, a rapid light rail system with 60 stations, including several in Sunderland, and bus services provided by commercial operators and managed by Nexus. The Metro connects Sunderland with Newcastle, Gateshead, an…
https://buyandapply.nexus.org.uk/About this assessment
Sunderland 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.