Dutch Cities Lead Expanded PeopleForBikes International Bike Ratings
Utrecht and Amsterdam lead the large-city rankings in PeopleForBikes’ 2026 international City Ratings, each scoring 88 out of 100. The expanded ratings cover 403 cities in 38 countries, with Dutch communities also taking the top two spots among medium-size cities.
For American riders, the results offer a way to look beyond the local bike lane debate and see how other communities connect everyday destinations. But there are some important limits to what the scores tell us.
What the Ratings Measure
PeopleForBikes, a U.S. bicycling advocacy nonprofit and bicycle industry trade association, rates how well bicycle networks connect residents to destinations such as jobs, schools, healthcare, shopping and recreation. Scores run from zero to 100.
The emphasis is on useful, low-stress connections through slow streets, paths and protected bike lanes. This is a measure of everyday transportation access, rather than a ranking of scenic road rides or cycling vacation destinations. PeopleForBikes says communities scoring 50 or higher typically have connected, low-stress networks.
“Some of the best ideas for improving bicycling in your community might come from a city halfway around the world,” said Jenn Dice, PeopleForBikes’ president and CEO, in the announcement.
The International Leaders
Among large cities, with more than 300,000 residents, Utrecht and Amsterdam each scored 88, followed by Hannover, Germany, at 87. The Hague scored 85 and Rotterdam 84, putting four Dutch cities in the top five.
For medium-size cities, with 50,000 to 300,000 residents, Almere and Delft in the Netherlands tied at 88. Leuven, Belgium, and the Dutch cities of Rijswijk and Zoetermeer each scored 85.
Canada led the small-city category, with fewer than 50,000 residents. Canmore scored 87, followed by Chambly at 79, the City of London in England at 78, Sainte-Julie at 76 and Boucherville at 75.
This year’s international release adds 42 cities and includes 12 countries for the first time: Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Lithuania, Malaysia, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Vietnam.
How U.S. Communities Compare
Combined with the 3,019 U.S. communities rated earlier this year, the program now covers 3,422 communities worldwide.
The top U.S. small communities were Mackinac Island, Michigan; Old Orchard, Pennsylvania; and Crested Butte, Colorado, each scoring 100. Hoboken, New Jersey, led the medium-size group at 83, while Brooklyn, New York, led the large-city group at 70.
Those numbers need context. PeopleForBikes cautions against treating U.S. and international scores as direct one-to-one comparisons because population and employment data differ.
The organization also changed its methodology for 2026, including updated data and street-design standards. A change from last year’s score can therefore reflect the calculation as well as changes to the streets themselves.
For riders interested in improving local routes, the useful question is where a comfortable connection ends and a stressful stretch begins. The City Ratings website lets readers look up their own community, explore its network and compare results. The full international leaders list is also available from PeopleForBikes.
