NLC’s newly released 2025 State of the Cities (SOTC) report comes directly from the voices of local leaders across the country. This report outlines five critical priorities that cities across the nation are actively tackling: economic development, infrastructure, budget and management, housing and public health and safety. While at first glance these may each appear as separate priorities, a powerful, unifying thread runs throughout: the fundamental health and wellbeing of residents.
Wellbeing at the Core of City Function
Wellbeing in a city refers to the overall health and quality of life of all city residents. It encompasses the physical, mental and social health of residents, and the opportunities available to them to create meaningful futures.
A thriving city meets basic needs, such as access to food, safe and affordable housing, quality education and stable employment for everyone, especially for those disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities that limit their access to these essential resources. It also supports the social and emotional dimensions of wellbeing, fostering a sense of purpose, safety, belonging and social connection for every member of the community.
Cities play a pivotal role in shaping these essential conditions. However, not all residents have equal access to critical resources like healthcare, transportation, food and employment. Applying a wellbeing lens helps cities identify where access is lacking and guides city-wide strategies that address disparities and promote wellbeing for all residents.
“City leaders have a responsibility to create the conditions for residents to live healthy and connected lives. In Rochester, we view wellbeing as a foundational value reflected in our policies, programs and partnerships. When cities lead with wellbeing we don’t just solve problems, we build stronger and more resilient communities where everyone can thrive.”
– Mayor Kim Norton, Rochester, Minnesota
How Wellbeing Unites Across City Priorities
Wellbeing is the foundation of a thriving city and the unifying element that connects all five priorities identified by U.S. mayors in the SOTC report. By embracing wellbeing as a guiding principle, municipal leaders can intentionally design policies and investments that address long-standing disparities and improve health, opportunity and quality of life for all residents. Wellbeing is not an isolated issue. It is a critical thread that runs through every aspect of city life, including and especially the five priorities elevated in the SOTC report.
1. Economic Development
Mayors elevated the importance of business growth and workforce development as vital for a strong economy and job creation, but economic conditions also significantly impact resident health and wellbeing. Thriving businesses and a skilled workforce provide the jobs and income that enable individuals and families to access other essential resources like quality healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing and reliable transportation. Beyond basic needs, economic stability allows people to engage in leisure and cultural activities that promote mental and social health. Economic stability also gives people the opportunity to pursue education to access better job opportunities. Over time, robust economic conditions empower residents to build wealth, serving as a powerful catalyst for the wellbeing of future generations.
2. Infrastructure
While mayors largely focused on the physical aspects of infrastructure, like roads, bridges and buildings, infrastructure is deeply connected to residents’ physical, mental, emotional and social health. Yet, universal wellbeing has historically been absent from infrastructure planning, leading to inequities in access to clean air, safe water and green spaces.
Addressing these disparities requires looking beyond traditional construction practices to consider how people experience and interact with the spaces around them. Parks and urban forests, for example, are essential to resident wellbeing and have proven benefits for mental and emotional health. Similarly, public art, when thoughtfully integrated into urban environments, can enhance mental health, foster social belonging and strengthen social cohesion. As the physical foundation for where individuals live, work and play, infrastructure can also be a powerful connector to resources, like jobs, food and healthcare.
3. Budget and Management
Finally, mayors consistently cited budget and management uncertainty as one of their major concerns for the upcoming year, highlighting the necessity of creative and flexible funding to navigate challenges. How cities allocate and spend their funding speaks to the priorities and values they hold. This presents an opportunity for cities to center wellbeing, by directing funding to the communities with the greatest need while also breaking down silos across municipal departments to maximize efficient use of resources and achieve greater city-wide impact.
4. Housing
Consistently ranked in the top five mayoral priorities, mayors cited housing supply, affordability and quality as continuing challenges. Next to economic opportunity, housing is one of the most powerful determinants of individual health and quality of life. Where people live directly impacts their access to essential resources, their ability to secure stable employment and their exposure to health hazards, like lead, mold and environmental contaminants. Housing also plays a critical role in mental health. Stable housing provides a fundamental sense of security and safety, which are vital for reducing stress, improving mental well-being and enabling individuals to thrive.
5. Public Health and Safety
While both public health and safety were recurring themes in mayoral addresses, each takes distinct approaches to fostering community wellbeing. Public safety traditionally emphasizes response, enforcement and the protection of individuals from immediate threats and crime. Public health primarily focuses on prevention and addressing the root causes of disparities in health outcomes at a population level. Public health strategies span prevention, health promotion, environmental protection, policy development and emergency preparedness. City leaders are increasingly embracing the intersection of these two approaches, such as through alternative response models — recognizing their complementary strengths in fostering community wellbeing by creating holistic solutions that address both immediate crises and long-term societal factors.
Read the Full Report
Explore the rest of the State of the Cities 2025 report and see what America’s city leaders are saying matters most to them.
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