Here's how New York ranked on Time Out's list of most diverse and inclusive cities

There’s no doubt New York is one of the best cities in the world, but now we have definitive proof NYC is also officially a diverse and inclusive metropolis. Hubs across the globe may boast outstanding street food, dazzling nightlife culture, or easy navigation on foot— but those perks are pretty pointless if you don’t feel welcome there.  

This is exactly why Time Out asked 18,500 city-dwellers whether they’d describe their city as "diverse and inclusive" and the results are incredible. As federal (and, yes, international) clowning continues to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, the larger Time Out team has decided to do our own digging to seek out the spaces where locals feel most comfortable being themselves. 

And, on the list of the world’s most diverse and inclusive cities, New York unsurprisingly ranked near the top, coming in at No. 3 among 15 cities worldwide. (Actually, the Big Apple tied for Brighton, U.K. for the third-place spot.) Overall, London came out on top, with Melbourne, Australia claiming second place among their respective locals.

New York is one of the most diverse cities not only in the U.S. but the world, with more than 200 languages spoken and about 37-percent of residents born outside the country, according to the city’s official website. Along with Brighton, 76-percent of locals gave Gotham the stamp of approval for diversity and inclusion. 

The birthplace of the Stonewall Riots, NYC is widely known as one of the world’s most welcoming cities for LGBQT+ people. Today, neighborhoods beyond Greenwich and West Village are go-tos for queer nightlife, including Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen and Bushwick in Brooklyn.

Brighton, on the other side of the Atlantic, is a seaside city affectionately known as the United Kingdom’s Gay Capital. In fact, data from the 2023 census shows a higher proportion of people identifying as bi, pan, asexual and non-binary there than in any other city in England and Wales. Situated along Britain’s Southern coast, Brighton is also home to one of the most popular Pride celebrations in Europe, including queer nightlife hot spots along Kemptown and St James’s Street. 

If not New York, we’re happy to see London take the cake: a whopping 78-percent of survey respondents said they’d describe the U.K.’s capital as diverse and inclusive. With a long immigration history, London is perhaps considered the single-most diverse city on the planet. You’ll find around 300 languages are spoken in pockets of communities (Green Lanes, Little Korea, Little Lagos) throughout the city.  

Across the globe in Melbourne, 77-percent of locals praised the city's diversity. Originally named Naarm, Australia’s second-largest city lies across several different Indigenous Australian land divides. Melbourne honors those communities in its art scene and shows off a thriving Chinatown and huge Greek influence in its Southeastern suburbs, thanks to WWII emigrants. 

Check out the complete list of the 15 most diverse and inclusive cities in the world: 

1. London, UK
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Brighton, UK
   = New York, USA
4. Los Angeles, USA
5. Chicago, USA
6. Madrid, Spain
7. Barcelona, Spain
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Johannesburg, South Africa
   = Cape Town, South Africa
10. Montreal, Canada
    = Medellin, Colombia
    = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    = San Francisco, USA

Keep in mind: There are numerous factors that make a city great, and we've acutely assessed them all. Check out the complete collection of the best cities in the world for walkability, public transport, and green space, as well as the best cities for food, nightlife and culture. Oh, and here’s our latest annual list of the world’s best cities overall.