Simply speaking, cities are classified based on a matrix that qualifies each city under three core factors, including:
Size: Number of Overall Properties + Area
Price: Average Real-World Prices of Properties
Icon Factor: Measure of the City’s Status
Each city is scored 1-3 for each of these factors to determine the overall tier. For example, Manhattan is a world-renowned city known for high property prices but is actually on the smaller end in terms of size. As such, Manhattan would be classified as a 1-3-1 City. While its icon factor and property prices are certainly among the top cities in the world, it comes up “short” in terms of its physical footprint.