This ranking underscores the successful use of digitalization in urban development and demonstrates Lemgo's progressive orientation.

"Of course, there is still a lot of potential for improvement, but cities like Lemgo show how tradition and digital innovation can blend harmoniously. With projects such as the MPSC project ‘Digital.Interkommunal’ and our real-world laboratory ‘Lemgo Digital’, we are actively driving forward digital change while creating tangible added value for citizens in a wide range of areas of life," explains Prof. Dr. Jürgen Jasperneite, head of the Fraunhofer Institute in Lemgo.

The Smart City Ranking by Haselhorst Associates evaluates over 400 German cities based on more than 33,000 publicly available data points from ten areas of urban services. The focus is not only on static data, but also on specific projects and strategies that drive digital progress. All German cities with more than 30,000 inhabitants are included.

Other cities in the region are also focusing on a digital future: Gütersloh occupies a strong position with 41.19% and 38th place, while Minden ranks 48th with 39.76%. These cities demonstrate how the East Westphalia-Lippe region is playing a pioneering role in digital urban development.

The Smart City Ranking offers valuable guidance for cities on how they can continue to drive forward their digital transformation in order to offer their citizens a sustainable and livable environment.