Meet the Rhine’s stealthy success story: Mannheim. Few cities in our report rank so highly for Prosperity performance (#30) while ranking so low for Prosperity perception (#107). Its colossal, Baroque Mannheim Palace, home to the #15-ranked University of Mannheim (colloquially called the “Harvard of Germany”), could alone set the record straight. The world-changing inventions seal the deal. In 1817, the first-ever bicycle rolled through Mannheim’s streets. In 1886, Karl Benz – yes, that Benz – drove the first automobile through town. He would eventually create the first compact diesel-powered car here, a few years after Mannheim’s own Julius Hatry invented the first rocket plane.
Today, Mannheim – a city that has rebuilt itself more than once – remains ever the industrious German hub, hosting the likes of Mercedes-Benz Group, Südzucker (the world’s largest sugar producer), IBM and others. Unemployment is low (#19), and the standard of living ranks Top 20 in Europe. Perhaps the #11-ranked weather, among the warmest in Germany, has something to do with it? Off the clock, Mannheim is a UNESCO City of Music and a techno adept. Time Warp, a 19-hour electronic festival, happens yearly. After all, what’s all the hard work for if not a monumental party?