The Top 10 Smartest Cities In The U.S. & Canada Are…

For some reason, Americans get a lot of flack for our supposed lack of intelligence. So, it's always good to remind ourselves of our accomplishments.

Today's morale booster? Fast.Co's annual list of the top 10 smartest cities in North America (defined as the region, not the continent — the magazine will tackle Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific in the coming weeks). Note: "Smart," in this case, seems more like a smart car in terms of innovation than a population's average level of intellect. In addition to examining the cities' educational offerings, writer Boyd Cohen analyzed how the major urban environments in the two countries make their global footprint more sustainable and healthy and further progress their approach to creative governance.

Seattle topped this year's list with its abundant resources for startups. The city's digital accessibility makes it one of the most ideal locations in the region for someone looking to jump-start an idea. And, like a snowball, the more entrepreneurs that move to the city, the "smarter" it becomes in terms of environmentally sustainable living. Meanwhile, Boston and San Francisco tied for second, with Washington, D.C. in tow. Our humble city of New York rounded out the top five with its ample number of universities and one of the largest bike-sharing initiatives in the world, Citi Bike. The list crosses the border after New York, featuring three Canadian metropolitan areas.

(Fast.Co)