This report is based upon a review of the latest editions of more than more than 100 global city benchmark studies, which together span more than 450 discrete comparative metrics. These constitute all the global studies published since June 2020 in which Melbourne features, and they compare both how cities are performing and how they are perceived. They are complemented by 10 publicly available real time datasets in areas especially relevant to tracking recovery and change associated with COVID-19.

The report assesses Melbourne among a group of 20 cities. Scores in each category reflect its overall position among this group of 20. This provides a framework for tracking year-on-year performance against a consistent group of cities, and see how Melbourne’s scores are changing over time.

Benchmark studies are typically annual. They are based on latest available data in each city, which may be gathered up to 2 years prior. So the data underlying this 2022 edition includes data obtained before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and should not be viewed as a simple reflection on how well Melbourne has ‘dealt’ with COVID-19. The full impacts of the pandemic will likely become more evident in future years, especially on outcomes relating to population, talent and jobs. Benchmarks are best used to understand Melbourne’s relative performance over a medium term time frame – they reflect the impacts of decisions, policies and characteristics built up over many years.

Benchmarks mostly measure Greater Melbourne – which is to say the metropolitan area of Melbourne or the 31 local councils which comprise it. As such, benchmarks referenced in this document that refer to 'Melbourne' or 'the city' are referring to metropolitan Melbourne, unless it is otherwise specified that they are referring to the City of Melbourne, the CBD, or some other scale of analysis.