What Works for Inclusive Growth in Cities

Reader’s guide

This report is designed as a practical resource to help local and national policymakers develop and implement effective inclusive growth strategies. It combines evidence, policy guidance and concrete examples to support action at all levels of government.

How the report is structured

The report is organised in five chapters:

• Chapter 1 – Inclusive growth and why it matters for cities: Examines the relationship between economic growth and inclusion in cities.

• Chapter 2 – Trends and drivers of inclusive growth in cities: Analyses the trends and drivers of inclusive growth in cities, including the role of structural factors – city size, population change and economic profile – in shaping inclusive growth outcomes.

• Chapter 3 – Policies to support inclusive growth in cities: Provides evidence on policies that promote inclusive growth across the five pillars of the OECD Inclusive Growth in Cities framework: education, labour market, housing and the built environment, infrastructure and public services, and fair climate action. It also highlights the importance of cross-sectoral approaches, and the need to combine people-based approaches, to address cumulative disadvantages, with place‑based policies targeting spatial inequalities within cities.

• Chapter 4 – Key enabling factors for inclusive growth in cities: Unpacks seven critical enablers that underpin the design and delivery of inclusive growth in cities.

• Chapter 5 – A Roadmap for inclusive growth in cities: Presents an action-oriented, practical guide for policymakers to drive inclusive growth in cities.

The report is enriched by:

• Three in-depth case studies: focusing on specific groups of population – people at risk of poverty and social exclusion; youth; and people with a migrant background.

• An online tool: compiling a set of good practices from inclusive growth policies implemented in EU and OECD cities.

Scope and methodology

The analysis in the report primarily focuses on cities in the European Union, complemented by selected city examples from other OECD countries, in particular those participating in the OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth initiative, as well as additional good practices with strong relevance for EU cities.

The analysis underpinning the report draws on the results from an OECD/European Commission survey designed to identify key characteristics of strategies for reducing inequalities and promoting inclusive growth in cities (hereafter called the “OECD/EC survey”).

The survey was conducted in two iterative steps:

• Step 1 (October-December 2024) mapped the broader strategic context for inclusive growth in cities within and beyond the European Union, including strategic objectives, stakeholder involvement, budgets and multilevel governance.

• Step 2 (July-October 2025) collected detailed insights on concrete policy examples implemented in cities, forming the basis for the good practices showcased in the online tool.

Together, these two steps gather practical examples of effective strategies and policies (“what to do”) and actionable guidance on implementation (“how to do it”) for local leaders and national governments.