The best Lego City sets 2024

With over a thousand Lego City sets to choose from, finding your next build can be tricky. The series covers all areas of urban life, from the humble food truck to the grand space shuttle. It also caters to Lego fans of all ages, abilities, and preferences. So, to make life a little easier, we’ve hand–picked some of the best Lego City sets on the market right now.

Below you’ll find (in our humble opinion), the best Lego sets in the City line. We’ve considered new Lego sets as well as old, with a focus on recommending those still widely available. We’ve also considered every budget, with cheap Lego sets as well as the most expensive Lego sets the city has to offer.

These are the best Lego City sets:

• 1. Lego City Downtown – the biggest set
• 2. Lego City Rocket Launch Center – best space set
• 3. Lego City Freight Train – best Lego City train
• 4. Lego City Deep Sea Explorer Submarine – best new set
• 5. Lego City Tractor – best small set 

1. Lego City Downtown

The biggest Lego City set for dedicated builders.

Pros:

• Large but kid-friendly
• High level of detail

Cons:

• One of the most expensive Lego City sets

If you want only the biggest Lego sets, go with Lego City Downtown. This little slice of urban life is made up of several different room modules that can be arranged however you like. It features a barbershop, vet clinic, rooftop DJ, comic book store, tech store, blogging studio, hotel, street food vendors, and even room for the janitor to store their supplies.

Each is crafted with high levels of detail, so the build is filled with joyous little surprises as you discover the secrets of each section. Plus, it comes with a road plate to connect Downtown with your other Lego City sets – the customization options keep expanding.

Because this is one of the largest sets in the series, it’s unsurprising Downtown comes with such a high price tag. Still, you’re paying less than you would for a Lego Star Wars set, and getting plenty of play and display value in the process. 

2. Lego City Rocket Launch Center

The best Lego City set that will send you to the stars.

Pros:

• Realistic details
• Lots of play value

Cons:

• Retired by Lego – may become hard to find

Lego fans with a love of space shouldn’t miss the Lego City Rocket Launch Center. Inspired by NASA, the set features a realistic observatory, launch tower, planet rover, drone – and of course a big old rocket, complete with a cargo bay, fuel tank, capsule, and boosters.

With a working lift to take minifigs to the rocket, an observatory with an opening roof, and a service vehicle to get everyone around, there’s plenty worth playing with in this set. We also think it makes a great Lego set for adults who want to admire a rocket ship on their shelves – it’s certainly one of the best-looking Lego City sets around right now.

While the recommended age is pretty young, we’d recommend having an adult around for this build in general – there are a lot of small, fiddly parts to build if you want to complete the whole set. 

3. Lego City Freight Train

The best Lego train set available in the City series.

Pros:

• Surprisingly powerful electric train
• A simple build, suitable for kids

Cons:

• Needs a lot of batteries to run

The Lego City Freight Train is a set that’s simple for builders of all ages to put together, and it offers heaps of value for money. The remote-controlled train packs a surprising punch, comfortably navigating the tracks with its cargo cars in tow. Along with the freight itself, the set comes with an auto carrier, two electric cars, and a reach stacker to load that cargo.

The Lego City Freight Train can be controlled via remote control or the Lego Powered Up App. However you choose to operate your railway system, you’re going to need ten batteries to get it running – a somewhat cumbersome extra investment when other charging methods exist.

Still, once you have got the power to bring it to life, this is a neat Lego train set. It strikes a great balance between simplicity and detail, and it’ll bring a lot of joy to any locomotive enthusiast, whatever their age. 

4. Lego City Deep Sea Explorer Submarine

The best new Lego City set released in 2023.

Pros:

• Colorful and imaginative design
• A simple build, suitable for kids

Cons:

• Feels expensive for its size

Perhaps our favorite Lego City set of 2023 is the Lego City Deep Sea Explorer Submarine. This is a gorgeous little set that comes with a detailed sub, six deep-sea-diving minifgs, a drone diving suit, and a shark-and-jellyfish-infested shipwreck. There’s a wonderful combination of realistic details and fun design at work here.

Despite its looks, the Deep Sea Explorer Submarine is a deceptively simple build. The sub has several moving parts, but it’s still pretty sturdy – making it ideal for some imaginative, interactive play. Its current price does feel a little steep, but there’s still plenty of value for money to be found here. 

5. Lego City Tractor

A compact Lego tractor that’s affordable and fun.

Pros:

• Great value for money
• A simple build, suitable for kids

Cons:

• Lack of complexity may not satisfy adult fans

The Lego City Tractor is a great beginner build for younger fans, and it’s a lovely little set for any Lego fan on a budget. It features a realistic-looking Lego tractor, along with two farmers, a tiny rabbit, and plenty of veggies and hay bales to cart around. It’s colorful, adorable, and perfect for play.

The set is clearly designed for a younger audience, and lovers of complexity may find this set a bit lackluster. But there’s plenty to appreciate about the tractor’s construction, which has a surprising amount of authenticity for all its simplicity. Plus, it’s incredibly budget-friendly, so we weren’t expecting thousands of pieces anyway.

For even more brick-building, here are the best Lego Mario sets and Lego Marvel sets to check out. We can also point you to our top Lego Technic sets, Lego Ideas sets, and the best Lego Architecture sets.