This is a classic Atlas Earth confusion that trips up many players! You might own hundreds of parcels but wonder why you're not climbing the leaderboards as expected.
How leaderboards actually work: Leaderboards only count the parcels in the city/state, province, etc./country you are in. Parcels purchased outside of the city/state, province, etc./country will not count towards the leaderboard for that area.
Why your total parcel count doesn't match leaderboard position:
City leaderboards:
Only in-city parcels count - Your 200 total parcels might include only 30 within actual city limits
Boundary surprises - Areas that feel like part of the city are often separate municipalities
Suburban exclusions - Many residential areas are technically different cities
Commercial district confusion - Shopping centers might be in adjacent jurisdictions
State/Province leaderboards:
Cross-border purchases - Vacation parcels in other states don't help your home ranking
Travel investments - Business trip parcels stay where you bought them
Seasonal properties - Beach house parcels count toward coastal state rankings, not your home
Country leaderboards:
International investments - Parcels in other countries are completely separate
Strict boundaries - Even border cities don't cross-count between nations
Separate competitions - Each country has its own independent leaderboard system
Special case - United Kingdom: The United Kingdom is considered 4 separate "countries" for game purposes, so there are separate leaderboards for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England. This means:
- Parcels in England don't count toward Scottish leaderboards
- Welsh properties don't help your Northern Ireland ranking
- Each region has completely independent competitions
Diagnosing your leaderboard position:
Check your boundary reality:
- Look at current location - Check the city/state/country shown at bottom of map
- Count relevant parcels - Only parcels in THAT specific jurisdiction count
- Compare apples to apples - Your 30 city parcels vs. mayor's 45 city parcels
- Track boundary changes - Watch location change as you move around
Visual audit process:
Use the webapp - app.atlasearth.com shows boundaries more clearly
Walk the borders - See where city names change on your map
Check multiple leaderboards - You might rank differently in different areas
Focus your strategy - Concentrate purchases where you want to rank high
Strategic solutions:
For climbing city leaderboards:
Audit your city portfolio - Count only parcels within official city boundaries
Consolidate strategically - Consider selling outer parcels to buy more downtown
Gap analysis - Calculate exactly how many more city parcels you need
Pick your battles - Focus on cities where you already have significant holdings
For state/province rankings:
Home field advantage - Concentrate on your home state first
Diversify smartly - Spread purchases across multiple cities within your state
Travel smart - When visiting other states, understand you're building separate portfolios
For national competition:
Choose your country - Focus on the nation where you want to compete
Massive commitment - National rankings require thousands of parcels
Long-term strategy - This is a marathon, not a sprint
International considerations: If you are playing from somewhere other than the United States, your jurisdictions follow the same principle but with your country's specific regional divisions.
💡 Pro tips:
- Quality over quantity - 50 parcels in the right city beats 200 scattered everywhere
- Study the competition - Check where current leaderboard leaders concentrate their holdings
- Use boundary knowledge - This understanding gives you a huge strategic advantage
- Plan your purchases - Every parcel should count toward a specific leaderboard goal
The silver lining: Once you understand boundaries, you can make much more strategic decisions and actually climb the leaderboards that matter to you!