Objective: It´s to analyze the perceptions of local leaders about the status of the city of Chapecó (SC) regarding the thematic axes of the Sustainable Cities Program. Methodology/approach: Descriptive study and qualitative approach. Data collection performed through eleven semi-structured interviews. Content analysis carried out from the categories established a priori, with the support of the Atlas TI software. Originality/Relevance: Sustainable cities is a broad and complex theme with different approaches. Thus, the focus on an expanding medium-sized city that acts as a regional hub and presents distinct spatialities of urban processes resulting from its complexity and interconnection is original. It makes it possible to contribute to discussions on people's well-being and quality of life, decent work, economic growth, innovation and infrastructure, reducing inequalities and sustainable cities and communities. Main results: The results showed the formation of urban polynuclei that make the medium-sized cities more balanced and more sustainable in terms of spatial distribution. Although foreseen in the municipal legislation that the first use to be consolidated is the residential, followed by economic activities, the latter depends a lot on the levels of income, infrastructure, the connection with the surroundings, public services and the saturation of the central urban area. It is possible to affirm that the city of Chapecó dedicates efforts in search of sustainability, but this commitment is still incipient. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The relationships between different dimensions that emerge in specific contexts of an average city are synergistic but also camouflage tensions between categories and main sustainable city practices.