Constructing smart cities is currently a pressing concern in many nations in an effort to address issues including environmental pollution, climate change, and the growing urban population. This study aims to understand the factors that influence the development of smart urban areas in a Vietnamese class I city. We collected research data by conducting a survey with 200 representative samples from Pleiku City. Research results have shown that the group of organizational and implementation factors has the greatest influence on smart urban construction in Pleiku City, with a rate of 30.23%. The human resource factor group has a rate of 27.77%, and the policy mechanism group has a rate of 23.36%. Finally, the planning factor group has a contribution rate of 18.65%. Policymakers can use this research result as a guide to implement smart urban construction projects in other cities in Vietnam. We also highlight some policy implications for various solutions, including human resources, finance, policy mechanisms, and planning.