Rapid urbanization and the increasing complexity of urban challenges have made the evaluation of urban management performance essential. In this context, assessing citizens’ satisfaction with municipal services, infrastructure, governance, and institutional trust plays a critical role in improving urban management and promoting a citizen-centered approach in Bijar city. This study aims to analyze the key components of Bijar’s urban management performance and evaluate citizens’ perceptions of urban infrastructure, public services, urban governance, and institutional trust. This research employed a quantitative survey approach. The statistical population consisted of residents of Bijar, and the sample size was determined using Cochran’s formula and selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected utilizing a researcher-made questionnaire based on theoretical foundations and previous studies, covering the study’s four main components. Content validity was confirmed by experts, and reliability was verified through Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis. Findings indicate that the questionnaire possesses acceptable validity and reliability, and there is a significant relationship between urban management performance and citizens’ satisfaction. Urban services exhibited the strongest impact on satisfaction (path coefficient = 0.956), followed by urban infrastructure (0.952), urban governance (0.935), and institutional trust (0.613). The results highlight that improving service quality, strengthening infrastructure, and enhancing transparency, accountability, and trust can increase citizen satisfaction and support citizen-oriented urban governance, particularly in medium-sized cities such as Bijar. These findings underscore the need for integrated urban policies that align service provision, governance reform, and trust-building measures, enabling municipal authorities to respond more effectively to citizens’ expectations and to promote sustainable, inclusive, and accountable urban development in Bijar city.