Best Cities 2017

The Cities Creating The Most High-Wage Jobs

Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 01:38:56 -0400

As the country moves toward full employment, at least as economists define it, the quality of jobs has replaced joblessness as the primary concern. With wages still stagnant, rising an anemic 2.5% in the year to May, the biggest challenge for most parts of the U.S. is not getting more people into the workforce but rather driving the creation of the types of jobs that can sustain a middle-class quality of life.

To that end, the key sector to watch is business and professional services. By far the nation’s largest high-wage sector -- including such fields as law, accounting, architecture, advertising, engineering, scientific research and development, and computer systems design – it employs 20.5 million Americans, roughly the same as the finance and manufacturing industries combined. Over the past decade, the number of people working in business and professional services has expanded by nearly 2.5 million, including an increase of more than half a million jobs in the last year.

We decided to take a look at which metropolitan areas are gaining the most professional and business services jobs and the trends that are driving some to pull ahead while others fade. Our rankings look at employment in the sector over time— assessing short, medium and long-term job trends and adding in variables for persistence and momentum as well. The results of these trends, based on three-month averages, are normalized and each metropolitan statistical area is assigned a score based on its relative position in each area. The rankings this year produced some surprising results, as well as some familiar stories.

The shift to affordable places

Looking at the 70 largest labor markets in the country, the clear winners are affordable, business-friendly locales – and their momentum is growing. These span an array of regions, from the Midwest heartland to the Deep South, Texas and the Intermountain West.

Our number one metro area for professional and business service jobs, Nashville, Tenn., epitomizes many of the characteristics that drive high-end employment today. Since 2011, Nashville’s job count in professional and business services has expanded a remarkable 42.6% to 160,300, easily the highest growth rate of any major metropolitan area. Management and technical consulting, architecture and related services have led this growth.

The very forces that lead companies to Nashville -- low taxes and a pro-business regulatory environment -- also apply to several of our other top 10 places. These include No. 2 Kansas City, Mo., which has logged 28.4% growth since 2011. KC, better known in the rest of the country for barbecue and its music scene (though not quite Nashville), has grown a vibrant economy based in good part on service businesses in architecture and innovative administrative support models (especially for health care providers), accounting for some 100,000 jobs in professional and business services.

But for the most part of the fastest-growing areas for business services are also the same areas that did best on our overall list. These include the Texas powerhouses of Austin-Round Rock (third), Dallas-Plano-Irving (fifth), and San Antonio-Braunfels (sixth), all of which logged 25% job growth or more since 2011. Salt Lake City, ranked ninth, has become a major magnet for business service, outpacing such hot spots as 21st-ranked Seattle and No. 28 Denver. Charlotte, another consistent performer, ranked eighth.

The last big region for fast-growing high-wage service jobs is Florida, led by 10th-ranked Orlando, 11th-place Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater and No. 14 Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach. Better known for its huge hospitality industry, Florida cities like Orlando have become major lures to large companies seeking lower costs and taxes. Orlando is home to corporate or regional headquarters of Darden Restaurants, Tupperware, AAA, Deloitte, and the fast-growing auto service firm, Greenway Automotive. Over the last two years, the business services sector grew more than tourism, adding almost 24,000 jobs compared to 21,300 for tourism.

Places Where Value Still Outpaces Costs

Yet not all of the economies creating the most high-wage jobs are in the lower-cost states. There remains a handful of places with high taxes and strict regulation that are attractive to businesspeople. Perhaps the best example is San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, which is down two notches from last year to fourth place, but remains on a tear, with over 34% growth since 2011. This growth is driven in large part by the tech industry, which is increasingly integrated into business services.

One prime example is Salesforce.com, a firm with strong tech assets, but whose customer relationship management tools are firmly in the business service space. The company has quadrupled its sales to $8 billion since 2012 and now employs 6,600 people at its San Francisco headquarters, making it the second largest private employer in the city after the venerable Wells Fargo.

Seventh-ranked San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, the capital of Silicon Valley, has also been able to dodge the cost bullet, enjoying 34% business services job growth since 2011. Other high cost areas that have seen impressive growth in business services include No. 20 New York, with 21.2% growth since 2011 to 735,300 jobS

the most of any metro area in the nation, as well as No. 24 Boston, with 17.1% growth over the same period. As competitive pressure in these tech-heavy metro areas has surged, it has driven up the local demand for professional services.

Many other high-cost metro areas have not done so well. In Southern California, 32nd-ranked Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, with a job growth rate of 19.3%, is the pick of the litter. Other parts of this heavily populated area do worse, including San Diego 49th ) and Los Angeles (53rd), where growth was 11.6%, way below the average of 16.5% for large MSAs. Riverside-San Bernardino, which did respectably in our overall job growth survey, ranked a poor 67th in business services, with a 6.9% drop last year.

What the future may bring

The future of business services presents a mixed picture. Areas with particularly strong technical expertise, such as the Bay Area and Boston, and financial talent, notably New York, continue to do well. Yet job growth is slowing in all three; San Jose and San Francisco posted the lowest growth among the top 10 metro areas in 2016, well below such places as Nashville, San Antonio and Kansas City.

Does this suggest a developing trend? Certainly the ease of online communication may grease the skids for firms to locate people in less expensive regions. Although salaries for business professionals are higher in places like San Francisco or New York, the cost of living, particularly housing, cuts into the value of their salaries. Estimated median home prices in the City by the Bay hit $1.5 million in May, more than six times the national median price of $244,800.

Further down the road, we may also see the shift of some business to small and mid-sized cities, which constituted 10 of the top 12 fastest growing areas for business service jobs, led by such diverse places as Wausau, Wisc., Monroe, Mich., and College Station, Texas. As companies look to cut costs and still offer a middle-class standard of living to their employees, such shifts could be in hand. If so, the much dismissed prospects for small cities may prove far brighter than many may expect.

This piece originally appeared on Forbes.

Joel Kotkin is executive editor of NewGeography.com. He is the Roger Hobbs Distinguished Fellow in Urban Studies at Chapman University and executive director of the Houston-based Center for Opportunity Urbanism. His newest book is The Human City: Urbanism for the rest of us. He is also author of The New Class Conflict, The City: A Global History, and The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050. He lives in Orange County, CA.

Dr. Michael Shires primary areas of teaching and research include state, regional and local policy; technology and democracy; higher education policy; strategic, political and organizational issues in public policy; and quantitative analysis. He often serves as a consultant to local and state government on issues related to finance, education policy and governance. Dr. Shires has been quoted as an expert in various publications including USA Today, Newsweek, The Economist, The Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, and LA Times. He has also appeared as a guest commentator on CNN, KTLA and KCAL to name a few.

Photo by Peter Miller, via Flickr, using CC License.

All Cities Business Services Jobs - 2017 Best Cities Rankings

Mark Schill — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:12:04 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 MSA Prof & Bus Svcs - Overall Ranking	Area	Weighted INDEX	2016 Nonfarm Emplymt (1000s)	Total Prof & Bus Svcs Emplymt Growth Rate 2015-2016	Overall Rank Change 2016 to 2017
1	Wausau, WI	92.5	73.0	13.8%	110
2	Monroe, MI	91.1	42.1	4.6%	1
3	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	89.7	968.8	5.2%	(1)
4	College Station-Bryan, TX	89.6	116.5	8.9%	9
5	Provo-Orem, UT	89.0	243.4	5.8%	13
6	Jackson, TN	88.9	68.8	10.0%	4
7	Salisbury, MD-DE	88.1	149.7	14.0%	30
8	Grants Pass, OR	87.8	25.8	14.8%	124
9	Bend-Redmond, OR	86.7	78.5	5.6%	23
10	Topeka, KS	85.8	113.4	7.5%	119
11	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	85.5	249.5	8.0%	5
12	Kansas City, MO	85.3	608.6	9.0%	35
13	Cleveland, TN	84.2	51.7	12.5%	228
14	Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div	84.1	45.2	5.3%	295
15	Olympia-Tumwater, WA	83.8	114.7	3.6%	66
16	Gainesville, FL	83.5	143.3	7.1%	56
17	Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY	82.8	57.2	5.4%	(10)
18	Laredo, TX	82.0	104.2	11.3%	5
19	Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	81.9	96.8	4.1%	213
20	Austin-Round Rock, TX	81.7	1,015.4	3.7%	(12)
21	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	81.5	199.3	10.3%	3
22	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	81.3	237.3	7.2%	180
23	St. George, UT	80.2	61.8	2.1%	(11)
24	Boise City, ID	79.9	311.0	10.4%	248
25	San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metro Div	79.5	1,108.6	2.8%	(20)
26	Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metro Div	79.3	2,554.6	5.5%	(5)
27	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	79.2	1,027.9	5.5%	70
28	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	79.0	1,084.7	2.6%	(14)
29	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	78.9	301.9	5.4%	46
30	Morristown, TN	78.6	46.2	15.1%	204
31	Springfield, IL	78.2	115.7	14.4%	90
32	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	78.2	154.1	10.4%	125
33	State College, PA	77.7	78.0	7.8%	106
34	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	76.3	1,170.0	4.8%	(5)
35	Salt Lake City, UT	76.2	713.6	4.4%	49
36	Lubbock, TX	76.0	146.9	7.3%	49
37	Elkhart-Goshen, IN	75.9	132.7	7.0%	62
38	Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	75.7	109.8	4.0%	66
39	Spartanburg, SC	75.7	149.4	8.9%	145
40	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	75.6	1,233.2	4.8%	(14)
41	Yuba City, CA	75.3	43.4	13.6%	49
42	Redding, CA	75.2	66.1	7.4%	6
43	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	75.2	1,321.1	5.2%	(9)
44	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	75.1	2,721.2	4.6%	(1)
45	Sioux Falls, SD	74.9	153.4	6.3%	(34)
46	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	74.8	670.8	5.2%	(10)
47	Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metro Div	74.3	836.9	4.1%	16
48	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	73.8	964.6	4.6%	7
49	Ann Arbor, MI	73.8	220.3	7.9%	34
50	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	73.3	350.5	5.9%	66
51	Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	73.2	148.2	10.9%	93
52	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	71.9	958.1	6.7%	141
53	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	71.8	262.6	2.0%	(34)
54	Port St. Lucie, FL	71.7	146.4	6.7%	10
55	Fort Smith, AR-OK	71.7	113.9	2.4%	181
56	Waco, TX	71.6	119.8	0.0%	(29)
57	Raleigh, NC	71.5	610.1	4.7%	(35)
58	Savannah, GA	70.5	177.9	12.4%	56
59	Tacoma-Lakewood, WA Metro Div	70.4	309.8	-0.3%	36
60	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	70.2	307.1	5.1%	107
61	Philadelphia City, PA	69.9	714.0	4.9%	139
62	Kankakee, IL	69.8	44.9	18.5%	124
63	Monroe, LA	69.6	79.5	5.2%	193
64	Eugene, OR	69.6	158.4	5.6%	78
65	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	69.6	1,153.4	1.8%	(35)
66	Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	69.4	145.2	1.3%	47
67	New York City, NY	68.9	4,388.9	3.1%	(23)
68	Santa Rosa, CA	68.7	202.0	7.6%	42
69	Tallahassee, FL	68.3	181.7	9.0%	194
70	Charlottesville, VA	67.8	115.5	1.8%	(45)
71	Boulder, CO	67.8	188.2	5.7%	132
72	Reno, NV	67.6	225.1	4.2%	21
73	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	67.5	249.8	0.8%	(17)
74	Madison, WI	67.4	399.4	4.2%	29
75	Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metro Div	67.2	1,664.4	2.6%	(17)
76	Ocala, FL	67.0	103.5	10.7%	190
77	Dover, DE	66.6	69.3	4.5%	(1)
78	Wilmington, NC	66.6	123.5	5.5%	45
79	Athens-Clarke County, GA	66.6	94.4	3.0%	17
80	Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metro Div	66.5	1,180.1	2.6%	26
81	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	66.1	360.1	2.8%	(43)
82	Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div	66.1	155.0	3.9%	228
83	Flagstaff, AZ	65.8	66.2	8.9%	(34)
84	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	65.6	143.0	4.2%	25
85	Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div	65.4	59.5	4.4%	33
86	Gary, IN Metro Div	65.1	280.2	6.3%	204
87	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	64.8	151.9	9.4%	229
88	Asheville, NC	64.7	188.7	1.8%	(31)
89	Jackson, MI	64.4	57.4	3.6%	214
90	Watertown-Fort Drum, NY	64.3	42.0	0.0%	240
91	Lincoln, NE	64.3	189.9	8.0%	73
92	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL Metro Div	64.2	623.6	3.3%	(18)
93	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Div	64.2	1,831.6	2.7%	27
94	Bowling Green, KY	64.1	76.3	6.1%	(29)
95	Greeley, CO	64.0	100.3	2.1%	(62)
96	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	63.8	2,015.6	3.3%	5
97	Modesto, CA	63.6	173.5	3.7%	54
98	Yuma, AZ	63.6	55.9	7.0%	35
99	Salem, OR	63.0	162.1	2.8%	(5)
100	Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, NJ	62.8	895.9	1.9%	0
101	Lawton, OK	62.7	45.9	3.0%	(95)
102	Janesville-Beloit, WI	62.5	67.6	2.2%	(93)
103	El Paso, TX	62.5	315.1	3.8%	89
104	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	62.4	1,056.9	0.8%	(34)
105	Panama City, FL	62.0	82.6	-0.9%	(3)
106	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	62.0	219.6	6.7%	30
107	Lexington-Fayette, KY	61.9	281.2	-2.1%	0
108	Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	61.7	128.3	6.8%	74
109	Napa, CA	61.3	70.9	3.0%	(92)
110	Montgomery, AL	61.0	173.4	6.5%	203
111	San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	61.0	114.5	-3.2%	(45)
112	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	61.0	1,442.3	1.7%	(61)
113	Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metro Div	60.7	1,150.1	2.4%	(5)
114	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA	60.6	571.5	2.1%	(32)
115	York-Hanover, PA	59.7	184.5	3.3%	40
116	Tuscaloosa, AL	59.5	105.9	1.3%	(74)
117	Johnson City, TN	59.4	80.0	6.9%	153
118	Jackson, MS	59.3	280.2	-0.4%	59
119	Fort Collins, CO	59.2	162.6	3.0%	92
120	Toledo, OH	59.2	313.5	3.9%	101
121	Wichita, KS	58.8	296.9	4.0%	20
122	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	58.8	242.3	3.2%	(51)
123	Salinas, CA	58.7	137.9	-0.5%	(32)
124	Prescott, AZ	58.5	62.6	3.9%	(55)
125	Orange-Rockland-Westchester, NY	58.3	712.1	4.2%	87
126	Springfield, MO	58.2	212.6	2.4%	(49)
127	South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	57.9	142.9	2.4%	27
128	Lake Charles, LA	57.8	111.3	-1.1%	(124)
129	Huntsville, AL	57.7	228.8	1.4%	16
130	Yakima, WA	57.7	84.5	13.4%	10
131	Trenton, NJ	57.6	269.6	-0.7%	(116)
132	Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metro Div	57.0	1,592.2	2.2%	37
133	Ithaca, NY	56.7	64.9	1.0%	4
134	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA	56.7	582.6	1.0%	(19)
135	Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div	56.4	66.2	3.7%	(57)
136	Killeen-Temple, TX	56.0	146.5	3.0%	22
137	Logan, UT-ID	55.9	60.9	1.7%	(3)
138	Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metro Div	55.3	1,236.6	1.9%	(12)
139	New Bedford, MA NECTA	55.2	68.2	-7.6%	(138)
140	Reading, PA	55.0	178.5	-0.1%	(72)
141	Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA	54.9	51.8	0.0%	31
142	Chattanooga, TN-GA	54.9	255.5	2.5%	(83)
143	Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA	54.8	42.4	3.2%	58
144	Appleton, WI	54.5	125.9	3.0%	106
145	Clarksville, TN-KY	54.4	89.8	3.5%	25
146	Columbus, OH	54.4	1,077.8	1.6%	(24)
147	Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL	54.3	52.1	4.5%	93
148	Amarillo, TX	53.4	121.4	2.8%	12
149	Baton Rouge, LA	53.3	405.2	1.2%	(70)
150	Idaho Falls, ID	53.3	63.9	5.1%	58
151	Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div	53.0	129.3	-0.2%	(3)
152	Morgantown, WV	52.9	70.9	-0.5%	(117)
153	Framingham, MA NECTA Div	52.5	173.9	-0.1%	(67)
154	Akron, OH	52.5	340.8	2.7%	75
155	Muskegon, MI	52.5	62.7	5.8%	4
156	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	52.5	500.1	1.3%	(28)
157	Fresno, CA	52.3	339.1	1.1%	59
158	Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metro Div	52.3	1,337.8	3.2%	73
159	St. Louis, MO-IL	52.3	1,368.7	1.4%	46
160	Bangor, ME NECTA	51.8	66.4	1.0%	2
161	Kingston, NY	51.8	62.0	3.0%	20
162	Camden, NJ Metro Div	51.4	540.4	-0.1%	(37)
163	Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Div	51.2	3,717.2	0.5%	24
164	Springfield, OH	51.2	49.6	-2.1%	(144)
165	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	51.1	551.2	1.8%	104
166	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	50.5	256.4	3.8%	41
167	Richmond, VA	50.4	666.4	-4.5%	(139)
168	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Div	50.1	2,653.9	2.4%	10
169	Bellingham, WA	49.9	92.0	-0.8%	(23)
170	Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA	49.9	124.9	-0.5%	(97)
171	Northern Virginia, VA	49.5	1,449.9	2.6%	24
172	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	49.3	1,964.8	1.9%	26
173	Auburn-Opelika, AL	49.3	63.8	0.5%	(128)
174	Springfield, MA-CT NECTA	49.2	334.8	2.7%	(31)
175	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	48.6	3,017.5	0.0%	(48)
176	Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metro Div	48.6	1,058.2	1.7%	0
177	Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	48.0	48.5	14.6%	78
178	Jacksonville, FL	48.0	677.5	1.2%	(80)
179	Iowa City, IA	47.9	101.9	4.5%	(11)
180	Fort Wayne, IN	47.8	221.0	3.8%	43
181	Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div	47.8	81.6	0.9%	39
182	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	47.5	1,439.0	0.2%	8
183	Calvert-Charles-Prince George's, MD	47.5	404.3	2.9%	2
184	Pittsburgh, PA	47.4	1,165.0	1.0%	(9)
185	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	47.3	466.5	2.8%	121
186	Manchester, NH NECTA	47.2	110.9	-0.8%	(132)
187	Baltimore City, MD	47.1	367.5	-0.6%	72
188	Peoria, IL	46.8	173.0	0.0%	22
189	Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div	46.8	97.1	2.0%	86
190	Knoxville, TN	46.8	395.7	-0.7%	(128)
191	New Haven, CT NECTA	46.6	281.7	0.6%	(25)
192	Barnstable Town, MA NECTA	46.6	100.6	1.6%	26
193	Fargo, ND-MN	46.4	142.2	0.2%	(152)
194	Billings, MT	46.4	84.9	4.6%	169
195	Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	46.1	91.1	0.0%	(57)
196	Delaware County, PA	45.9	235.9	1.0%	(66)
197	Colorado Springs, CO	45.9	281.6	-0.5%	(3)
198	Mansfield, OH	45.6	52.6	3.1%	149
199	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	45.6	261.1	-6.8%	(75)
200	Stockton-Lodi, CA	45.6	227.9	-2.2%	(169)
201	Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ	45.5	928.9	2.3%	53
202	Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	45.3	104.8	4.0%	20
203	Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI	45.3	75.2	2.4%	(50)
204	Coeur d'Alene, ID	45.1	60.6	1.1%	146
205	Cedar Rapids, IA	45.1	143.9	3.4%	90
206	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	45.1	354.8	-0.2%	32
207	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metro Div	45.0	4,442.2	1.1%	36
208	East Stroudsburg, PA	44.8	57.7	0.0%	22
209	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	44.8	646.2	-3.2%	(148)
210	Winston-Salem, NC	44.6	262.3	-2.0%	(121)
211	Urban Honolulu, HI	44.5	481.1	0.7%	(23)
212	Battle Creek, MI	44.4	59.4	0.5%	52
213	Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA	44.1	200.9	0.7%	(22)
214	Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ	43.9	60.1	-3.7%	124
215	Canton-Massillon, OH	43.9	171.7	2.8%	104
216	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	43.8	339.0	-3.7%	(111)
217	Kansas City, KS	43.8	469.2	-0.6%	(82)
218	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	43.7	1,087.6	1.6%	33
219	Corvallis, OR	43.6	42.2	-2.3%	(159)
220	Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Div	43.6	1,023.6	0.7%	(1)
221	Dayton, OH	43.4	385.4	0.9%	(7)
222	Rockford, IL	43.4	150.0	3.1%	(91)
223	Macon, GA	43.2	103.5	0.3%	(143)
224	Victoria, TX	42.9	42.2	5.3%	(51)
225	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	42.5	235.5	0.5%	20
226	Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA	42.5	90.6	-2.8%	(114)
227	Mobile, AL	42.3	179.0	0.1%	40
228	Punta Gorda, FL	42.2	48.9	-2.9%	(111)
229	Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metro Div	42.2	753.3	2.2%	(16)
230	Fond du Lac, WI	41.8	48.4	-1.2%	(163)
231	Lancaster, PA	41.7	250.3	-2.2%	17
232	Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metro Div	41.6	598.0	2.0%	68
233	Michigan City-La Porte, IN	41.4	41.3	5.0%	20
234	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	41.1	213.4	4.6%	83
235	Bismarck, ND	41.1	73.5	-5.2%	(196)
236	Burlington, NC	40.4	61.7	-0.6%	(148)
237	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	40.4	412.4	-3.2%	(197)
238	Danbury, CT NECTA	40.3	79.5	-1.1%	(42)
239	Medford, OR	40.1	86.2	1.4%	43
240	Columbus, IN	40.0	52.9	-0.6%	(148)
241	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	40.0	577.0	0.6%	(35)
242	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	40.0	305.9	1.0%	98
243	Dalton, GA	39.8	69.8	3.3%	38
244	Grand Forks, ND-MN	39.7	59.0	2.2%	24
245	Syracuse, NY	39.6	317.6	3.1%	119
246	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	39.5	138.8	1.3%	25
247	Tyler, TX	39.3	106.0	0.4%	52
248	San Rafael, CA Metro Div	39.3	115.9	1.5%	(31)
249	Rapid City, SD	39.0	65.8	1.3%	12
250	Roanoke, VA	38.9	163.5	0.2%	(100)
251	Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro Div	38.8	404.0	-4.9%	9
252	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	38.4	522.9	0.4%	(8)
253	Pittsfield, MA NECTA	38.2	41.4	0.0%	32
254	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	38.2	565.7	2.3%	91
255	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	37.7	1,051.8	0.9%	22
256	Owensboro, KY	37.7	53.5	-0.8%	(104)
257	Lewiston, ID-WA	37.5	28.7	2.5%	91
258	Evansville, IN-KY	37.5	159.0	1.4%	34
259	Greensboro-High Point, NC	37.4	361.6	-0.3%	(213)
260	Bakersfield, CA	37.4	258.1	2.1%	45
261	Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA	37.4	122.4	1.7%	(24)
262	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	37.3	857.0	-1.6%	(37)
263	Lawrence, KS	37.1	54.7	-2.9%	65
264	Rochester, NY	37.0	532.9	-1.4%	20
265	Abilene, TX	37.0	68.3	-0.6%	(32)
266	Kennewick-Richland, WA	36.7	110.6	1.8%	(38)
267	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	36.6	174.3	-0.6%	(118)
268	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	36.5	1,436.3	-6.9%	(59)
269	Pueblo, CO	36.4	62.2	-1.0%	(216)
270	Texarkana, TX-AR	36.0	60.6	-0.8%	(151)
271	Bay City, MI	35.8	36.4	3.2%	(106)
272	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	35.6	182.9	-1.6%	(25)
273	Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	35.6	87.8	3.9%	82
274	Terre Haute, IN	35.4	71.6	4.6%	22
275	Chico, CA	35.1	81.7	-0.6%	(104)
276	Saginaw, MI	34.8	89.1	-0.3%	(189)
277	Albuquerque, NM	34.7	390.1	0.6%	41
278	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	34.6	768.4	-0.6%	1
279	Decatur, IL	34.6	51.4	-2.9%	15
280	St. Cloud, MN	34.3	108.4	0.0%	(53)
281	Utica-Rome, NY	33.9	126.5	2.0%	72
282	Walla Walla, WA	33.9	28.2	0.0%	(85)
283	Eau Claire, WI	33.8	85.2	0.4%	(41)
284	Altoona, PA	33.4	60.7	0.0%	(10)
285	Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA	33.3	51.7	-0.5%	(111)
286	Lima, OH	33.0	52.9	-4.8%	(125)
287	Corpus Christi, TX	32.8	191.0	-3.7%	(107)
288	Newark, NJ-PA Metro Div	32.7	1,193.8	-0.8%	(64)
289	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	32.4	182.9	-0.2%	4
290	Columbus, GA-AL	32.3	121.5	-0.8%	(12)
291	Glens Falls, NY	32.3	54.9	0.6%	(56)
292	Oklahoma City, OK	31.6	628.3	-1.7%	(53)
293	Worcester, MA-CT NECTA	31.5	284.1	0.1%	50
294	Las Cruces, NM	31.5	73.2	-0.5%	28
295	Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV	31.3	108.9	-4.2%	(96)
296	Bloomington, IN	31.3	77.5	4.5%	64
297	Duluth, MN-WI	31.2	135.3	-0.8%	11
298	Niles-Benton Harbor, MI	31.2	61.1	-1.8%	(52)
299	Hanford-Corcoran, CA	31.2	38.5	0.0%	2
300	Tulsa, OK	31.1	444.4	-0.6%	23
301	Gadsden, AL	31.0	38.6	-8.1%	(251)
302	Dothan, AL	31.0	57.8	1.5%	44
303	Champaign-Urbana, IL	30.3	109.8	1.7%	36
304	Santa Fe, NM	30.2	63.5	-0.7%	(47)
305	Columbia, SC	30.1	395.4	-8.3%	(126)
306	Waterbury, CT NECTA	29.7	67.0	-1.8%	21
307	Erie, PA	29.3	127.8	1.0%	(9)
308	Pocatello, ID	28.5	35.8	-5.3%	(152)
309	Racine, WI	28.1	76.9	2.2%	6
310	Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	27.4	101.4	-2.4%	(127)
311	Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metro Div	27.0	359.8	-3.6%	(62)
312	Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA	26.8	60.1	-13.0%	(260)
313	Sherman-Denison, TX	26.8	46.7	-6.7%	18
314	El Centro, CA	26.7	53.0	-6.9%	11
315	Carson City, NV	26.3	28.6	3.7%	41
316	Bremerton-Silverdale, WA	26.3	89.1	-3.7%	(12)
317	Cheyenne, WY	26.3	46.0	-1.0%	27
318	Tucson, AZ	26.0	377.8	-2.3%	(114)
319	Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA	26.0	129.0	-1.1%	(5)
320	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	25.9	361.6	-7.1%	(18)
321	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	25.6	163.7	-1.8%	(106)
322	Rochester, MN	25.3	118.5	-2.4%	14
323	Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL	25.3	45.8	2.3%	43
324	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	25.1	223.7	-1.7%	10
325	Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Div	25.0	143.5	-0.3%	27
326	Rocky Mount, NC	24.9	58.0	0.0%	(14)
327	Missoula, MT	24.9	59.8	-2.1%	10
328	Flint, MI	24.8	140.7	-0.9%	(17)
329	Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA	24.5	54.6	-10.7%	(182)
330	Greenville, NC	24.4	79.3	0.5%	(44)
331	Great Falls, MT	24.3	35.9	-2.2%	(58)
332	Danville, IL	23.9	28.6	1.7%	(56)
333	Sheboygan, WI	23.6	61.8	-0.8%	(7)
334	Fayetteville, NC	23.5	130.6	-5.7%	(46)
335	Grand Junction, CO	23.3	60.9	-3.2%	(48)
336	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	23.2	180.1	-0.4%	15
337	La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	22.8	79.0	-0.5%	21
338	Decatur, AL	22.6	53.6	-2.5%	3
339	Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	22.3	137.2	-3.9%	(113)
340	Visalia-Porterville, CA	22.3	125.6	-8.3%	(82)
341	Midland, TX	21.2	87.5	-8.9%	(178)
342	Bloomington, IL	21.2	93.0	-2.4%	17
343	Elgin, IL Metro Div	21.2	253.1	-5.5%	(52)
344	Longview, TX	21.0	96.8	-4.2%	(79)
345	Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div	20.7	82.6	-0.7%	(24)
346	San Angelo, TX	20.0	48.8	-2.7%	(22)
347	Binghamton, NY	19.9	104.3	-2.6%	2
348	Lynchburg, VA	18.7	104.5	-3.9%	6
349	Fairbanks, AK	18.4	36.1	-4.6%	(69)
350	Albany, OR	17.7	44.0	-11.1%	(98)
351	Charleston, WV	17.4	118.9	-5.6%	(44)
352	Lafayette, LA	17.3	198.5	-8.0%	(69)
353	Anchorage, AK	17.1	173.7	-7.6%	(33)
354	Madera, CA	17.0	37.3	-1.5%	(165)
355	Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	16.8	154.0	-4.9%	7
356	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA	16.7	407.9	-7.3%	(24)
357	Wichita Falls, TX	16.5	57.5	-5.2%	0
358	Green Bay, WI	16.2	173.9	-6.5%	(25)
359	Odessa, TX	15.2	69.7	-8.3%	(24)
360	Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	14.0	57.2	-4.2%	(31)
361	Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ	12.8	34.5	-4.2%	0
362	Johnstown, PA	12.8	55.6	-9.5%	(65)
363	Merced, CA	12.0	65.7	-7.9%	2
364	Elmira, NY	11.1	37.7	-7.1%	(102)
365	Casper, WY	10.8	37.1	-8.3%	(23)
366	Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH	9.9	41.0	-17.5%	(77)

Large Cities Business Services Jobs - 2017 Best Cities Rankings

Mark Schill — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:11:57 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 MSA Prof & Bus Svcs Ranking among Large MSAs	Area	Weighted INDEX	2016 Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt (1000s)	Total Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt Growth Rate 2015-2016	Overall Rank Change 2016 to 2017
1	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	89.7	160.3	5.2%	0
2	Kansas City, MO	85.3	99.6	9.0%	13
3	Austin-Round Rock, TX	81.7	171.1	3.7%	0
4	San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metro Div	79.5	274.4	2.8%	(2)
5	Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metro Div	79.3	482.8	5.5%	0
6	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	79.2	134.0	5.5%	19
7	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	79.0	227.5	2.6%	(3)
8	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	76.3	198.9	4.8%	1
9	Salt Lake City, UT	76.2	126.1	4.4%	15
10	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	75.6	209.6	4.8%	(3)
11	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	75.2	236.6	5.2%	0
12	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	75.1	503.7	4.6%	1
13	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	74.8	91.8	5.2%	(1)
14	Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metro Div	74.3	151.2	4.1%	6
15	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	73.8	136.8	4.6%	2
16	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	71.9	131.3	6.7%	30
17	Raleigh, NC	71.5	115.2	4.7%	(11)
18	Philadelphia City, PA	69.9	97.6	4.9%	31
19	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	69.6	176.6	1.8%	(9)
20	New York City, NY	68.9	735.3	3.1%	(6)
21	Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metro Div	67.2	250.9	2.6%	(3)
22	Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metro Div	66.5	170.8	2.6%	7
23	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL Metro Div	64.2	111.1	3.3%	(1)
24	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Div	64.2	354.4	2.7%	8
25	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	63.8	348.7	3.3%	3
26	Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, NJ	62.8	155.7	1.9%	1
27	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	62.4	169.9	0.8%	(6)
28	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	61.0	257.1	1.7%	(12)
29	Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metro Div	60.7	182.4	2.4%	1
30	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA	60.6	73.7	2.1%	(7)
31	Orange-Rockland-Westchester, NY	58.3	92.2	4.2%	22
32	Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metro Div	57.0	299.2	2.2%	7
33	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA	56.7	71.0	1.0%	(2)
34	Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metro Div	55.3	269.7	1.9%	1
35	Columbus, OH	54.4	182.3	1.6%	(2)
36	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	52.5	74.5	1.3%	1
37	Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metro Div	52.3	176.5	3.2%	21
38	St. Louis, MO-IL	52.3	211.1	1.4%	12
39	Camden, NJ Metro Div	51.4	78.6	-0.1%	(5)
40	Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Div	51.2	689.7	0.5%	3
41	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	51.1	79.1	1.8%	23
42	Richmond, VA	50.4	110.7	-4.5%	(34)
43	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Div	50.1	615.4	2.4%	(1)
44	Northern Virginia, VA	49.5	398.9	2.6%	3
45	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	49.3	321.9	1.9%	3
46	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	48.6	470.6	0.0%	(10)
47	Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metro Div	48.6	202.4	1.7%	(6)
48	Jacksonville, FL	48.0	102.3	1.2%	(22)
49	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	47.5	234.8	0.2%	(4)
50	Pittsburgh, PA	47.4	183.2	1.0%	(10)
51	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	47.3	55.4	2.8%	18
52	Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ	45.5	145.8	2.3%	11
53	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metro Div	45.0	610.7	1.1%	7
54	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	44.8	98.3	-3.2%	(35)
55	Urban Honolulu, HI	44.5	67.9	0.7%	(11)
56	Kansas City, KS	43.8	92.9	-0.6%	(18)
57	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	43.7	170.4	1.6%	5
58	Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Div	43.6	112.4	0.7%	(3)
59	Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metro Div	42.2	125.5	2.2%	(5)
60	Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metro Div	41.6	128.1	2.0%	8
61	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	40.0	74.8	0.6%	(10)
62	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	38.4	65.9	0.4%	(1)
63	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	38.2	72.4	2.3%	7
64	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	37.7	148.7	0.9%	1
65	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	37.3	124.1	-1.6%	(8)
66	Rochester, NY	37.0	68.2	-1.4%	1
67	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	36.5	146.8	-6.9%	(15)
68	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	34.6	103.7	-0.6%	(2)
69	Newark, NJ-PA Metro Div	32.7	216.2	-0.8%	(13)
70	Oklahoma City, OK	31.6	78.7	-1.7%	(11)

Mid Sized Cities Business Services Jobs - 2017 Best Cities Rankings

Mark Schill — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:11:49 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 MSA Prof & Bus Svcs Ranking among Midsized MSAs	Area	Weighted INDEX	2016 Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt (1000s)	Total Prof & Bus Svc Emplmt Growth Rate 2011-2016	Overall Rank Change 2016 to 2017
1	Provo-Orem, UT	89.0	32.9	40.1%	3
2	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	85.5	51.1	33.7%	1
3	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	81.5	23.9	34.3%	3
4	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	81.3	38.4	25.1%	52
5	Boise City, ID	79.9	46.7	21.7%	72
6	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	78.9	45.8	48.1%	12
7	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	78.2	14.5	33.4%	38
8	Sioux Falls, SD	74.9	15.2	22.9%	(7)
9	Ann Arbor, MI	73.8	30.8	24.7%	12
10	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	73.3	54.1	20.8%	22
11	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	71.8	34.9	34.4%	(6)
12	Savannah, GA	70.5	20.9	16.1%	19
13	Tacoma-Lakewood, WA Metro Div	70.4	29.2	25.7%	13
14	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	70.2	42.5	17.4%	34
15	Eugene, OR	69.6	18.1	24.0%	23
16	Santa Rosa, CA	68.7	21.8	24.9%	14
17	Tallahassee, FL	68.3	21.0	17.1%	58
18	Boulder, CO	67.8	36.1	17.7%	39
19	Reno, NV	67.6	31.6	23.8%	5
20	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	67.5	29.1	26.3%	(8)
21	Madison, WI	67.4	52.4	18.8%	6
22	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	66.1	48.1	20.9%	(13)
23	Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div	66.1	23.9	14.7%	62
24	Gary, IN Metro Div	65.1	24.3	17.6%	55
25	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	64.8	14.7	12.2%	61
26	Asheville, NC	64.7	18.5	16.6%	(13)
27	Lincoln, NE	64.3	19.8	14.6%	19
28	Modesto, CA	63.6	15.1	20.2%	15
29	Salem, OR	63.0	13.6	25.8%	(4)
30	El Paso, TX	62.5	34.9	16.0%	24
31	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	62.0	29.9	20.6%	5
32	Lexington-Fayette, KY	61.9	42.6	28.2%	(3)
33	Montgomery, AL	61.0	22.5	10.9%	52
34	York-Hanover, PA	59.7	21.9	15.1%	10
35	Jackson, MS	59.3	34.8	18.4%	14
36	Fort Collins, CO	59.2	20.3	16.9%	25
37	Toledo, OH	59.2	38.9	17.5%	28
38	Wichita, KS	58.8	34.3	16.5%	(1)
39	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	58.8	26.2	15.4%	(22)
40	Springfield, MO	58.2	25.1	21.4%	(21)
41	Huntsville, AL	57.7	55.0	14.4%	(1)
42	Trenton, NJ	57.6	43.6	18.7%	(40)
43	Reading, PA	55.0	23.8	17.5%	(27)
44	Chattanooga, TN-GA	54.9	29.3	13.1%	(30)
45	Baton Rouge, LA	53.3	48.8	14.1%	(25)
46	Framingham, MA NECTA Div	52.5	36.4	13.8%	(24)
47	Akron, OH	52.5	54.0	10.7%	20
48	Fresno, CA	52.3	31.9	21.0%	16
49	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	50.5	16.4	8.6%	10
50	Springfield, MA-CT NECTA	49.2	26.7	9.9%	(11)
51	Fort Wayne, IN	47.8	21.7	6.9%	15
52	Calvert-Charles-Prince George's, MD	47.5	49.2	7.1%	0
53	Baltimore City, MD	47.1	47.7	15.5%	20
54	Peoria, IL	46.8	23.9	2.9%	6
55	Knoxville, TN	46.8	61.9	10.9%	(40)
56	New Haven, CT NECTA	46.6	30.3	10.2%	(9)
57	Delaware County, PA	45.9	32.1	8.0%	(23)
58	Colorado Springs, CO	45.9	43.3	10.8%	(3)
59	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	45.6	30.6	13.2%	(26)
60	Stockton-Lodi, CA	45.6	19.2	22.1%	(53)
61	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	45.1	47.0	10.2%	7
62	Winston-Salem, NC	44.6	35.1	9.4%	(39)
63	Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA	44.1	27.4	5.9%	(10)
64	Canton-Massillon, OH	43.9	14.6	7.9%	24
65	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	43.8	47.1	12.2%	(37)
66	Dayton, OH	43.4	51.4	8.7%	(4)
67	Rockford, IL	43.4	16.5	6.2%	(32)
68	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	42.5	22.3	7.7%	1
69	Mobile, AL	42.3	22.8	5.1%	7
70	Lancaster, PA	41.7	23.9	13.8%	1
71	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	41.1	30.6	3.1%	15
72	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	40.4	68.1	10.2%	(62)
73	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	40.0	36.6	6.6%	21
74	Syracuse, NY	39.6	34.0	2.7%	24
75	Roanoke, VA	38.9	21.8	6.7%	(33)
76	Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro Div	38.8	69.2	8.1%	(2)
77	Evansville, IN-KY	37.5	18.8	-0.2%	4
78	Greensboro-High Point, NC	37.4	50.2	6.6%	(67)
79	Bakersfield, CA	37.4	26.4	2.7%	5
80	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	36.6	22.1	2.9%	(39)
81	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	35.6	24.5	8.7%	(11)
82	Albuquerque, NM	34.7	58.1	3.0%	5
83	Corpus Christi, TX	32.8	16.6	8.8%	(32)
84	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	32.4	22.1	0.9%	(2)
85	Worcester, MA-CT NECTA	31.5	26.7	-0.6%	10
86	Tulsa, OK	31.1	57.8	6.0%	4
87	Columbia, SC	30.1	47.2	8.8%	(37)
88	Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metro Div	27.0	54.0	5.5%	(16)
89	Tucson, AZ	26.0	49.9	2.2%	(31)
90	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	25.9	47.6	2.5%	(7)
91	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	25.6	14.5	-1.4%	(28)
92	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	25.1	21.7	-3.1%	1
93	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	23.2	16.7	-6.7%	3
94	Elgin, IL Metro Div	21.2	33.5	2.4%	(14)
95	Lafayette, LA	17.3	19.9	-6.9%	(17)
96	Anchorage, AK	17.1	18.8	-9.5%	(7)
97	Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	16.8	14.8	-10.5%	0
98	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA	16.7	63.5	-4.7%	(7)
99	Green Bay, WI	16.2	18.6	-7.0%	(7)

Small Cities Business Services Jobs - 2017 Best Cities Rankings

Mark Schill — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:11:27 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 MSA Prof & Bus Svcs - Small MSAs	Area	Weighted INDEX	2016 Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt (1000s)	Total Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt Growth Rate 2015-2016	Overall Rank Change 2016 to 2017
1	Wausau, WI	92.5	7.2	13.8%	50
2	Monroe, MI	91.1	5.3	4.6%	0
3	College Station-Bryan, TX	89.6	9.0	8.9%	6
4	Jackson, TN	88.9	7.3	10.0%	3
5	Salisbury, MD-DE	88.1	13.3	14.0%	13
6	Grants Pass, OR	87.8	2.3	14.8%	54
7	Bend-Redmond, OR	86.7	9.4	5.6%	8
8	Topeka, KS	85.8	14.9	7.5%	51
9	Clevel&, TN	84.2	10.5	12.5%	105
10	Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div	84.1	3.3	5.3%	146
11	Olympia-Tumwater, WA	83.8	11.5	3.6%	28
12	Gainesville, FL	83.5	14.2	7.1%	22
13	Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY	82.8	7.1	5.4%	(8)
14	Laredo, TX	82.0	9.8	11.3%	(2)
15	Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	81.9	12.7	4.1%	92
16	St. George, UT	80.2	4.9	2.1%	(8)
17	Morristown, TN	78.6	4.1	15.1%	92
18	Springfield, IL	78.2	14.9	14.4%	39
19	State College, PA	77.7	6.9	7.8%	46
20	Lubbock, TX	76.0	12.8	7.3%	20
21	Elkhart-Goshen, IN	75.9	10.7	7.0%	26
22	Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	75.7	15.6	4.0%	27
23	Spartanburg, SC	75.7	17.9	8.9%	68
24	Yuba City, CA	75.3	3.3	13.6%	19
25	Redding, CA	75.2	6.7	7.4%	(3)
26	Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	73.2	18.3	10.9%	41
27	Port St. Lucie, FL	71.7	17.5	6.7%	2
28	Fort Smith, AR-OK	71.7	12.9	2.4%	83
29	Waco, TX	71.6	12.5	0.0%	(15)
30	Kankakee, IL	69.8	3.6	18.5%	62
31	Monroe, LA	69.6	8.8	5.2%	90
32	Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	69.4	16.1	1.3%	21
33	Charlottesville, VA	67.8	15.3	1.8%	(20)
34	Ocala, FL	67.0	10.0	10.7%	94
35	Dover, DE	66.6	4.6	4.5%	1
36	Wilmington, NC	66.6	16.0	5.5%	22
37	Athens-Clarke County, GA	66.6	8.0	3.0%	9
38	Flagstaff, AZ	65.8	3.3	8.9%	(15)
39	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	65.6	12.3	4.2%	11
40	Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div	65.4	6.3	4.4%	15
41	Jackson, MI	64.4	4.8	3.6%	111
42	Watertown-Fort Drum, NY	64.3	2.4	0.0%	129
43	Bowling Green, KY	64.1	9.3	6.1%	(13)
44	Greeley, CO	64.0	9.8	2.1%	(28)
45	Yuma, AZ	63.6	7.1	7.0%	16
46	Lawton, OK	62.7	4.6	3.0%	(42)
47	Janesville-Beloit, WI	62.5	6.1	2.2%	(41)
48	Panama City, FL	62.0	10.9	-0.9%	0
49	Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	61.7	10.4	6.8%	40
50	Napa, CA	61.3	6.9	3.0%	(40)
51	San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	61.0	9.9	-3.2%	(20)
52	Tuscaloosa, AL	59.5	10.7	1.3%	(32)
53	Johnson City, TN	59.4	8.8	6.9%	77
54	Salinas, CA	58.7	13.2	-0.5%	(10)
55	Prescott, AZ	58.5	3.5	3.9%	(22)
56	South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	57.9	14.0	2.4%	17
57	Lake Charles, LA	57.8	9.4	-1.1%	(54)
58	Yakima, WA	57.7	4.2	13.4%	8
59	Ithaca, NY	56.7	3.5	1.0%	4
60	Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div	56.4	5.6	3.7%	(23)
61	Killeen-Temple, TX	56.0	10.2	3.0%	14
62	Logan, UT-ID	55.9	6.1	1.7%	0
63	New Bedford, MA NECTA	55.2	5.7	-7.6%	(62)
64	Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA	54.9	3.9	0.0%	21
65	Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA	54.8	4.3	3.2%	32
66	Appleton, WI	54.5	13.9	3.0%	51
67	Clarksville, TN-KY	54.4	8.9	3.5%	16
68	Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL	54.3	5.4	4.5%	45
69	Amarillo, TX	53.4	9.8	2.8%	8
70	Idaho Falls, ID	53.3	13.7	5.1%	28
71	Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div	53.0	15.4	-0.2%	(1)
72	Morgantown, WV	52.9	6.6	-0.5%	(55)
73	Muskegon, MI	52.5	3.7	5.8%	3
74	Bangor, ME NECTA	51.8	6.7	1.0%	5
75	Kingston, NY	51.8	4.6	3.0%	13
76	Springfield, OH	51.2	4.7	-2.1%	(65)
77	Bellingham, WA	49.9	8.0	-0.8%	(9)
78	Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA	49.9	14.2	-0.5%	(43)
79	Auburn-Opelika, AL	49.3	7.4	0.5%	(58)
80	Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	48.0	3.4	14.6%	40
81	Iowa City, IA	47.9	7.0	4.5%	1
82	Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div	47.8	7.1	0.9%	19
83	Manchester, NH NECTA	47.2	16.0	-0.8%	(56)
84	Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div	46.8	10.3	2.0%	50
85	Barnstable Town, MA NECTA	46.6	8.7	1.6%	15
86	Fargo, ND-MN	46.4	15.8	0.2%	(67)
87	Billings, MT	46.4	9.1	4.6%	109
88	Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	46.1	7.7	0.0%	(24)
89	Mansfield, OH	45.6	5.6	3.1%	93
90	Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	45.3	7.7	4.0%	12
91	Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI	45.3	7.2	2.4%	(19)
92	Coeur d'Alene, ID	45.1	6.3	1.1%	93
93	Cedar Rapids, IA	45.1	14.3	3.4%	53
94	East Stroudsburg, PA	44.8	3.5	0.0%	12
95	Battle Creek, MI	44.4	6.2	0.5%	31
96	Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ	43.9	4.3	-3.7%	80
97	Corvallis, OR	43.6	4.3	-2.3%	(69)
98	Macon, GA	43.2	11.6	0.3%	(60)
99	Victoria, TX	42.9	2.6	5.3%	(13)
100	Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA	42.5	11.5	-2.8%	(48)
101	Punta Gorda, FL	42.2	4.5	-2.9%	(47)
102	Fond du Lac, WI	41.8	2.7	-1.2%	(70)
103	Michigan City-La Porte, IN	41.4	2.8	5.0%	16
104	Bismarck, ND	41.1	7.9	-5.2%	(86)
105	Burlington, NC	40.4	5.5	-0.6%	(63)
106	Danbury, CT NECTA	40.3	9.3	-1.1%	(12)
107	Medford, OR	40.1	7.1	1.4%	32
108	Columbus, IN	40.0	5.4	-0.6%	(63)
109	Dalton, GA	39.8	6.2	3.3%	29
110	Grand Forks, ND-MN	39.7	3.1	2.2%	19
111	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	39.5	12.6	1.3%	20
112	Tyler, TX	39.3	8.9	0.4%	38
113	San Rafael, CA Metro Div	39.3	18.6	1.5%	(14)
114	Rapid City, SD	39.0	5.1	1.3%	10
115	Pittsfield, MA NECTA	38.2	4.0	0.0%	25
116	Owensboro, KY	37.7	3.9	-0.8%	(45)
117	Lewiston, ID-WA	37.5	1.4	2.5%	66
118	Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA	37.4	9.7	1.7%	(6)
119	Lawrence, KS	37.1	5.6	-2.9%	50
120	Abilene, TX	37.0	5.5	-0.6%	(12)
121	Kennewick-Richland, WA	36.7	21.2	1.8%	(16)
122	Pueblo, CO	36.4	6.8	-1.0%	(96)
123	Texarkana, TX-AR	36.0	4.3	-0.8%	(67)
124	Bay City, MI	35.8	3.3	3.2%	(43)
125	Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	35.6	8.1	3.9%	64
126	Terre Haute, IN	35.4	5.3	4.6%	21
127	Chico, CA	35.1	5.4	-0.6%	(43)
128	Saginaw, MI	34.8	11.2	-0.3%	(87)
129	Decatur, IL	34.6	3.3	-2.9%	16
130	St. Cloud, MN	34.3	8.5	0.0%	(26)
131	Utica-Rome, NY	33.9	8.5	2.0%	56
132	Walla Walla, WA	33.9	0.9	0.0%	(37)
133	Eau Claire, WI	33.8	9.0	0.4%	(18)
134	Altoona, PA	33.4	5.4	0.0%	(1)
135	Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA	33.3	6.8	-0.5%	(48)
136	Lima, OH	33.0	4.7	-4.8%	(58)
137	Columbus, GA-AL	32.3	12.9	-0.8%	(1)
138	Glens Falls, NY	32.3	5.6	0.6%	(28)
139	Las Cruces, NM	31.5	6.8	-0.5%	25
140	Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV	31.3	9.2	-4.2%	(44)
141	Bloomington, IN	31.3	4.7	4.5%	53
142	Duluth, MN-WI	31.2	8.1	-0.8%	13
143	Niles-Benton Harbor, MI	31.2	5.6	-1.8%	(27)
144	Hanford-Corcoran, CA	31.2	1.3	0.0%	7
145	Gadsden, AL	31.0	3.8	-8.1%	(121)
146	Dothan, AL	31.0	4.4	1.5%	35
147	Champaign-Urbana, IL	30.3	7.8	1.7%	30
148	Santa Fe, NM	30.2	4.5	-0.7%	(26)
149	Waterbury, CT NECTA	29.7	5.4	-1.8%	19
150	Erie, PA	29.3	10.0	1.0%	(1)
151	Pocatello, ID	28.5	3.6	-5.3%	(77)
152	Racine, WI	28.1	6.3	2.2%	9
153	Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	27.4	9.4	-2.4%	(63)
154	Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA	26.8	5.4	-13.0%	(129)
155	Sherman-Denison, TX	26.8	2.8	-6.7%	17
156	El Centro, CA	26.7	2.2	-6.9%	10
157	Carson City, NV	26.3	1.9	3.7%	33
158	Bremerton-Silverdale, WA	26.3	6.9	-3.7%	(5)
159	Cheyenne, WY	26.3	3.2	-1.0%	21
160	Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA	26.0	8.7	-1.1%	0
161	Rochester, MN	25.3	5.5	-2.4%	13
162	Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL	25.3	4.5	2.3%	36
163	Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Div	25.0	11.5	-0.3%	23
164	Rocky Mount, NC	24.9	5.2	0.0%	(5)
165	Missoula, MT	24.9	6.2	-2.1%	10
166	Flint, MI	24.8	15.3	-0.9%	(8)
167	Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA	24.5	3.6	-10.7%	(98)
168	Greenville, NC	24.4	6.6	0.5%	(27)
169	Great Falls, MT	24.3	3.0	-2.2%	(37)
170	Danville, IL	23.9	2.0	1.7%	(35)
171	Sheboygan, WI	23.6	4.0	-0.8%	(4)
172	Fayetteville, NC	23.5	12.2	-5.7%	(29)
173	Grand Junction, CO	23.3	5.1	-3.2%	(31)
174	La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	22.8	6.1	-0.5%	18
175	Decatur, AL	22.6	5.2	-2.5%	3
176	Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	22.3	9.9	-3.9%	(73)
177	Visalia-Porterville, CA	22.3	10.4	-8.3%	(54)
178	Midland, TX	21.2	8.2	-8.9%	(98)
179	Bloomington, IL	21.2	9.6	-2.4%	14
180	Longview, TX	21.0	8.4	-4.2%	(53)
181	Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div	20.7	9.7	-0.7%	(18)
182	San Angelo, TX	20.0	3.6	-2.7%	(17)
183	Binghamton, NY	19.9	8.9	-2.6%	1
184	Lynchburg, VA	18.7	11.4	-3.9%	4
185	Fairbanks, AK	18.4	2.1	-4.6%	(48)
186	Albany, OR	17.7	2.9	-11.1%	(68)
187	Charleston, WV	17.4	13.5	-5.6%	(33)
188	Madera, CA	17.0	2.2	-1.5%	(95)
189	Wichita Falls, TX	16.5	3.6	-5.2%	2
190	Odessa, TX	15.2	3.7	-8.3%	(17)
191	Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	14.0	3.8	-4.2%	(21)
192	Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ	12.8	3.8	-4.2%	3
193	Johnstown, PA	12.8	5.1	-9.5%	(45)
194	Merced, CA	12.0	3.5	-7.9%	3
195	Elmira, NY	11.1	2.2	-7.1%	(70)
196	Casper, WY	10.8	2.6	-8.3%	(17)
197	Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH	9.9	1.6	-17.5%	(53)

The Best Small and Medium-Size Cities For Jobs 2017

Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires — Fri, 26 May 2017 01:33:38 -0400

Much of the U.S. media tends to see smaller cities as backwaters, inevitably left behind as the “best and brightest” head to the country’s mega-regions. The new economy, insists the Washington Post, favors large cities for start-ups and new businesses. Richard Florida has posited the emergence of a “winner take all urbanism” that tends to favor the richest cities, such as New York and San Francisco.

However this paradigm may reflect cosmopolitan attitudes and rivalries between large cities more than reality, with its complications and nuances. Smaller cities have long been disadvantaged in their ability to attract the most elite companies and Americans on the move, but that may well be changing. Following a post-financial crisis period in which many domestic migrants headed to the big cities, the latest Census data suggests that the flow is now going the other way, with the native born moving to smaller places with between 500,000 and a million people. The new trend in migration, notes the Atlantic’s Derek Thompson, a confirmed big city booster, has been a “great hollowing out,” with Americans leaving places like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco for the suburbs and less costly, usually smaller cities. (Note that at least in New York’s case, foreign immigrants have been taking their places.)

To be sure, many smaller towns are suffering, and the bottom of our annual survey of employment trends in America's 421 metro areas is dominated by them, starting with last place Beckley, W.V.; followed by Johnstown, Pa.; Charleston, W.V.; Weirton-Steubenville, Ohio; and Peoria, Illinois. Yet at the same time small city America — which we define as metro areas with less than 150,000 jobs — accounted for seven of the 10 cities where job growth has been the strongest.

2017 Best Cities Rankings Lists

Methodology

Our rankings are based on short-, medium- and long-term job creation, going back to 2005, and factor in momentum — whether growth is slowing or accelerating. We have compiled separate rankings for America’s 70 largest metropolitan statistical areas (those with nonfarm employment over 450,000), as well as medium-size metro areas (between 150,000 and 450,000 nonfarm jobs) and small ones (less than 150,000 nonfarm jobs), the latter two of which are our focus this week, in order to make the comparisons more relevant to each category. (For a detailed description of our methodology, click here).

The Utah Model

What makes for successful smaller cities? There’s no simple formula, but several characteristics loom prominently. One is the extent and quality of its amenities: Many of our top cities are in attractive locations near mountains or the ocean, and tend to be home to colleges and universities. And, almost without exception, they are located in less costly, lower-tax states. Finally, it doesn’t hurt to be relatively close to a bigger urban area and a large airport.

All these characteristics apply to the best metro area for jobs in 2017 -- Provo-Orem, Utah. Located an hour south of Salt Lake City and its big airport, the Provo-Orem area has a population of 603,000 and sits alongside the scenic Wasatch Mountains. It's home to the well-regarded Brigham Young University. Last year the metro area’s job count expanded an impressive 4.4%, and employment is up 29.2% since 2011. As one might suspect in a college-oriented area, the biggest growth has been in fields that tend to hire educated people, such as business and professional services, in which employment grew 5.8% last year, financial services (up 6.7%) and the information sector (plus 5.8%).

But Provo is not alone in outstanding job growth in the Beehive State. In addition to its largest metro area, Salt Lake City, which ranks 13th, the small city of Saint George ranks third. Also benefiting from a scenic location in the state’s rugged southwestern corner, it’s less of a college town than a retirement and tourism magnet, which explains much of its 5.7% job growth last year. This was driven in large part by big expansions in health and education, with employment in those sectors up 4.6% last year and some 31.8% since 2011.

Another Utah superstar is 18th-ranked Ogden-Clearfield. Its 2.9% job growth last year was driven in large part by financial services, with employment up 5.7%, and education and health, up 5.9%.

So what accounts for one relatively small state that's home to only 3.1% of the U.S. population placing four cities in the top 20? Among the factors: the nation’s fastest population growth, a highly favorable business climate (Gov. Gary Herbert has made cutting red tape a priority of his administration), a burgeoning tech sector and a Mormon-influenced social culture that seems to encourage citizen engagement in local affairs.

Other Hot Spots

The other smaller boom towns are a varied lot, although all share locations in low tax, light regulation states. Some bigger cities -- San Francisco, Seattle, San Jose -- seem to have found a way to keep growing in higher cost environments, but this does not seem to be the case for smaller cities. Virtually all the small communities in our top 20 -- with the exception of No. 8 Fort Collins, Colo., -- come from such reddish states as the Carolinas, Texas, Idaho and, of course, Utah.

Most of the fastest-growing metro areas tend to be in what some have called “amenity regions.” This is certainly the case for Ft. Collins, No. 9 Gainesville, Ga., No. 10 The Villages, Fla., and No. 17 Boise, Idaho. Many of these places, notably the Villages, are attractive to retirees and downshifting boomers while others may also lure young families.

Yet there are some wide differences among our top small cities. Smaller cities often have very distinctive economies dominated by one or two industries. Sixth-ranked Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, a metropolitan area that sprawls between Missouri and Arkansas, is dominated by two forces, Bentonville-based Walmart, and a burgeoning retirement/tourism sector tied to its location in the scenic Ozarks. The area which enjoyed 3.3% job growth last year, and 20.4% since 2011, was paced by an expanding professional and business services sector, up a sizzling 8.0% last year; other dynamic sectors include financial services, up 4.5% last year, as well as the education and health, which grew 4.0%.

Charleston-North Charleston, which ranked 4th on our list with a 3.2% job growth rate last year and 17.6% since 2011, epitomizes the new dynamic small cities. Not only does the area boast a charming ante-bellum urban core, and some of the country’s best food, it has also become attractive to companies seeking to lower costs. The city is home to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner assembly plant and to Mercedes-Benz’s $500 million Charleston plant, which will add 1,300 jobs over the next few years. It is also about to house Volvo’s first North American manufacturing plant – a $500 million investment that could add up to 4,000 jobs home. Charleston has also emerged as something of a millennial draw as well, with the largest percentage of residents aged 25 to 34 of any midsized city.

2017 Best Cities Rankings Lists

The Future of Smaller Cities

In contrast to the conventional wisdom, smaller cities may have a brighter future than many expect. Of course, it’s hard to see a rapid turnaround in some deindustrialized cities, particularly in the Midwest. Many energy-dependent cities are down sharply in our ranking from a year ago, including Baton Rouge, La., which dropped 97 places to 191st, and Bismarck, N.D., which plummeted 119 places to 221st. The Trump administration certainly has made noise about helping the energy industry, but the cold reality of the current global oversupply of oil suggests these places won’t be rebounding much in the near term.

Right now, prospects seem best for amenity rich areas, in part because they appeal to both aging boomer and younger families. The scenic Pacific Northwest is home to many gainers this year, including Olympia-Tumwater, Wash., which gained as impressive 64 places from last year to 21st, Wenatchee, which rose seven spots to 22nd, and Bellingham, which jumped 100 places to 63rd.

In the South, the attractive coastal city Wilmington, N.C., rose 76 places to 54th, and the Florida beach towns Northport-Sarasota-Bradenton, climbed 28 spots to 35th while Punta Gorda gained 26 places to 39th.

The future of smaller American cities, in some senses, parallels that of their larger counterparts. Some areas seem positioned for further growth, while many others are stagnating or even dropping. The small city is far from obsolete, with a good number of them poised to expand strongly in the years ahead.

This piece originally appeared on Forbes.

Photo by City of St. George (City of St. George) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Move Over, San Francisco: Dallas Tops Our List Of The Best Cities For Jobs 2017

Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires — Wed, 17 May 2017 10:16:30 -0400

Dallas is called the Big D for a reason. Bigger, better, best: that’s the Dallas mindset. From the gigantic Cowboys stadium in Arlington to the burgeoning northern suburbs to the posh arts district downtown, Dallasites are reinventing their metropolis almost daily. The proposed urban park along the Trinity River, my Dallas friends remind me, will be 11 times bigger than New York’s Central Park.

Here’s something else for them to boast about: the Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan area ranks first this year on our list of the Best Cities For Jobs.

2017 Best Cities Rankings Lists

It’s a region that in many ways is the polar opposite of the San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan areas, which have dominated our ranking for the last few years. (They still place second and eighth this year, respectively, among the largest 70 metropolitan areas, though San Jose is down sharply from second place last year.)

Unlike the tech-driven Bay Area, Dallas’ economy has multiple points of strength, including aerospace and defense, insurance, financial services, life sciences, data processing and transportation. Employment in the metro area has expanded 20.3% over the past five years and 4.2% last year, with robust job creation in professional and business services, as well as in a host of lower-paid sectors like retail, wholesale trade and hospitality.

According to Southern Methodist University’s Klaus Desmet and Collin Clark, Dallas’s success stems in part from the fact that it isn’t looking to appeal to the elite “creative class,” but to middle-class workers and the companies and executives who employ them. Dallas attracts both foreign and domestic migrants, particularly from places like California, where housing is, on an income-adjusted basis, often three times as expensive. This has had much to do with the relocation to the area of such companies as Jacobs Engineering, Toyota, Liberty Mutual and State Farm.

Methodology

Our rankings are based on short-, medium- and long-term job creation, going back to 2005, and factor in momentum — whether growth is slowing or accelerating. We have compiled separate rankings for America’s 70 largest metropolitan statistical areas (those with nonfarm employment over 450,000), which are our focus this week, as well as medium-size metro areas (between 150,000 and 450,000 nonfarm jobs) and small ones (less than 150,000 nonfarm jobs) in order to make the comparisons more relevant to each category. (For a detailed description of our methodology, click here.)

The Rise of Low-Cost Meccas

Dallas is far bigger (particularly if you add the neighboring 28th-ranked Ft. Worth-Arlington area to the mix) than any of the other metro areas that have prospered by offering cheaper alternatives to coastal cities, with lower taxes and generally more friendly business climates. Among them is No. 3 Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn.

The metro area has seen rapid job growth, nearly 20.6% since 2011. Last year job growth was across the board, including a 4.1% expansion in manufacturing employment, 5.2% in business professional services, and 2.9% in the information sector.

Like Dallas, Nashville has become a mecca for companies looking to relocate operations. Some, like UBS, are fleeing the high cost of places like New York or London. Others, like Lyft, are escaping high costs in coastal California. CKE Restaurants, owner of Carl’s Junior and Hardees, is moving operations from coastal California and St. Louis to set up shop in Nashville. All are bringing a diverse new range of jobs to the Music City.

Other low-cost migration meccas include fourth-place Charlotte-Concord, Gastonia, No. 5 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, and No. 6 Salt Lake City. All boast growing tech centers with rapidly expanding STEM employment, as well as business and professional service growth.

Boom Towns Get Pricier

Some thriving metro areas on our list are becoming increasingly expensive, but they still don’t pack the tax and housing punch associated with blue state economies. No. 7 Austin-Round Rock, No. 9 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett and No. 11 Denver-Aurora-Lakewood have been big beneficiaries of the tech boom, and continue to attract migrants from areas like the Bay Area, where housing prices are still twice as high.

It’s possible for older large cities with strongholds in key industries to generate strong job growth. New York’s population growth in 2016 may be half of what was in 2010, but financial sector job growth and associated professional service firms enable the Big Apple to rank a respectable 25th. Another high-cost area, Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, with its unparalleled concentration of elite colleges, ranks 30th.

The picture is not so pretty in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, a region whose housing costs are almost as high as the Bay Area, with the same onerous state regulatory and tax burdens. It ranks 40th this year, with anemic 1.2% job growth in professional and business services over the past three years and 4% in financial services. The L.A. area continues to bleed manufacturing jobs, down 2.1% in the last year and 4.6% since 2013. Even retail and wholesale trade showed weakness in 2016, growing at a lowly 0.7% and 1.7% rate, respectively. The Information sector, highlighted by Snapchat’s splashy IPO, made the best showing for Tinseltown, with employment rising 4.2% in the last year. The sector, which includes entertainment, has seen employment expand an impressive 20.9% since the bottom of the recession in 2011.

As has been the case almost every year in this millennium, the super-sized metro area doing worst is Chicago. It ranks 51st this year, down four places. Since the Great Recession, Chicago has managed modest job growth of 8.3%, and only a weak 0.7% expansion in 2016. Despite an uptick in financial services jobs over the past two years, and some ballyhooed relocations of corporate headquarters, the metro area has been losing jobs in information, manufacturing, and wholesale trade. Business services was up a scant 0.5% in the last year.

Demographic Change and Changing Momentum

The resurgence of expensive areas -- notably New York and the San Francisco area -- has been propelled largely by demographic trends, notably the movement of highly educated millennials to these areas. Yet as millennials begin to enter their 30s, and seek to buy homes and raise families, the momentum may be turning decisively to regions that are both less expensive but still have considerable appeal to educated workers. Most of the big gainers this year – Dallas, Orlando, Salt Lake, Raleigh, and No. 24 Indianapolis – have developed better inner-city amenities in recent years while keeping housing costs low.

This shift is being driven in large part by unsustainable housing costs. In the Bay Area, techies are increasingly looking for jobs outside the tech hub, and some companies are even offering cash bonuses for those willing to leave. A recent poll indicated that 46% of Millennials want to leave the San Francisco Bay Area.

It seems that some areas located in pro-business, low-tax states are increasingly attracting the educated millennials that we usually associate with places like San Francisco, Brooklyn or West L.A. Since 2010, among educated millennials, the fastest growth in migration has been to such lower-cost regions as Atlanta, Orlando, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth.

Over time, this migration could restructure the geography of job growth. As the middle class, particularly those of child-bearing age, continue moving out of states like California and into states like Texas. Utah or The Carolinas, the geography of skills changes. New families, a critical engine of job growth, are far more likely to form in Salt Lake City, the four large Texas metropolitan areas, or Atlanta, than in the bluest metropolitan areas like New York, Seattle, Los Angeles or San Francisco, where the number of school-age children trend well below the national average.

Ultimately, we may be on the cusp of a new economic era in which the cost of housing and living becomes once again a key determinant in regional growth. This trend has been developing for years, but both demographics, notably the aging of millennials, and out of control costs could accelerate it. Many areas may wish to somehow emerge as “the new Silicon Valley,” just as they wished once to be the next “Wall Street” or “Hollywood.” Yet these iconic economies are difficult, to impossible, to duplicate. It might make more sense instead to look the success of places like Dallas --- where lower costs are luring companies and talent at a level unrivaled in the nation.

This piece originally appeared on Forbes.

Photo by Diann Bayes, obtained via Flickr using a CC License.

All Cities Rankings - 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

Mark Schill — Tue, 16 May 2017 17:53:24 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 Overall Ranking	Area	Weighted INDEX	2016 Nonfarm Eplmnt (1000s)	Overall Movement 2016 to 2017	2017 Size
1	Provo-Orem, UT	99.0	243.4	1	M
2	Lake Charles, LA	97.1	111.3	18	S
3	St. George, UT	96.5	61.8	-2	S
4	Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metro Div	96.4	2,554.6	5	L
5	San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metro Div	96.2	1,108.6	-2	L
6	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	95.6	249.5	0	M
7	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	95.5	968.8	1	L
8	Fort Collins, CO	94.3	162.6	4	M
9	The Villages, FL	94.1	27.9	13	S
10	Gainesville, GA	93.8	88.4	-6	S
11	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	93.2	1,170.0	10	L
12	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	93.1	1,233.2	-5	L
13	Salt Lake City, UT	92.6	713.6	23	L
14	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	92.6	350.5	5	M
15	Austin-Round Rock, TX	92.6	1,015.4	-4	L
16	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	92.1	1,084.7	-11	L
17	Boise City, ID	92.0	311.0	16	M
18	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	90.7	249.8	-3	M
19	Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metro Div	90.4	1,664.4	7	L
20	Raleigh, NC	89.7	610.1	3	L
21	Olympia-Tumwater, WA	89.7	114.7	64	S
22	Wenatchee, WA	89.5	44.1	7	S
23	Auburn-Opelika, AL	89.3	63.8	24	S
24	Bend-Redmond, OR	88.0	78.5	-10	S
25	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	87.1	1,442.3	-7	L
26	Savannah, GA	86.6	177.9	-10	M
27	Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	86.1	71.4	-2	S
28	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	85.8	1,027.9	0	L
29	Coeur d'Alene, ID	85.6	60.6	12	S
30	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	84.6	262.6	-13	M
31	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	84.4	2,721.2	-1	L
32	Tacoma-Lakewood, WA Metro Div	84.2	309.8	44	M
33	Boulder, CO	83.6	188.2	34	M
34	Killeen-Temple, TX	83.4	146.5	35	S
35	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	83.4	301.9	28	M
36	Elkhart-Goshen, IN	83.1	132.7	23	S
37	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	82.7	1,436.3	-2	L
38	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL Metro Div	81.6	623.6	12	L
39	Punta Gorda, FL	80.8	48.9	26	S
40	Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA	80.6	90.6	-1	S
41	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	80.5	1,153.4	-17	L
42	Bowling Green, KY	80.2	76.3	61	S
43	Port St. Lucie, FL	79.9	146.4	0	S
44	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	79.7	551.2	40	L
45	Merced, CA	79.4	65.7	52	S
46	Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	79.3	145.2	-2	S
47	Spartanburg, SC	79.2	149.4	23	S
48	Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metro Div	78.7	1,180.1	23	L
49	Fresno, CA	78.7	339.1	8	M
50	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	78.5	1,321.1	31	L
51	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	78.4	670.8	31	L
52	Asheville, NC	78.2	188.7	20	M
53	Trenton, NJ	78.0	269.6	8	M
54	Wilmington, NC	77.7	123.5	66	S
55	Cleveland, TN	77.7	51.7	76	S
56	Jonesboro, AR	77.6	56.5	-22	S
57	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	77.5	964.6	11	L
58	Visalia-Porterville, CA	77.3	125.6	-4	S
59	Jacksonville, FL	76.9	677.5	-11	L
60	College Station-Bryan, TX	76.8	116.5	-29	S
61	Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metro Div	76.8	1,150.1	34	L
62	Idaho Falls, ID	76.7	63.9	16	S
63	Bellingham, WA	76.5	92.0	100	S
64	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	76.5	1,056.9	29	L
65	Stockton-Lodi, CA	76.4	227.9	-14	M
66	Modesto, CA	76.3	173.5	41	M
67	Salem, OR	76.1	162.1	7	M
68	El Paso, TX	75.7	315.1	36	M
69	New York City, NY	75.6	4,388.9	-32	L
70	Columbus, OH	75.6	1,077.8	22	L
71	Colorado Springs, CO	75.6	281.6	16	M
72	Columbus, IN	75.1	52.9	-62	S
73	Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	74.9	101.4	68	S
74	Chico, CA	74.8	81.7	73	S
75	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	74.8	2,015.6	-37	L
76	Reno, NV	74.5	225.1	36	M
77	Kennewick-Richland, WA	74.3	110.6	33	S
78	Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Div	74.0	1,023.6	10	L
79	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	74.0	360.1	56	M
80	Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div	73.9	66.2	-48	S
81	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	73.5	199.3	45	M
82	Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL	73.3	52.1	46	S
83	Sioux Falls, SD	72.8	153.4	-31	M
84	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	72.8	1,439.0	6	L
85	San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	72.3	114.5	-39	S
86	Gainesville, FL	72.2	143.3	75	S
87	Lexington-Fayette, KY	72.1	281.2	13	M
88	Logan, UT-ID	72.1	60.9	-28	S
89	Madera, CA	72.1	37.3	29	S
90	Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metro Div	71.8	836.9	-15	L
91	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Div	71.8	1,831.6	36	L
92	Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA	71.6	54.6	150	S
93	Kansas City, MO	71.6	608.6	91	L
94	Fargo, ND-MN	71.5	142.2	-38	S
95	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	71.4	307.1	43	M
96	San Rafael, CA Metro Div	71.4	115.9	9	S
97	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	71.3	219.6	32	M
98	Laredo, TX	71.2	104.2	-49	S
99	Napa, CA	71.2	70.9	-86	S
100	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	71.0	154.1	-60	M
101	Lubbock, TX	71.0	146.9	-5	S
102	Yakima, WA	71.0	84.5	42	S
103	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	70.9	143.0	33	S
104	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	70.8	256.4	2	M
105	Charlottesville, VA	70.8	115.5	-43	S
106	Waco, TX	70.2	119.8	82	S
107	Iowa City, IA	70.1	101.9	52	S
108	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	69.9	412.4	-50	M
109	Yuba City, CA	69.9	43.4	21	S
110	Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	69.6	109.8	79	S
111	Santa Rosa, CA	69.4	202.0	-45	M
112	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	69.3	958.1	22	L
113	Greeley, CO	68.9	100.3	-86	S
114	Salinas, CA	68.8	137.9	0	S
115	Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	68.7	137.2	-24	S
116	Tyler, TX	68.5	106.0	-5	S
117	Medford, OR	68.3	86.2	33	S
118	Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC	67.9	75.5	-73	S
119	Kokomo, IN	67.7	42.4	109	S
120	Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div	67.6	155.0	76	M
121	Albany, OR	67.6	44.0	114	S
122	Lewiston, ID-WA	66.9	28.7	99	S
123	Grants Pass, OR	66.3	25.8	39	S
124	Huntsville, AL	66.0	228.8	77	M
125	Philadelphia City, PA	65.6	714.0	99	L
126	Ocala, FL	65.4	103.5	81	S
127	Madison, WI	65.0	399.4	10	M
128	Sebring, FL	64.9	27.1	101	S
129	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	64.8	237.3	110	M
130	Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metro Div	64.4	1,236.6	2	L
131	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	64.4	174.3	59	M
132	Springfield, MO	64.4	212.6	-13	M
133	Redding, CA	64.0	66.1	61	S
134	Walla Walla, WA	63.4	28.2	125	S
135	Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY	62.5	57.2	-46	S
136	Prescott, AZ	62.5	62.6	-59	S
137	Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, NJ	62.4	895.9	23	L
138	Harrisonburg, VA	62.0	68.4	157	S
139	Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI	61.8	75.2	-53	S
140	Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metro Div	61.7	1,592.2	-41	L
141	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	61.7	3,017.5	-62	L
142	Winchester, VA-WV	61.7	62.5	-87	S
143	Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	61.3	49.1	31	S
144	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	61.3	242.3	47	M
145	Ames, IA	61.0	54.0	-81	S
146	Jackson, TN	60.6	68.8	56	S
147	Northern Virginia, VA	60.5	1,449.9	40	L
148	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metro Div	60.5	4,442.2	34	L
149	Sherman-Denison, TX	60.3	46.7	20	S
150	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	59.8	213.4	90	M
151	Ithaca, NY	59.7	64.9	98	S
152	Kansas City, KS	59.4	469.2	-36	L
153	Columbia, SC	59.4	395.4	-70	M
154	Lincoln, NE	59.4	189.9	27	M
155	New Bedford, MA NECTA	59.3	68.2	13	S
156	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Div	59.1	2,653.9	1	L
157	Chattanooga, TN-GA	58.9	255.5	-2	M
158	Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div	58.9	82.6	-116	S
159	Ann Arbor, MI	58.7	220.3	7	M
160	Knoxville, TN	58.6	395.7	-52	M
161	Panama City, FL	58.5	82.6	10	S
162	Barnstable Town, MA NECTA	58.5	100.6	3	S
163	Eugene, OR	58.5	158.4	10	M
164	Corvallis, OR	58.0	42.2	8	S
165	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	57.7	235.5	122	M
166	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	57.6	182.9	-44	M
167	Grand Forks, ND-MN	57.5	59.0	103	S
168	Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div	57.4	81.6	-47	S
169	Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	57.4	104.8	-27	S
170	Clarksville, TN-KY	57.0	89.8	-97	S
171	Brunswick, GA	57.0	43.5	15	S
172	Richmond, VA	56.8	666.4	-119	L
173	Tallahassee, FL	55.9	181.7	141	M
174	Tuscaloosa, AL	55.7	105.9	-73	S
175	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	55.6	1,087.6	43	L
176	Athens-Clarke County, GA	55.5	94.4	-63	S
177	Flagstaff, AZ	55.3	66.2	1	S
178	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	54.9	1,964.8	1	L
179	Lancaster, PA	54.8	250.3	6	M
180	Calvert-Charles-Prince George's, MD	54.5	404.3	35	M
181	Pueblo, CO	54.3	62.2	-32	S
182	Appleton, WI	54.0	125.9	18	S
183	El Centro, CA	53.8	53.0	-27	S
184	Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	53.5	148.2	27	S
185	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	53.3	500.1	7	L
186	Missoula, MT	53.2	59.8	-9	S
187	Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metro Div	52.6	1,337.8	65	L
188	Billings, MT	52.5	84.9	-71	S
189	Salisbury, MD-DE	52.3	149.7	-65	S
190	Manchester, NH NECTA	51.8	110.9	-37	S
191	Baton Rouge, LA	51.7	405.2	-97	M
192	Hattiesburg, MS	51.5	64.4	-34	S
193	Manhattan, KS	51.4	44.6	-113	S
194	Morristown, TN	51.3	46.2	4	S
195	Urban Honolulu, HI	50.9	481.1	8	L
196	Columbia, MO	50.5	99.9	-98	S
197	Camden, NJ Metro Div	50.1	540.4	75	L
198	Yuma, AZ	49.8	55.9	21	S
199	St. Cloud, MN	49.4	108.4	-54	S
200	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	49.3	305.9	101	M
201	Florence, SC	48.9	88.2	-4	S
202	Las Cruces, NM	48.5	73.2	141	S
203	Rochester, MN	48.4	118.5	7	S
204	La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	48.3	79.0	70	S
205	Rapid City, SD	48.0	65.8	99	S
206	Springfield, MA-CT NECTA	47.5	334.8	79	M
207	Hinesville, GA	47.2	20.3	126	S
208	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	47.0	466.5	102	L
209	Toledo, OH	46.8	313.5	32	M
210	Fort Wayne, IN	46.7	221.0	-30	M
211	Warner Robins, GA	46.7	73.3	125	S
212	Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Div	46.7	3,717.2	-8	L
213	Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA	46.7	200.9	100	M
214	Mankato-North Mankato, MN	46.6	57.7	6	S
215	Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV	46.4	108.9	87	S
216	Amarillo, TX	46.3	121.4	-21	S
217	Dover, DE	45.9	69.3	0	S
218	Delaware County, PA	45.9	235.9	37	M
219	Burlington, NC	45.9	61.7	102	S
220	Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	45.9	96.8	64	S
221	Bismarck, ND	45.8	73.5	-119	S
222	Topeka, KS	45.7	113.4	155	S
223	Pocatello, ID	45.6	35.8	-48	S
224	Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metro Div	45.5	1,058.2	40	L
225	Framingham, MA NECTA Div	45.5	173.9	1	M
226	Worcester, MA-CT NECTA	45.2	284.1	32	M
227	Oklahoma City, OK	45.0	628.3	-94	L
228	Lawrence, KS	44.9	54.7	40	S
229	Orange-Rockland-Westchester, NY	44.9	712.1	-13	L
230	Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	44.8	48.5	75	S
231	Gadsden, AL	44.5	38.6	6	S
232	Sheboygan, WI	44.5	61.8	90	S
233	Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA	44.2	51.7	50	S
234	Janesville-Beloit, WI	43.7	67.6	-88	S
235	Bakersfield, CA	43.5	258.1	-126	M
236	Midland, TX	43.2	87.5	-97	S
237	Fond du Lac, WI	42.9	48.4	56	S
238	Staunton-Waynesboro, VA	42.7	50.8	116	S
239	Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div	42.7	45.2	-8	S
240	Lebanon, PA	42.7	52.0	87	S
241	Jackson, MS	42.6	280.2	10	M
242	Macon, GA	42.6	103.5	-43	S
243	Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ	42.6	928.9	26	L
244	Hanford-Corcoran, CA	42.2	38.5	-90	S
245	Rome, GA	42.0	41.3	72	S
246	South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	41.8	142.9	-32	S
247	Gettysburg, PA	41.5	34.8	106	S
248	Hammond, LA	41.5	45.1	92	S
249	Glens Falls, NY	41.4	54.9	67	S
250	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	41.2	577.0	-42	L
251	State College, PA	41.2	78.0	81	S
252	Bremerton-Silverdale, WA	40.9	89.1	-69	S
253	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	40.7	646.2	7	L
254	Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div	40.7	129.3	77	S
255	Morgantown, WV	40.6	70.9	-85	S
256	Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	40.6	77.5	-51	S
257	St. Louis, MO-IL	40.6	1,368.7	16	L
258	Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ	40.5	60.1	132	S
259	Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metro Div	40.5	598.0	-23	L
260	Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA	40.5	124.9	-117	S
261	Springfield, IL	40.4	115.7	42	S
262	Battle Creek, MI	40.1	59.4	5	S
263	Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div	40.0	97.1	49	S
264	Longview, WA	39.9	39.1	-124	S
265	Ocean City, NJ	39.6	35.9	-114	S
266	Owensboro, KY	39.3	53.5	-73	S
267	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	39.2	339.0	-24	M
268	St. Joseph, MO-KS	39.2	63.9	26	S
269	Greenville, NC	39.1	79.3	-16	S
270	Winston-Salem, NC	39.0	262.3	-23	M
271	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	38.9	151.9	110	M
272	Grand Island, NE	38.8	42.5	93	S
273	Valdosta, GA	38.8	56.5	4	S
274	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	38.5	361.6	-49	M
275	Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA	38.4	51.8	-12	S
276	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	38.1	565.7	86	L
277	Reading, PA	37.6	178.5	-64	M
278	San Angelo, TX	37.6	48.8	-130	S
279	Gary, IN Metro Div	37.1	280.2	73	M
280	Dubuque, IA	36.8	60.2	-116	S
281	Danbury, CT NECTA	36.7	79.5	-2	S
282	Wausau, WI	36.7	73.0	-52	S
283	Dalton, GA	36.7	69.8	-26	S
284	Corpus Christi, TX	36.4	191.0	-161	M
285	Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metro Div	36.3	359.8	-118	M
286	Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metro Div	36.1	753.3	23	L
287	Albuquerque, NM	36.1	390.1	55	M
288	East Stroudsburg, PA	35.9	57.7	67	S
289	Baltimore City, MD	35.8	367.5	59	M
290	York-Hanover, PA	35.8	184.5	-63	M
291	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	35.8	354.8	-53	M
292	Greensboro-High Point, NC	35.4	361.6	-44	M
293	Sumter, SC	34.8	39.2	-31	S
294	California-Lexington Park, MD	34.6	45.2	-23	S
295	Kankakee, IL	34.4	44.9	-4	S
296	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA	34.3	582.6	-16	L
297	Montgomery, AL	34.0	173.4	47	M
298	Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA	33.7	42.4	31	S
299	Monroe, MI	33.5	42.1	-147	S
300	Albany, GA	33.5	63.2	75	S
301	New Bern, NC	33.3	44.9	-13	S
302	Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	33.2	87.8	-93	S
303	Jackson, MI	33.0	57.4	98	S
304	Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA	32.5	60.1	-179	S
305	Kingston, NY	32.4	62.0	36	S
306	Roanoke, VA	32.3	163.5	-17	M
307	Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro Div	32.2	404.0	-74	M
308	Green Bay, WI	32.0	173.9	-22	M
309	Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	31.4	57.2	40	S
310	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	31.4	522.9	14	L
311	Akron, OH	31.2	340.8	-99	M
312	Tulsa, OK	31.1	444.4	-90	M
313	Johnson City, TN	30.9	80.0	-16	S
314	Dayton, OH	30.7	385.4	-32	M
315	Fayetteville, NC	30.5	130.6	36	S
316	Evansville, IN-KY	30.4	159.0	31	M
317	Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div	30.3	59.5	18	S
318	Cheyenne, WY	30.1	46.0	-112	S
319	Jacksonville, NC	30.1	49.0	-19	S
320	Odessa, TX	29.9	69.7	-144	S
321	Carson City, NV	29.6	28.6	89	S
322	Niles-Benton Harbor, MI	28.9	61.1	-46	S
323	Eau Claire, WI	28.9	85.2	-58	S
324	Rochester, NY	28.8	532.9	52	L
325	Duluth, MN-WI	28.8	135.3	47	S
326	Jefferson City, MO	28.6	77.3	67	S
327	Tucson, AZ	28.5	377.8	-93	M
328	Cedar Rapids, IA	28.4	143.9	-29	S
329	Monroe, LA	28.3	79.5	17	S
330	Champaign-Urbana, IL	28.1	109.8	-7	S
331	Muncie, IN	28.1	52.0	-75	S
332	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	27.9	768.4	-13	L
333	Victoria, TX	27.9	42.2	-218	S
334	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	27.7	857.0	-26	L
335	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	27.7	1,051.8	2	L
336	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA	27.6	571.5	-30	L
337	Mobile, AL	27.5	179.0	23	M
338	Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA	27.5	122.4	-48	S
339	Abilene, TX	27.4	68.3	-28	S
340	Midland, MI	27.3	37.4	-95	S
341	Bloomington, IN	26.5	77.5	47	S
342	Pittsburgh, PA	26.4	1,165.0	14	L
343	Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA	26.4	129.0	27	S
344	New Haven, CT NECTA	26.0	281.7	-16	M
345	Santa Fe, NM	26.0	63.5	-53	S
346	Canton-Massillon, OH	25.7	171.7	-8	M
347	Syracuse, NY	25.6	317.6	35	M
348	Elgin, IL Metro Div	25.1	253.1	-102	M
349	Hot Springs, AR	24.9	37.5	1	S
350	Watertown-Fort Drum, NY	24.8	42.0	-20	S
351	Saginaw, MI	24.8	89.1	-97	S
352	Lawton, OK	24.8	45.9	-26	S
353	Terre Haute, IN	24.6	71.6	34	S
354	Great Falls, MT	24.5	35.9	-9	S
355	Wichita, KS	24.0	296.9	-57	M
356	Texarkana, TX-AR	23.8	60.6	-90	S
357	Homosassa Springs, FL	23.8	33.3	-23	S
358	Flint, MI	23.4	140.7	21	S
359	Newark, NJ-PA Metro Div	23.2	1,193.8	-20	L
360	Lima, OH	23.1	52.9	-53	S
361	Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	23.1	154.0	2	M
362	Grand Junction, CO	22.7	60.9	-87	S
363	Columbus, GA-AL	22.7	121.5	5	S
364	Dothan, AL	22.4	57.8	35	S
365	Lynchburg, VA	22.0	104.5	1	S
366	Anchorage, AK	22.0	173.7	-88	M
367	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	21.8	261.1	6	M
368	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA	21.4	407.9	-50	M
369	Muskegon, MI	21.2	62.7	-108	S
370	Casper, WY	21.1	37.1	-89	S
371	Joplin, MO	20.6	80.9	-56	S
372	Fort Smith, AR-OK	20.6	113.9	8	S
373	Utica-Rome, NY	20.5	126.5	19	S
374	Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	20.4	91.1	0	S
375	Cumberland, MD-WV	20.3	39.2	38	S
376	Cape Girardeau, MO-IL	20.1	44.5	-7	S
377	Racine, WI	20.0	76.9	7	S
378	Bangor, ME NECTA	20.0	66.4	-19	S
379	Carbondale-Marion, IL	19.8	57.2	-147	S
380	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	19.1	182.9	25	M
381	Longview, TX	19.1	96.8	-61	S
382	Rocky Mount, NC	19.0	58.0	16	S
383	Bay City, MI	18.9	36.4	17	S
384	Altoona, PA	17.7	60.7	-23	S
385	Houma-Thibodaux, LA	17.6	86.5	-60	S
386	Mansfield, OH	17.3	52.6	22	S
387	Rockford, IL	17.0	150.0	-137	S
388	Binghamton, NY	16.6	104.3	29	S
389	Pittsfield, MA NECTA	16.1	41.4	-145	S
390	Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	15.8	128.3	29	S
391	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	15.7	163.7	-168	M
392	Decatur, IL	15.5	51.4	-14	S
393	Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Div	15.4	143.5	-22	S
394	Alexandria, LA	15.0	63.2	-30	S
395	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	14.8	138.8	12	S
396	Waterbury, CT NECTA	14.4	67.0	-7	S
397	Pine Bluff, AR	14.0	33.5	23	S
398	Lafayette, LA	14.0	198.5	-40	M
399	Farmington, NM	14.0	48.4	-103	S
400	Decatur, AL	13.0	53.6	4	S
401	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	12.5	223.7	-7	M
402	Erie, PA	11.7	127.8	-17	S
403	Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL	11.6	45.8	12	S
404	Wheeling, WV-OH	11.3	66.4	-8	S
405	Goldsboro, NC	11.2	41.7	-48	S
406	Wichita Falls, TX	10.7	57.5	-15	S
407	Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ	10.3	34.5	11	S
408	Michigan City-La Porte, IN	10.3	41.3	3	S
409	Fairbanks, AK	10.2	36.1	-14	S
410	Williamsport, PA	10.2	53.3	-27	S
411	Bloomington, IL	9.6	93.0	-9	S
412	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	9.5	180.1	-9	M
413	Springfield, OH	9.3	49.6	-7	S
414	Parkersburg-Vienna, WV	9.1	40.8	0	S
415	Danville, IL	8.7	28.6	-48	S
416	Elmira, NY	8.6	37.7	-7	S
417	Peoria, IL	7.2	173.0	-31	M
418	Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH	6.8	41.0	-21	S
419	Charleston, WV	6.0	118.9	-3	S
420	Johnstown, PA	4.3	55.6	1	S
421	Beckley, WV	3.5	44.7	-9	S

Large Cities Rankings - 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

Mark Schill — Tue, 16 May 2017 17:52:50 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 Large MSA Ranking	Area	2017 Weighted INDEX	2016 Nonfarm Employment (1000s)	Size Movement 2016-2017
1	Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metro Div	96.4	2,554.6	4
2	San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metro Div	96.2	1,108.6	-1
3	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	95.5	968.8	1
4	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	93.2	1,170.0	4
5	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	93.1	1,233.2	-2
6	Salt Lake City, UT	92.6	713.6	9
7	Austin-Round Rock, TX	92.6	1,015.4	-1
8	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	92.1	1,084.7	-6
9	Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metro Div	90.4	1,664.4	2
10	Raleigh, NC	89.7	610.1	-1
11	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	87.1	1,442.3	-4
12	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	85.8	1,027.9	0
13	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	84.4	2,721.2	0
14	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	82.7	1,436.3	0
15	West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL Metro Div	81.6	623.6	4
16	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	80.5	1,153.4	-6
17	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	79.7	551.2	10
18	Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metro Div	78.7	1,180.1	4
19	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	78.5	1,321.1	6
20	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	78.4	670.8	6
21	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	77.5	964.6	0
22	Jacksonville, FL	76.9	677.5	-4
23	Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metro Div	76.8	1,150.1	9
24	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	76.5	1,056.9	7
25	New York City, NY	75.6	4,388.9	-9
26	Columbus, OH	75.6	1,077.8	4
27	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	74.8	2,015.6	-10
28	Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Div	74.0	1,023.6	0
29	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	72.8	1,439.0	0
30	Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metro Div	71.8	836.9	-7
31	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division	71.8	1,831.6	4
32	Kansas City, MO	71.6	608.6	11
33	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	69.3	958.1	5
34	Philadelphia City, PA	65.6	714.0	17
35	Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metro Div	64.4	1,236.6	1
36	Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, NJ	62.4	895.9	4
37	Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metro Div	61.7	1,592.2	-4
38	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	61.7	3,017.5	-14
39	Northern Virginia, VA	60.5	1,449.9	5
40	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metro Div	60.5	4,442.2	2
41	Kansas City, KS	59.4	469.2	-7
42	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Div	59.1	2,653.9	-3
43	Richmond, VA	56.8	666.4	-23
44	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	55.6	1,087.6	6
45	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	54.9	1,964.8	-4
46	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	53.3	500.1	-1
47	Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metro Div	52.6	1,337.8	6
48	Urban Honolulu, HI	50.9	481.1	-2
49	Camden, NJ Metro Div	50.1	540.4	8
50	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	47.0	466.5	13
51	Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Div	46.7	3,717.2	-4
52	Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metro Div	45.5	1,058.2	3
53	Oklahoma City, OK	45.0	628.3	-16
54	Orange-Rockland-Westchester, NY	44.9	712.1	-5
55	Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ	42.6	928.9	1
56	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	41.2	577.0	-8
57	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	40.7	646.2	-3
58	St. Louis, MO-IL	40.6	1,368.7	0
59	Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metro Div	40.5	598.0	-7
60	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	38.1	565.7	9
61	Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metro Div	36.1	753.3	1
62	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA	34.3	582.6	-3
63	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	31.4	522.9	2
64	Rochester, NY	28.8	532.9	6
65	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	27.9	768.4	-1
66	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	27.7	857.0	-5
67	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	27.7	1,051.8	-1
68	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA	27.6	571.5	-8
69	Pittsburgh, PA	26.4	1,165.0	-1
70	Newark, NJ-PA Metro Div	23.2	1,193.8	-3

Mid Sized Cities Rankings - 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

Mark Schill — Tue, 16 May 2017 17:52:19 -0400

Read about how we selected the 2017 Best Cities for Job Growth

2017 Midsized MSA Rankings	Area	Weighted INDEX	2016 Nonfarm Employment (1000s)	Size Movement 2016-2017
1	Provo-Orem, UT	99.0	243.4	0
2	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	95.6	249.5	0
3	Fort Collins, CO	94.3	162.6	0
4	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	92.6	350.5	3
5	Boise City, ID	92.0	311.0	3
6	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	90.7	249.8	-2
7	Savannah, GA	86.6	177.9	-2
8	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	84.6	262.6	-2
9	Tacoma-Lakewood, WA Metro Div	84.2	309.8	11
10	Boulder, CO	83.6	188.2	7
11	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	83.4	301.9	4
12	Fresno, CA	78.7	339.1	0
13	Asheville, NC	78.2	188.7	5
14	Trenton, NJ	78.0	269.6	0
15	Stockton-Lodi, CA	76.4	227.9	-5
16	Modesto, CA	76.3	173.5	11
17	Salem, OR	76.1	162.1	2
18	El Paso, TX	75.7	315.1	7
19	Colorado Springs, CO	75.6	281.6	3
20	Reno, NV	74.5	225.1	10
21	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	74.0	360.1	16
22	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	73.5	199.3	13
23	Sioux Falls, SD	72.8	153.4	-12
24	Lexington-Fayette, KY	72.1	281.2	0
25	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	71.4	307.1	14
26	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	71.3	219.6	10
27	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	71.0	154.1	-18
28	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	70.8	256.4	-2
29	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	69.9	412.4	-16
30	Santa Rosa, CA	69.4	202.0	-14
31	Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div	67.6	155.0	18
32	Huntsville, AL	66.0	228.8	17
33	Madison, WI	65.0	399.4	5
34	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	64.8	237.3	27
35	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	64.4	174.3	12
36	Springfield, MO	64.4	212.6	-5
37	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	61.3	242.3	11
38	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	59.8	213.4	24
39	Columbia, SC	59.4	395.4	-18
40	Lincoln, NE	59.4	189.9	5
41	Chattanooga, TN-GA	58.9	255.5	-1
42	Ann Arbor, MI	58.7	220.3	-1
43	Knoxville, TN	58.6	395.7	-15
44	Eugene, OR	58.5	158.4	-1
45	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	57.7	235.5	31
46	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	57.6	182.9	-14
47	Tallahassee, FL	55.9	181.7	34
48	Lancaster, PA	54.8	250.3	-2
49	Calvert-Charles-Prince George's, MD	54.5	404.3	3
50	Baton Rouge, LA	51.7	405.2	-27
51	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	49.3	305.9	28
52	Springfield, MA-CT NECTA	47.5	334.8	22
53	Toledo, OH	46.8	313.5	10
54	Fort Wayne, IN	46.7	221.0	-10
55	Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA	46.7	200.9	25
56	Delaware County, PA	45.9	235.9	14
57	Framingham, MA NECTA Div	45.5	173.9	-1
58	Worcester, MA-CT NECTA	45.2	284.1	13
59	Bakersfield, CA	43.5	258.1	-30
60	Jackson, MS	42.6	280.2	9
61	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	39.2	339.0	3
62	Winston-Salem, NC	39.0	262.3	4
63	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	38.9	151.9	31
64	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	38.5	361.6	-9
65	Reading, PA	37.6	178.5	-14
66	Gary, IN Metro Div	37.1	280.2	23
67	Corpus Christi, TX	36.4	191.0	-34
68	Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metro Div	36.3	359.8	-26
69	Albuquerque, NM	36.1	390.1	16
70	Baltimore City, MD	35.8	367.5	18
71	York-Hanover, PA	35.8	184.5	-14
72	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	35.8	354.8	-12
73	Greensboro-High Point, NC	35.4	361.6	-6
74	Montgomery, AL	34.0	173.4	12
75	Roanoke, VA	32.3	163.5	2
76	Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro Div	32.2	404.0	-18
77	Green Bay, WI	32.0	173.9	-2
78	Akron, OH	31.2	340.8	-28
79	Tulsa, OK	31.1	444.4	-26
80	Dayton, OH	30.7	385.4	-7
81	Evansville, IN-KY	30.4	159.0	6
82	Tucson, AZ	28.5	377.8	-23
83	Mobile, AL	27.5	179.0	8
84	New Haven, CT NECTA	26.0	281.7	-1
85	Canton-Massillon, OH	25.7	171.7	-1
86	Syracuse, NY	25.6	317.6	8
87	Elgin, IL Metro Div	25.1	253.1	-22
88	Wichita, KS	24.0	296.9	-10
89	Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	23.1	154.0	3
90	Anchorage, AK	22.0	173.7	-18
91	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	21.8	261.1	2
92	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA	21.4	407.9	-10
93	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	19.1	182.9	5
94	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	15.7	163.7	-40
95	Lafayette, LA	14.0	198.5	-5
96	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	12.5	223.7	0
97	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	9.5	180.1	0
98	Peoria, IL	7.2	173.0	-3