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  • 2011 How We Pick the Best Cities For Job Growth

    The methodology for the 2011 rankings largely corresponds to that used last year, which emphasizes the robustness of a region’s growth both recently and over time. It allows the rankings to include all of the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports monthly employment data. They are derived from three-month rolling averages of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics “state and area” unadjusted employment data reported from November 1999 to January 2011.

    “Large” areas include those with a current nonfarm employment base of at least 450,000 jobs. “Midsize” areas range from 150,000 to 450,000 jobs. “Small” areas have as many as 150,000 jobs. This year’s rankings reflect the current size of each MSA’s employment, unlike last year when some were “held over” in size categories to facilitate comparisons.

    This year’s rankings use four measures of growth to rank all areas for which full data sets were available from the past 10 years. Because of the expanded availability of data since last year, we were able to include another small MSA (Manhattan, KS) in this year’s rankings for a total of 398 regions. Generally, this year’s rankings can be directly compared to the 2010 rankings for MSAs for the large and midsize categories, although there are eight MSAs that are reported in the Small size category that were Medium last year and one (Honolulu, HI) that was large that is now reported as medium-sized. In instances where the analysis refers to changes in ranking order, these adjustments are made accordingly, reporting the changes in ranking as if they had been categorized in their current category last year.

    The index is calculated from a normalized, weighted summary of: 1) recent growth trend: the current and prior year’s employment growth rates, with the current year emphasized (two points); 2) mid-term growth: the average annual 2005-2010 growth rate (two points); 3) long-term trend and momentum: the sum of the 2005-2010 and 1999-2004 employment growth rates multiplied by the ratio of the 1999-2004 growth rate over the 2005-2010 growth rate (two points); and 4) current year growth (one point).

    The data reflect the North American Industry Classification System categories, including total nonfarm employment, manufacturing, financial services, business and professional services, educational and health services, information, retail and wholesale trade, transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality, and government.

  • Best Cities for Job Growth 2011

    Our Best Cities Rankings for 2011 are purely a measure of job growth performance across the short, medium and long term.

  • Midsized Cities Rankings – 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    Read about how we selected the 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    2011 Size Ranking
    Area
    2011 Weighted INDEX
    2010 Nonfarm Empl (1000s)
    2010 Size Rank
    Size Movement from 2010
    1
    		 El Paso, TX
    92.5
    		 281.2
    5
    4
    2
    		 Corpus Christi, TX
    82.5
    		 179.1
    7
    5
    3
    		 Anchorage, AK
    79.8
    		 170.7
    3
    0
    4
    		 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
    78.7
    		 223.4
    6
    2
    5
    		 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
    71.4
    		 201.9
    13
    8
    6
    		 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
    68.3
    		 338.8
    15
    9
    7
    		 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
    67.5
    		 176.7
    12
    5
    8
    		 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC
    67.1
    		 283.8
    25
    17
    9
    		 Knoxville, TN
    66.5
    		 325.5
    43
    34
    10
    		 Provo-Orem, UT
    65.9
    		 180.3
    30
    20
    11
    		 Lincoln, NE
    65.3
    		 171.5
    10
    -1
    12
    		 Lexington-Fayette, KY
    64.8
    		 247.5
    14
    2
    13
    		 Honolulu, HI
    64.7
    		 441.2
    3
    14
    		 York-Hanover, PA
    64.6
    		 176.0
    46
    32
    15
    		 Madison, WI
    64.5
    		 344.7
    33
    18
    16
    		 Green Bay, WI
    63.5
    		 165.7
    56
    40
    17
    		 Huntsville, AL
    63.4
    		 207.7
    4
    -13
    18
    		 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
    63.3
    		 159.7
    38
    20
    19
    		 Lansing-East Lansing, MI
    62.5
    		 219.2
    68
    49
    20
    		 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
    62.1
    		 333.6
    26
    6
    21
    		 Ann Arbor, MI
    62.0
    		 198.0
    50
    29
    22
    		 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
    60.8
    		 280.6
    1
    -21
    23
    		 Worcester, MA-CT NECTA
    60.3
    		 240.7
    59
    36
    24
    		 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA
    59.3
    		 254.2
    28
    4
    25
    		 Ogden-Clearfield, UT
    59.2
    		 191.2
    19
    -6
    26
    		 Boulder, CO
    59.1
    		 159.5
    35
    9
    27
    		 Peoria, IL
    59.0
    		 178.8
    65
    38
    28
    		 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA
    58.8
    		 187.8
    41
    13
    29
    		 Reading, PA
    58.4
    		 167.6
    55
    26
    30
    		 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
    57.8
    		 248.1
    29
    -1
    31
    		 Asheville, NC
    57.6
    		 167.2
    60
    29
    32
    		 Springfield, MO
    57.5
    		 191.2
    24
    -8
    33
    		 Mobile, AL
    56.4
    		 175.0
    63
    30
    34
    		 Trenton-Ewing, NJ
    56.1
    		 237.0
    11
    -23
    35
    		 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
    56.0
    		 158.2
    45
    10
    36
    		 Syracuse, NY
    55.8
    		 314.7
    18
    -18
    37
    		 Evansville, IN-KY
    55.5
    		 172.8
    57
    20
    38
    		 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
    55.3
    		 313.5
    9
    -29
    39
    		 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
    55.1
    		 209.5
    22
    -17
    40
    		 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
    54.7
    		 366.9
    86
    46
    41
    		 Jackson, MS
    52.7
    		 250.9
    27
    -14
    42
    		 Lancaster, PA
    52.6
    		 226.7
    62
    20
    43
    		 Bakersfield-Delano, CA
    51.6
    		 225.5
    36
    -7
    44
    		 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA
    51.3
    		 398.7
    54
    10
    45
    		 Baton Rouge, LA
    51.0
    		 363.5
    2
    -43
    46
    		 Tallahassee, FL
    50.5
    		 170.1
    16
    -30
    47
    		 Chattanooga, TN-GA
    50.1
    		 230.7
    82
    35
    48
    		 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
    49.8
    		 317.1
    21
    -27
    49
    		 Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, MD
    49.4
    		 377.4
    48
    -1
    50
    		 Framingham, MA NECTA Division
    49.2
    		 153.3
    53
    3
    51
    		 New Haven, CT NECTA
    47.6
    		 266.4
    44
    -7
    52
    		 Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division
    47.6
    		 264.5
    39
    -13
    53
    		 Springfield, MA-CT NECTA
    47.6
    		 285.4
    77
    24
    54
    		 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC
    47.6
    		 296.2
    74
    20
    55
    		 Tulsa, OK
    47.6
    		 408.0
    37
    -18
    56
    		 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
    47.3
    		 179.0
    69
    13
    57
    		 Kansas City, KS
    45.2
    		 421.2
    32
    -25
    58
    		 Colorado Springs, CO
    45.1
    		 245.1
    49
    -9
    59
    		 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
    44.8
    		 433.1
    17
    -42
    60
    		 Baltimore City, MD
    42.3
    		 349.1
    73
    13
    61
    		 Spokane, WA
    42.1
    		 204.7
    31
    -30
    62
    		 Columbia, SC
    39.1
    		 342.0
    42
    -20
    63
    		 Toledo, OH
    39.1
    		 299.9
    95
    32
    64
    		 Albuquerque, NM
    39.1
    		 370.5
    20
    -44
    65
    		 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
    38.3
    		 274.0
    80
    15
    66
    		 Wichita, KS
    37.8
    		 283.5
    64
    -2
    67
    		 Akron, OH
    36.4
    		 318.9
    87
    20
    68
    		 Fort Wayne, IN
    35.5
    		 201.2
    79
    11
    69
    		 Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
    35.3
    		 371.2
    71
    2
    70
    		 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA
    34.9
    		 161.2
    66
    -4
    71
    		 Boise City-Nampa, ID
    34.3
    		 250.0
    61
    -10
    72
    		 Fresno, CA
    34.2
    		 279.6
    67
    -5
    73
    		 Roanoke, VA
    33.6
    		 153.6
    51
    -22
    74
    		 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
    32.4
    		 220.5
    93
    19
    75
    		 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
    31.5
    		 194.5
    70
    -5
    76
    		 Gary, IN Metropolitan Division
    30.7
    		 262.2
    76
    0
    77
    		 Tucson, AZ
    29.9
    		 354.1
    58
    -19
    78
    		 Dayton, OH
    29.4
    		 370.8
    90
    12
    79
    		 Canton-Massillon, OH
    29.3
    		 159.2
    94
    15
    80
    		 Montgomery, AL
    29.3
    		 166.7
    52
    -28
    81
    		 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
    24.4
    		 192.0
    75
    -6
    82
    		 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL
    24.0
    		 239.9
    89
    7
    83
    		 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
    23.9
    		 170.3
    88
    5
    84
    		 Winston-Salem, NC
    23.6
    		 203.4
    47
    -37
    85
    		 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
    22.9
    		 153.4
    83
    -2
    86
    		 Stockton, CA
    21.8
    		 187.7
    78
    -8
    87
    		 Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division
    21.3
    		 328.1
    72
    -15
    88
    		 Reno-Sparks, NV
    20.1
    		 189.8
    92
    4
    89
    		 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
    17.2
    		 194.9
    91
    2
    90
    		 Greensboro-High Point, NC
    15.0
    		 337.5
    85
    -5

  • The Public Transport Revolution – Why does it never Arrive?

    Since the oil spike in the early seventies, enthusiasts for public transport have predicted that high prices for petrol would trigger a public transport revolution as people finally broke their “addiction” to the motor car and changed their travel mode to buses and trains.

    Since then, price bubbles have increased public transport use, and lowered car miles traveled. But these changes have proved to be short-lived. More drive more.

    Yet standard theory says that people respond to prices. Surely people should respond to increased petrol prices by changing their mode of travel.  But why hasn’t it happened in the past? More importantly, will it magically happen in the future?

    The answer is that most drivers do respond to increased oil prices but they have many choices as to how to respond..  You may switch to public transport provided it takes you where you want to go at a reasonable price. The problem is that part of the “reasonable price” includes the price of the increased time it takes to get to the final destination. Also, surveys reveal that when people climb into their car at the end of the day they feel they have actually arrived at “home.” Bus and train travel significantly defers their arrival in their own private space.

    So, given time, people change their behaviour in many ways, so as to maintain the comfort, convenience, and overall efficiency of the car. For example:

    1. They may decide to buy a smaller or more fuel-efficient car.
    2. They may relocate either their home or their job to reduce travel costs and times – provided the land market is flexible.
    3. If the local land-market is inflexible they may move to another town, or another country.
    4. They may modify all their travel behaviour by better trip planning, commuter car-pooling (with prioritized parking) and general ride and task sharing.
    5. They may choose to telecommute, car-pool, park-share, and ride-share.

    Fuel costs are only a small component of total motoring costs. Cars today are lasting longer, are more reliable, are cheaper to run, and are kept in use longer. When oil was cheaper total costs of motoring were higher. That’s one reason why we are driving more.

    Sudden spikes in petrol prices do affect the transportation modal split, but these spikes carry less significance than media reports would suggest, and tend to be of much shorter duration than the advocates of transportation revolution predict. People know how they want to live and they value their personal mobility.

    This is not a trivial issue because councils – and the Auckland Council for example – are demanding that Government funds massive investments in public transport because of the current oil spike, the upward blip in public transport use, and of course “Peak Oil.”

    The Peak Oil pessimists seem to believe no alternative to the petrol driven car exists. They also seem to ignore the increasing evidence of vast oil and gas reserves being discovered from everywhere the eastern Mediterranean to the shores off Brazil and the American Great Plains.

    A host of emerging technologies will more than compensate for any increase in the price of oil-based fuels – even for vehicles that continue to run on fossil fuels. Think of the hybrid car topping up the batteries from solar panels in the roof. Robot cars and electronically convoyed trucks hugely increase lane capacity. There are so many it would need another column to list them. The pessimists complain that it will take far too long to ring such changes in the vehicle fleet. In the next breath they talk about reshaping the urban-form, mainly by the densification of our major cities. Short of another Luftwaffe arriving on the scene, such urban renewal is hardly likely to happen overnight. Technology churns faster than cities. Try buying a Gestetner, a Telex machine, a slide rule, or a film for your camera.

    Urban economist, Anthony Downs, writing in “Still Stuck in Traffic?” reminds us:

    "….trying to decrease traffic congestion by raising residential densities is like trying to improve the position of a painting hung too high on the living room wall by jacking up the ceiling instead of moving the painting.”

    Yet the Auckland Council, like their counterparts throughout the affluent world, seems determined to raise the ceilings – with no regard for costs.

    One of the arguments used against building more roads – and especially against more motorways – is that as soon as they are built they become congested again because of “induced demand.” Such “induced demand” is surely the natural expression of suppressed demand. It seems unlikely that motorists will mindlessly drive between different destinations for no other reason than they can.

    However, let us accept for a moment that “induced demand” is real, and suggests that improving the road network is a fruitless exercise. Advocates of expensive rail networks claim they will reduce congestion on the roads and improve the lot of private vehicle users as a consequence.

    But surely, if the construction of an expensive rail network does reduce congestion on the roads then induced demand will rapidly restore the status quo. Maybe the theory is sound after all. It would explain why no retrofitted rail networks have anywhere resulted in reduced congestion.

    This is the time to invest in an enhanced roading network while making incremental investments in flexible public transport. Roads can be shared by buses, trucks, vans, cars, taxis, shuttle-buses, motor-cycles and cyclists – unless compulsive regulators say they are for buses only. Railway lines can be used only by trains and if we build them in the wrong place they soon run empty. The Romans built roads and we still use them.

    In a techno-novel published in 1992, Michael Crichton pauses in his narrative to explain what an email is. That’s not long ago.

    The one certainty is that the internet/computer world will have the same impact on transport as it has already had on communications. Transport deals with bits while communication deals with bytes.

    The end result will be a similar blurring of the line between public and private transport that has already happened between public and private communication. The outcomes are beyond our imagination.

    We should get used to it, and realise that making cities more expensive and harder to get around in does not make them more liveable.

    Owen McShane is Director of the Centre for Resource Management Studies, New Zealand.

    Photo by Mark Derricutt

  • All Cities Rankings – 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    Read about how we selected the 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    2011 Overall Ranking
    Area
    2011 Weighted INDEX
    		  

    2010 Nonfarm Empl (1000s) 
    Overall Rank 2010
    Overal Movement
    1
    		 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX
    93.8
    129.0
    4
    3
    2
    		 Bismarck, ND
    92.8
    63.0
    2
    0
    3
    		 El Paso, TX
    92.5
    281.2
    25
    22
    4
    		 College Station-Bryan, TX
    92.3
    98.5
    3
    -1
    5
    		 Midland, TX
    90.8
    69.2
    62
    57
    6
    		 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
    89.1
    769.3
    9
    3
    7
    		 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA
    88.9
    522.6
    294
    287
    8
    		 Dubuque, IA
    88.6
    56.6
    93
    85
    9
    		 Manhattan, KS
    88.3
    57.0
    10
    		 Pascagoula, MS
    85.4
    58.7
    30
    20
    11
    		 Odessa, TX
    84.1
    61.8
    87
    76
    12
    		 Corpus Christi, TX
    82.5
    179.1
    38
    26
    13
    		 Logan, UT-ID
    82.2
    54.4
    110
    97
    14
    		 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
    82.1
    2552.3
    21
    7
    15
    		 Fairbanks, AK
    81.0
    37.7
    42
    27
    16
    		 Elizabethtown, KY
    81.0
    47.6
    103
    87
    17
    		 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
    80.7
    841.3
    12
    -5
    18
    		 Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division
    80.6
    2043.4
    44
    26
    19
    		 Jacksonville, NC
    80.5
    47.2
    1
    -18
    20
    		 Lawton, OK
    80.5
    44.0
    7
    -13
    21
    		 Lebanon, PA
    80.5
    50.1
    106
    85
    22
    		 Anchorage, AK
    79.8
    170.7
    18
    -4
    23
    		 Longview, TX
    79.4
    97.0
    140
    117
    24
    		 Joplin, MO
    79.1
    79.8
    105
    81
    25
    		 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA
    79.0
    99.2
    16
    -9
    26
    		 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
    78.9
    105.3
    192
    166
    27
    		 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
    78.7
    223.4
    28
    1
    28
    		 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
    77.9
    127.2
    31
    3
    29
    		 Columbia, MO
    77.2
    93.4
    32
    3
    30
    		 Auburn-Opelika, AL
    77.0
    53.3
    79
    49
    31
    		 Clarksville, TN-KY
    76.6
    83.4
    124
    93
    32
    		 San Angelo, TX
    76.4
    44.9
    85
    53
    33
    		 Morgantown, WV
    76.4
    65.4
    17
    -16
    34
    		 Wheeling, WV-OH
    76.2
    67.9
    81
    47
    35
    		 Ithaca, NY
    76.1
    65.6
    24
    -11
    36
    		 Jonesboro, AR
    75.9
    49.2
    43
    7
    37
    		 Springfield, IL
    74.6
    111.7
    59
    22
    38
    		 Fargo, ND-MN
    74.6
    122.4
    8
    -30
    39
    		 Grand Forks, ND-MN
    74.4
    54.0
    37
    -2
    40
    		 Corvallis, OR
    74.2
    38.1
    274
    234
    41
    		 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division
    74.1
    2412.6
    47
    6
    42
    		 Cumberland, MD-WV
    73.8
    39.9
    128
    86
    43
    		 Northern Virginia, VA
    73.8
    1306.5
    35
    -8
    44
    		 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
    73.5
    92.7
    145
    101
    45
    		 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA
    73.5
    53.7
    60
    15
    46
    		 Warner Robins, GA
    73.3
    59.7
    26
    -20
    47
    		 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
    73.2
    38.6
    36
    -11
    48
    		 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
    73.1
    742.9
    217
    169
    49
    		 Waco, TX
    73.0
    105.8
    41
    -8
    50
    		 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
    72.9
    133.6
    68
    18
    51
    		 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC
    72.7
    110.8
    199
    148
    52
    		 New York City, NY
    72.6
    3731.4
    89
    37
    53
    		 Harrisonburg, VA
    72.6
    62.7
    69
    16
    54
    		 Iowa City, IA
    72.6
    90.5
    27
    -27
    55
    		 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Division
    72.3
    76.5
    65
    10
    56
    		 Las Cruces, NM
    72.3
    69.1
    33
    -23
    57
    		 Johnstown, PA
    71.9
    60.7
    129
    72
    58
    		 Philadelphia City, PA
    71.9
    661.8
    112
    54
    59
    		 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR
    71.9
    56.9
    76
    17
    60
    		 Eau Claire, WI
    71.7
    80.4
    181
    121
    61
    		 Pittsburgh, PA
    71.7
    1129.8
    111
    50
    62
    		 Bowling Green, KY
    71.6
    59.7
    260
    198
    63
    		 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
    71.4
    201.9
    75
    12
    64
    		 Great Falls, MT
    71.3
    35.6
    22
    -42
    65
    		 State College, PA
    71.2
    74.4
    29
    -36
    66
    		 Yakima, WA
    71.2
    76.5
    11
    -55
    67
    		 Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA
    71.1
    19.5
    20
    -47
    68
    		 Gainesville, GA
    71.1
    72.8
    241
    173
    69
    		 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA
    70.7
    113.1
    193
    124
    70
    		 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division
    70.7
    565.3
    114
    44
    71
    		 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division
    70.4
    1679.0
    133
    62
    72
    		 St. Cloud, MN
    69.9
    99.0
    74
    2
    73
    		 Williamsport, PA
    69.8
    52.6
    203
    130
    74
    		 Laredo, TX
    69.7
    88.4
    95
    21
    75
    		 New Bedford, MA NECTA
    69.4
    64.9
    137
    62
    76
    		 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division
    69.3
    87.7
    200
    124
    77
    		 Glens Falls, NY
    69.1
    53.0
    50
    -27
    78
    		 Sandusky, OH
    68.9
    35.5
    206
    128
    79
    		 Ocean City, NJ
    68.6
    36.3
    131
    52
    80
    		 Hattiesburg, MS
    68.6
    59.3
    14
    -66
    81
    		 Cedar Rapids, IA
    68.6
    137.5
    48
    -33
    82
    		 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
    68.3
    338.8
    92
    10
    83
    		 Raleigh-Cary, NC
    67.8
    500.0
    54
    -29
    84
    		 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division
    67.8
    850.0
    49
    -35
    85
    		 Tyler, TX
    67.7
    93.3
    67
    -18
    86
    		 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
    67.5
    176.7
    73
    -13
    87
    		 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA
    67.3
    94.1
    98
    11
    88
    		 Owensboro, KY
    67.3
    49.8
    149
    61
    89
    		 Amarillo, TX
    67.2
    110.8
    56
    -33
    90
    		 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC
    67.1
    283.8
    136
    46
    91
    		 Elmira, NY
    67.1
    40.1
    219
    128
    92
    		 Rochester, NY
    66.7
    506.9
    122
    30
    93
    		 Altoona, PA
    66.7
    60.5
    118
    25
    94
    		 Knoxville, TN
    66.5
    325.5
    187
    93
    95
    		 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA
    66.4
    92.2
    113
    18
    96
    		 Sioux Falls, SD
    66.3
    133.0
    51
    -45
    97
    		 Rapid City, SD
    65.9
    59.3
    55
    -42
    98
    		 Provo-Orem, UT
    65.9
    180.3
    148
    50
    99
    		 Pueblo, CO
    65.7
    57.1
    34
    -65
    100
    		 Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division
    65.5
    1232.2
    120
    20
    101
    		 Lincoln, NE
    65.3
    171.5
    66
    -35
    102
    		 Lubbock, TX
    65.1
    129.5
    39
    -63
    103
    		 Lexington-Fayette, KY
    64.8
    247.5
    90
    -13
    104
    		 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
    64.7
    541.0
    135
    31
    105
    		 Honolulu, HI
    64.7
    441.2
    141
    36
    106
    		 York-Hanover, PA
    64.6
    176.0
    201
    95
    107
    		 Madison, WI
    64.5
    344.7
    152
    45
    108
    		 Columbus, OH
    64.3
    912.1
    194
    86
    109
    		 Dover, DE
    64.3
    63.4
    171
    62
    110
    		 Salt Lake City, UT
    64.2
    613.9
    107
    -3
    111
    		 Flagstaff, AZ
    63.6
    61.5
    100
    -11
    112
    		 Green Bay, WI
    63.5
    165.7
    229
    117
    113
    		 Huntsville, AL
    63.4
    207.7
    19
    -94
    114
    		 Ames, IA
    63.3
    47.5
    97
    -17
    115
    		 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
    63.3
    159.7
    168
    53
    116
    		 Charlottesville, VA
    63.2
    98.7
    84
    -32
    117
    		 Appleton, WI
    63.2
    116.0
    210
    93
    118
    		 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
    63.1
    456.9
    80
    -38
    119
    		 Jefferson City, MO
    63.0
    77.7
    83
    -36
    120
    		 Pittsfield, MA NECTA
    62.8
    35.4
    282
    162
    121
    		 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
    62.7
    60.3
    363
    242
    122
    		 Greenville, NC
    62.5
    75.0
    52
    -70
    123
    		 Lansing-East Lansing, MI
    62.5
    219.2
    278
    155
    124
    		 Oklahoma City, OK
    62.4
    559.6
    104
    -20
    125
    		 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
    62.1
    333.6
    142
    17
    126
    		 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
    62.0
    88.6
    88
    -38
    127
    		 Kankakee-Bradley, IL
    62.0
    42.9
    40
    -87
    128
    		 Ann Arbor, MI
    62.0
    198.0
    209
    81
    129
    		 Springfield, OH
    61.8
    49.9
    254
    125
    130
    		 Erie, PA
    61.7
    128.5
    302
    172
    131
    		 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
    61.7
    54.8
    78
    -53
    132
    		 Athens-Clarke County, GA
    61.6
    81.0
    94
    -38
    133
    		 Palm Coast, FL
    61.5
    18.2
    175
    42
    134
    		 Tuscaloosa, AL
    60.9
    94.1
    126
    -8
    135
    		 Bloomington, IN
    60.9
    82.6
    13
    -122
    136
    		 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
    60.8
    280.6
    10
    -126
    137
    		 Billings, MT
    60.8
    78.4
    61
    -76
    138
    		 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA
    60.6
    55.9
    178
    40
    139
    		 Winchester, VA-WV
    60.4
    54.4
    245
    106
    140
    		 Victoria, TX
    60.4
    49.2
    226
    86
    141
    		 Worcester, MA-CT NECTA
    60.3
    240.7
    239
    98
    142
    		 Bloomington-Normal, IL
    60.2
    90.3
    86
    -56
    143
    		 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
    60.0
    814.8
    306
    163
    144
    		 Fayetteville, NC
    59.9
    128.2
    6
    -138
    145
    		 Cheyenne, WY
    59.8
    43.4
    45
    -100
    146
    		 Hot Springs, AR
    59.8
    37.1
    166
    20
    147
    		 Coeur d’Alene, ID
    59.5
    52.6
    109
    -38
    148
    		 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA
    59.3
    254.2
    146
    -2
    149
    		 Ogden-Clearfield, UT
    59.2
    191.2
    116
    -33
    150
    		 Boulder, CO
    59.1
    159.5
    155
    5
    151
    		 Peoria, IL
    59.0
    178.8
    258
    107
    152
    		 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA
    58.8
    187.8
    180
    28
    153
    		 Reading, PA
    58.4
    167.6
    228
    75
    154
    		 Johnson City, TN
    58.1
    78.4
    262
    108
    155
    		 Merced, CA
    58.0
    55.6
    289
    134
    156
    		 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
    57.8
    248.1
    147
    -9
    157
    		 Lafayette, IN
    57.7
    93.2
    234
    77
    158
    		 Asheville, NC
    57.6
    167.2
    240
    82
    159
    		 St. Joseph, MO-KS
    57.6
    57.3
    5
    -154
    160
    		 Abilene, TX
    57.5
    65.2
    64
    -96
    161
    		 Springfield, MO
    57.5
    191.2
    130
    -31
    162
    		 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL
    57.2
    70.7
    91
    -71
    163
    		 La Crosse, WI-MN
    57.2
    73.1
    162
    -1
    164
    		 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
    56.9
    1191.0
    182
    18
    165
    		 Mobile, AL
    56.4
    175.0
    247
    82
    166
    		 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA
    56.3
    47.9
    189
    23
    167
    		 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
    56.3
    1010.7
    256
    89
    168
    		 Mankato-North Mankato, MN
    56.1
    52.1
    186
    18
    169
    		 Lafayette, LA
    56.1
    148.0
    46
    -123
    170
    		 Trenton-Ewing, NJ
    56.1
    237.0
    71
    -99
    171
    		 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
    56.0
    158.2
    197
    26
    172
    		 Syracuse, NY
    55.8
    314.7
    115
    -57
    173
    		 Duluth, MN-WI
    55.7
    127.8
    220
    47
    174
    		 Alexandria, LA
    55.6
    64.0
    63
    -111
    175
    		 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA
    55.5
    536.3
    132
    -43
    176
    		 Evansville, IN-KY
    55.5
    172.8
    231
    55
    177
    		 Utica-Rome, NY
    55.4
    129.7
    82
    -95
    178
    		 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
    55.3
    313.5
    53
    -125
    179
    		 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
    55.1
    209.5
    125
    -54
    180
    		 Manchester, NH NECTA
    55.0
    97.5
    96
    -84
    181
    		 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
    54.9
    859.7
    297
    116
    182
    		 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA
    54.8
    48.5
    341
    159
    183
    		 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
    54.7
    366.9
    350
    167
    184
    		 Sherman-Denison, TX
    54.6
    42.3
    165
    -19
    185
    		 Topeka, KS
    54.6
    107.9
    138
    -47
    186
    		 Casper, WY
    53.4
    38.3
    198
    12
    187
    		 Kingston, NY
    53.4
    60.7
    170
    -17
    188
    		 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
    53.4
    870.5
    246
    58
    189
    		 Decatur, IL
    52.7
    52.6
    263
    74
    190
    		 Jackson, MS
    52.7
    250.9
    144
    -46
    191
    		 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Division
    52.7
    114.7
    233
    42
    192
    		 Lancaster, PA
    52.6
    226.7
    243
    51
    193
    		 Greeley, CO
    52.4
    77.9
    202
    9
    194
    		 Bakersfield-Delano, CA
    51.6
    225.5
    159
    -35
    195
    		 Putnam-Rockland-Westchester, NY
    51.4
    554.2
    238
    43
    196
    		 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA
    51.3
    398.7
    225
    29
    197
    		 Charleston, WV
    51.2
    147.1
    153
    -44
    198
    		 Baton Rouge, LA
    51.0
    363.5
    15
    -183
    199
    		 Columbus, GA-AL
    50.7
    117.2
    143
    -56
    200
    		 Savannah, GA
    50.6
    149.5
    176
    -24
    201
    		 Tallahassee, FL
    50.5
    170.1
    102
    -99
    202
    		 Rochester, MN
    50.2
    101.7
    72
    -130
    203
    		 Chattanooga, TN-GA
    50.1
    230.7
    331
    128
    204
    		 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
    50.0
    803.4
    224
    20
    205
    		 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
    49.8
    317.1
    119
    -86
    206
    		 St. Louis, MO-IL
    49.7
    1291.0
    211
    5
    207
    		 Battle Creek, MI
    49.6
    56.0
    287
    80
    208
    		 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
    49.5
    73.1
    99
    -109
    209
    		 Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, MD
    49.4
    377.4
    205
    -4
    210
    		 Framingham, MA  NECTA Division
    49.2
    153.3
    221
    11
    211
    		 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division
    49.2
    1378.0
    214
    3
    212
    		 Anderson, SC
    49.1
    60.0
    386
    174
    213
    		 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
    48.9
    43.8
    281
    68
    214
    		 Wilmington, NC
    48.7
    135.2
    101
    -113
    215
    		 Kokomo, IN
    48.4
    41.1
    392
    177
    216
    		 Idaho Falls, ID
    48.3
    48.2
    154
    -62
    217
    		 Hanford-Corcoran, CA
    48.3
    35.2
    23
    -194
    218
    		 San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division
    47.9
    936.1
    271
    53
    219
    		 Champaign-Urbana, IL
    47.7
    109.4
    185
    -34
    220
    		 Terre Haute, IN
    47.7
    70.9
    295
    75
    221
    		 Holland-Grand Haven, MI
    47.6
    104.6
    393
    172
    222
    		 New Haven, CT NECTA
    47.6
    266.4
    196
    -26
    223
    		 Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division
    47.6
    264.5
    172
    -51
    224
    		 Springfield, MA-CT NECTA
    47.6
    285.4
    314
    90
    225
    		 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC
    47.6
    296.2
    300
    75
    226
    		 Tulsa, OK
    47.6
    408.0
    161
    -65
    227
    		 Santa Fe, NM
    47.5
    60.4
    191
    -36
    228
    		 Binghamton, NY
    47.4
    109.5
    156
    -72
    229
    		 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
    47.3
    179.0
    279
    50
    230
    		 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN
    47.0
    590.7
    183
    -47
    231
    		 Spartanburg, SC
    46.8
    118.9
    366
    135
    232
    		 Grand Junction, CO
    46.7
    58.8
    235
    3
    233
    		 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
    46.2
    969.9
    270
    37
    234
    		 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division
    46.2
    989.6
    292
    58
    235
    		 Columbus, IN
    46.2
    42.4
    315
    80
    236
    		 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
    46.1
    1227.6
    299
    63
    237
    		 Lynchburg, VA
    46.1
    104.1
    158
    -79
    238
    		 Punta Gorda, FL
    45.9
    40.7
    301
    63
    239
    		 Chico, CA
    45.7
    70.2
    232
    -7
    240
    		 Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL
    45.4
    43.6
    57
    -183
    241
    		 Modesto, CA
    45.2
    145.6
    330
    89
    242
    		 Kansas City, KS
    45.2
    421.2
    151
    -91
    243
    		 Colorado Springs, CO
    45.1
    245.1
    208
    -35
    244
    		 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
    45.0
    727.4
    174
    -70
    245
    		 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
    44.8
    433.1
    108
    -137
    246
    		 Richmond, VA
    44.1
    598.6
    230
    -16
    247
    		 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division
    43.9
    98.5
    227
    -20
    248
    		 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
    43.8
    96.9
    252
    4
    249
    		 Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division
    43.6
    974.0
    268
    19
    250
    		 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division
    43.4
    3624.2
    312
    62
    251
    		 El Centro, CA
    43.2
    44.3
    134
    -117
    252
    		 Missoula, MT
    43.1
    54.4
    164
    -88
    253
    		 Jacksonville, FL
    43.1
    583.4
    259
    6
    254
    		 Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ
    43.0
    868.7
    265
    11
    255
    		 Fort Smith, AR-OK
    42.9
    116.5
    257
    2
    256
    		 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA
    42.9
    542.0
    336
    80
    257
    		 Gainesville, FL
    42.6
    127.7
    173
    -84
    258
    		 Elkhart-Goshen, IN
    42.6
    105.0
    395
    137
    259
    		 Baltimore City, MD
    42.3
    349.1
    298
    39
    260
    		 Sumter, SC
    42.3
    37.0
    385
    125
    261
    		 Spokane, WA
    42.1
    204.7
    150
    -111
    262
    		 Burlington, NC
    41.9
    55.8
    356
    94
    263
    		 Olympia, WA
    41.7
    96.6
    70
    -193
    264
    		 Danbury, CT NECTA
    41.6
    65.8
    355
    91
    265
    		 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
    41.6
    116.9
    304
    39
    266
    		 Decatur, AL
    41.6
    53.7
    338
    72
    267
    		 Lake Charles, LA
    40.8
    88.7
    207
    -60
    268
    		 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA
    40.6
    128.8
    157
    -111
    269
    		 Salem, OR
    39.8
    142.0
    127
    -142
    270
    		 Lawrence, KS
    39.8
    49.9
    58
    -212
    271
    		 Bangor, ME NECTA
    39.5
    63.9
    121
    -150
    272
    		 Farmington, NM
    39.5
    48.3
    293
    21
    273
    		 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
    39.4
    67.9
    167
    -106
    274
    		 Wichita Falls, TX
    39.3
    58.2
    326
    52
    275
    		 Salisbury, MD
    39.2
    52.2
    264
    -11
    276
    		 Columbia, SC
    39.1
    342.0
    184
    -92
    277
    		 Toledo, OH
    39.1
    299.9
    381
    104
    278
    		 Albuquerque, NM
    39.1
    370.5
    117
    -161
    279
    		 Macon, GA
    39.0
    95.9
    273
    -6
    280
    		 Madera-Chowchilla, CA
    38.9
    32.5
    77
    -203
    281
    		 Florence, SC
    38.8
    82.5
    288
    7
    282
    		 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI
    38.7
    83.4
    311
    29
    283
    		 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
    38.3
    274.0
    323
    40
    284
    		 Anderson, IN
    38.3
    40.4
    188
    -96
    285
    		 Cleveland, TN
    37.9
    39.2
    291
    6
    286
    		 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA
    37.9
    81.8
    123
    -163
    287
    		 Goldsboro, NC
    37.8
    42.3
    160
    -127
    288
    		 Wichita, KS
    37.8
    283.5
    250
    -38
    289
    		 Monroe, LA
    37.6
    75.4
    177
    -112
    290
    		 Kansas City, MO
    37.5
    536.2
    139
    -151
    291
    		 Gadsden, AL
    37.4
    35.7
    340
    49
    292
    		 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
    37.3
    113.7
    163
    -129
    293
    		 Port St. Lucie, FL
    36.9
    120.7
    324
    31
    294
    		 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
    36.8
    1688.1
    269
    -25
    295
    		 Valdosta, GA
    36.8
    52.3
    244
    -51
    296
    		 Racine, WI
    36.8
    74.8
    378
    82
    297
    		 Jackson, TN
    36.6
    57.9
    347
    50
    298
    		 Akron, OH
    36.4
    318.9
    358
    60
    299
    		 Danville, VA
    35.8
    39.7
    361
    62
    300
    		 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
    35.7
    137.3
    310
    10
    301
    		 Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division
    35.6
    506.6
    216
    -85
    302
    		 Fond du Lac, WI
    35.5
    44.9
    373
    71
    303
    		 Fort Wayne, IN
    35.5
    201.2
    318
    15
    304
    		 Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
    35.3
    371.2
    286
    -18
    305
    		 Lewiston, ID-WA
    35.1
    25.6
    190
    -115
    306
    		 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA
    34.9
    161.2
    275
    -31
    307
    		 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH
    34.7
    992.9
    349
    42
    308
    		 Rockford, IL
    34.5
    144.0
    383
    75
    309
    		 Boise City-Nampa, ID
    34.3
    250.0
    242
    -67
    310
    		 Fresno, CA
    34.2
    279.6
    277
    -33
    311
    		 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
    34.1
    76.2
    169
    -142
    312
    		 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division
    33.9
    125.1
    253
    -59
    313
    		 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN
    33.9
    980.6
    248
    -65
    314
    		 Muncie, IN
    33.8
    49.3
    351
    37
    315
    		 Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH
    33.7
    68.8
    195
    -120
    316
    		 Roanoke, VA
    33.6
    153.6
    212
    -104
    317
    		 Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division
    32.5
    1359.6
    353
    36
    318
    		 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
    32.4
    220.5
    374
    56
    319
    		 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
    32.3
    95.9
    276
    -43
    320
    		 Visalia-Porterville, CA
    32.1
    104.8
    222
    -98
    321
    		 Medford, OR
    32.1
    75.3
    327
    6
    322
    		 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
    31.7
    117.9
    303
    -19
    323
    		 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
    31.5
    194.5
    280
    -43
    324
    		 St. George, UT
    31.5
    45.6
    267
    -57
    325
    		 Rocky Mount, NC
    31.1
    60.6
    332
    7
    326
    		 Lima, OH
    30.8
    52.2
    348
    22
    327
    		 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
    30.7
    1117.4
    325
    -2
    328
    		 Gary, IN Metropolitan Division
    30.7
    262.2
    309
    -19
    329
    		 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
    30.5
    2247.7
    272
    -57
    330
    		 Waterbury, CT NECTA
    30.3
    62.7
    388
    58
    331
    		 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ
    30.1
    58.2
    179
    -152
    332
    		 Tucson, AZ
    29.9
    354.1
    237
    -95
    333
    		 Bellingham, WA
    29.9
    77.7
    223
    -110
    334
    		 Bay City, MI
    29.7
    36.2
    344
    10
    335
    		 Salinas, CA
    29.6
    119.5
    251
    -84
    336
    		 Dayton, OH
    29.4
    370.8
    369
    33
    337
    		 Canton-Massillon, OH
    29.3
    159.2
    380
    43
    338
    		 Montgomery, AL
    29.3
    166.7
    218
    -120
    339
    		 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ
    29.3
    1701.2
    320
    -19
    340
    		 Albany, GA
    29.2
    60.9
    213
    -127
    341
    		 Pocatello, ID
    28.7
    35.6
    249
    -92
    342
    		 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division
    28.5
    705.4
    337
    -5
    343
    		 Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division
    27.7
    962.8
    283
    -60
    344
    		 Napa, CA
    27.6
    58.0
    266
    -78
    345
    		 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
    26.3
    132.3
    384
    39
    346
    		 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division
    26.3
    503.0
    354
    8
    347
    		 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
    26.2
    85.9
    305
    -42
    348
    		 Longview, WA
    26.1
    34.9
    284
    -64
    349
    		 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
    25.9
    135.3
    329
    -20
    350
    		 Michigan City-La Porte, IN
    24.6
    42.4
    313
    -37
    351
    		 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
    24.4
    192.0
    307
    -44
    352
    		 Anniston-Oxford, AL
    24.1
    48.7
    255
    -97
    353
    		 Redding, CA
    24.0
    57.0
    317
    -36
    354
    		 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL
    24.0
    239.9
    368
    14
    355
    		 Wausau, WI
    24.0
    67.0
    360
    5
    356
    		 Yuba City, CA
    23.9
    36.3
    261
    -95
    357
    		 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
    23.9
    170.3
    365
    8
    358
    		 Winston-Salem, NC
    23.6
    203.4
    204
    -154
    359
    		 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
    22.9
    153.4
    334
    -25
    360
    		 Sheboygan, WI
    21.8
    58.3
    370
    10
    361
    		 Stockton, CA
    21.8
    187.7
    316
    -45
    362
    		 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
    21.7
    1112.1
    359
    -3
    363
    		 Bend, OR
    21.6
    59.6
    308
    -55
    364
    		 Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division
    21.3
    328.1
    290
    -74
    365
    		 Yuma, AZ
    21.2
    49.7
    346
    -19
    366
    		 Carson City, NV
    21.1
    28.8
    342
    -24
    367
    		 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA
    20.6
    799.5
    322
    -45
    368
    		 Brunswick, GA
    20.6
    40.4
    285
    -83
    369
    		 Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division
    20.5
    1044.7
    397
    28
    370
    		 Naples-Marco Island, FL
    20.3
    110.7
    376
    6
    371
    		 Danville, IL
    20.2
    28.9
    296
    -75
    372
    		 Reno-Sparks, NV
    20.1
    189.8
    372
    0
    373
    		 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division
    18.8
    3782.6
    352
    -21
    374
    		 Birmingham-Hoover, AL
    18.8
    488.7
    364
    -10
    375
    		 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
    18.2
    45.2
    333
    -42
    376
    		 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
    18.2
    797.3
    339
    -37
    377
    		 Ocala, FL
    18.1
    89.9
    367
    -10
    378
    		 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
    17.8
    43.1
    335
    -43
    379
    		 Prescott, AZ
    17.7
    54.0
    319
    -60
    380
    		 Eugene-Springfield, OR
    17.6
    140.6
    343
    -37
    381
    		 Rome, GA
    17.2
    38.1
    236
    -145
    382
    		 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
    17.2
    194.9
    371
    -11
    383
    		 Mansfield, OH
    16.7
    52.1
    362
    -21
    384
    		 Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Division
    15.1
    694.6
    394
    10
    385
    		 Greensboro-High Point, NC
    15.0
    337.5
    345
    -40
    386
    		 Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV
    15.0
    43.6
    379
    -7
    387
    		 Monroe, MI
    14.1
    37.3
    382
    -5
    388
    		 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
    13.7
    142.7
    389
    1
    389
    		 Morristown, TN
    13.4
    45.3
    396
    7
    390
    		 Flint, MI
    13.4
    132.7
    375
    -15
    391
    		 Jackson, MI
    13.3
    53.0
    387
    -4
    392
    		 Memphis, TN-MS-AR
    11.0
    585.4
    321
    -71
    393
    		 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI
    10.3
    57.7
    377
    -16
    394
    		 Dalton, GA
    9.6
    65.7
    390
    -4
    395
    		 Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division
    9.4
    947.0
    357
    -38
    396
    		 Janesville, WI
    9.3
    60.8
    391
    -5
    397
    		 Dothan, AL
    8.2
    56.5
    328
    -69
    398
    		 Pine Bluff, AR
    8.2
    36.5
    215
    -183

  • Large Cities Rankings – 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    Read about how we selected the 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    2011 Size Ranking
    		 Area
    2011 Weighted INDEX
    2010 Nonfarm Empl (1000s)
    2010 Size Rank
    Size Movement from 2010
    1
    		 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
    89.1
    769.3
    1
    0
    2
    		 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA
    88.9
    522.6
    46
    44
    3
    		 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
    82.1
    2552.3
    3
    0
    4
    		 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
    80.7
    841.3
    2
    -2
    5
    		 Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division
    80.6
    2043.4
    5
    0
    6
    		 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division
    74.1
    2412.6
    6
    0
    7
    		 Northern Virginia, VA
    73.8
    1306.5
    4
    -3
    8
    		 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
    73.1
    742.9
    30
    22
    9
    		 New York City, NY
    72.6
    3731.4
    10
    1
    10
    		 Philadelphia City, PA
    71.9
    661.8
    14
    4
    11
    		 Pittsburgh, PA
    71.7
    1129.8
    13
    2
    12
    		 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division
    70.7
    565.3
    15
    3
    13
    		 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division
    70.4
    1679.0
    19
    6
    14
    		 Raleigh-Cary, NC
    67.8
    500.0
    8
    -6
    15
    		 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division
    67.8
    850.0
    7
    -8
    16
    		 Rochester, NY
    66.7
    506.9
    17
    1
    17
    		 Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division
    65.5
    1232.2
    16
    -1
    18
    		 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
    64.7
    541.0
    20
    2
    19
    		 Columbus, OH
    64.3
    912.1
    26
    7
    20
    		 Salt Lake City, UT
    64.2
    613.9
    12
    -8
    21
    		 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
    63.1
    456.9
    9
    -12
    22
    		 Oklahoma City, OK
    62.4
    559.6
    11
    -11
    23
    		 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
    60.0
    814.8
    49
    26
    24
    		 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
    56.9
    1191.0
    24
    0
    25
    		 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
    56.3
    1010.7
    36
    11
    26
    		 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA
    55.5
    536.3
    18
    -8
    27
    		 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
    54.9
    859.7
    47
    20
    28
    		 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
    53.4
    870.5
    34
    6
    29
    		 Putnam-Rockland-Westchester, NY
    51.4
    554.2
    33
    4
    30
    		 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
    50.0
    803.4
    31
    1
    31
    		 St. Louis, MO-IL
    49.7
    1291.0
    27
    -4
    32
    		 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division
    49.2
    1378.0
    28
    -4
    33
    		 San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division
    47.9
    936.1
    42
    9
    34
    		 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN
    47.0
    590.7
    25
    -9
    35
    		 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
    46.2
    969.9
    41
    6
    36
    		 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division
    46.2
    989.6
    45
    9
    37
    		 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
    46.1
    1227.6
    48
    11
    38
    		 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
    45.0
    727.4
    23
    -15
    39
    		 Richmond, VA
    44.1
    598.6
    32
    -7
    40
    		 Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division
    43.6
    974.0
    39
    -1
    41
    		 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division
    43.4
    3624.2
    50
    9
    42
    		 Jacksonville, FL
    43.1
    583.4
    37
    -5
    43
    		 Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ
    43.0
    868.7
    38
    -5
    44
    		 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA
    42.9
    542.0
    55
    11
    45
    		 Kansas City, MO
    37.5
    536.2
    21
    -24
    46
    		 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
    36.8
    1688.1
    40
    -6
    47
    		 Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division
    35.6
    506.6
    29
    -18
    48
    		 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH
    34.7
    992.9
    58
    10
    49
    		 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN
    33.9
    980.6
    35
    -14
    50
    		 Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division
    32.5
    1359.6
    60
    10
    51
    		 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
    30.7
    1117.4
    54
    3
    52
    		 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
    30.5
    2247.7
    43
    -9
    53
    		 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ
    29.3
    1701.2
    51
    -2
    54
    		 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division
    28.5
    705.4
    56
    2
    55
    		 Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division
    27.7
    962.8
    44
    -11
    56
    		 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division
    26.3
    503.0
    61
    5
    57
    		 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
    21.7
    1112.1
    63
    6
    58
    		 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA
    20.6
    799.5
    53
    -5
    59
    		 Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division
    20.5
    1044.7
    66
    7
    60
    		 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division
    18.8
    3782.6
    59
    -1
    61
    		 Birmingham-Hoover, AL
    18.8
    488.7
    64
    3
    62
    		 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
    18.2
    797.3
    57
    -5
    63
    		 Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Division
    15.1
    694.6
    65
    2
    64
    		 Memphis, TN-MS-AR
    11.0
    585.4
    52
    -12
    65
    		 Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division
    9.4
    947.0
    62
    -3

  • Small Cities Rankings – 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    Read about how we selected the 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth

    2011 Size Ranking
    Area
    2011 Weighted INDEX
    2010 Nonfarm Empl (1000s)
    2010 Size Rank
    Size Rank Change from 2010
    1
    		 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX
    93.8
    129.0
    4
    3
    2
    		 Bismarck, ND
    92.8
    63.0
    2
    0
    3
    		 College Station-Bryan, TX
    92.3
    98.5
    3
    0
    4
    		 Midland, TX
    90.8
    69.2
    45
    41
    5
    		 Dubuque, IA
    88.6
    56.6
    68
    63
    6
    		 Manhattan, KS
    88.3
    57.0
    7
    		 Pascagoula, MS
    85.4
    58.7
    21
    14
    8
    		 Odessa, TX
    84.1
    61.8
    65
    57
    9
    		 Logan, UT-ID
    82.2
    54.4
    81
    72
    10
    		 Fairbanks, AK
    81.0
    37.7
    31
    21
    11
    		 Elizabethtown, KY
    81.0
    47.6
    77
    66
    12
    		 Jacksonville, NC
    80.5
    47.2
    1
    -11
    13
    		 Lawton, OK
    80.5
    44.0
    7
    -6
    14
    		 Lebanon, PA
    80.5
    50.1
    79
    65
    15
    		 Longview, TX
    79.4
    97.0
    94
    79
    16
    		 Joplin, MO
    79.1
    79.8
    78
    62
    17
    		 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA
    79.0
    99.2
    12
    -5
    18
    		 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
    78.9
    105.3
    124
    106
    19
    		 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
    77.9
    127.2
    22
    3
    20
    		 Columbia, MO
    77.2
    93.4
    23
    3
    21
    		 Auburn-Opelika, AL
    77.0
    53.3
    58
    37
    22
    		 Clarksville, TN-KY
    76.6
    83.4
    86
    64
    23
    		 San Angelo, TX
    76.4
    44.9
    63
    40
    24
    		 Morgantown, WV
    76.4
    65.4
    13
    -11
    25
    		 Wheeling, WV-OH
    76.2
    67.9
    59
    34
    26
    		 Ithaca, NY
    76.1
    65.6
    17
    -9
    27
    		 Jonesboro, AR
    75.9
    49.2
    32
    5
    28
    		 Springfield, IL
    74.6
    111.7
    42
    14
    29
    		 Fargo, ND-MN
    74.6
    122.4
    8
    -21
    30
    		 Grand Forks, ND-MN
    74.4
    54.0
    27
    -3
    31
    		 Corvallis, OR
    74.2
    38.1
    166
    135
    32
    		 Cumberland, MD-WV
    73.8
    39.9
    88
    56
    33
    		 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
    73.5
    92.7
    96
    63
    34
    		 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA
    73.5
    53.7
    43
    9
    35
    		 Warner Robins, GA
    73.3
    59.7
    18
    -17
    36
    		 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
    73.2
    38.6
    26
    -10
    37
    		 Waco, TX
    73.0
    105.8
    30
    -7
    38
    		 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
    72.9
    133.6
    50
    12
    39
    		 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC
    72.7
    110.8
    128
    89
    40
    		 Harrisonburg, VA
    72.6
    62.7
    51
    11
    41
    		 Iowa City, IA
    72.6
    90.5
    19
    -22
    42
    		 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Division
    72.3
    76.5
    48
    6
    43
    		 Las Cruces, NM
    72.3
    69.1
    24
    -19
    44
    		 Johnstown, PA
    71.9
    60.7
    89
    45
    45
    		 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR
    71.9
    56.9
    55
    10
    46
    		 Eau Claire, WI
    71.7
    80.4
    117
    71
    47
    		 Bowling Green, KY
    71.6
    59.7
    158
    111
    48
    		 Great Falls, MT
    71.3
    35.6
    15
    -33
    49
    		 State College, PA
    71.2
    74.4
    20
    -29
    50
    		 Yakima, WA
    71.2
    76.5
    9
    -41
    51
    		 Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA
    71.1
    19.5
    14
    -37
    52
    		 Gainesville, GA
    71.1
    72.8
    148
    96
    53
    		 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA
    70.7
    113.1
    125
    72
    54
    		 St. Cloud, MN
    69.9
    99.0
    54
    0
    55
    		 Williamsport, PA
    69.8
    52.6
    131
    76
    56
    		 Laredo, TX
    69.7
    88.4
    70
    14
    57
    		 New Bedford, MA NECTA
    69.4
    64.9
    92
    35
    58
    		 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division
    69.3
    87.7
    129
    71
    59
    		 Glens Falls, NY
    69.1
    53.0
    35
    -24
    60
    		 Sandusky, OH
    68.9
    35.5
    132
    72
    61
    		 Ocean City, NJ
    68.6
    36.3
    90
    29
    62
    		 Hattiesburg, MS
    68.6
    59.3
    11
    -51
    63
    		 Cedar Rapids, IA
    68.6
    137.5
    34
    -29
    64
    		 Tyler, TX
    67.7
    93.3
    49
    -15
    65
    		 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA
    67.3
    94.1
    73
    8
    66
    		 Owensboro, KY
    67.3
    49.8
    97
    31
    67
    		 Amarillo, TX
    67.2
    110.8
    39
    -28
    68
    		 Elmira, NY
    67.1
    40.1
    137
    69
    69
    		 Altoona, PA
    66.7
    60.5
    83
    14
    70
    		 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA
    66.4
    92.2
    82
    12
    71
    		 Sioux Falls, SD
    66.3
    133.0
    36
    -35
    72
    		 Rapid City, SD
    65.9
    59.3
    38
    -34
    73
    		 Pueblo, CO
    65.7
    57.1
    25
    -48
    74
    		 Lubbock, TX
    65.1
    129.5
    28
    -46
    75
    		 Dover, DE
    64.3
    63.4
    111
    36
    76
    		 Flagstaff, AZ
    63.6
    61.5
    75
    -1
    77
    		 Ames, IA
    63.3
    47.5
    72
    -5
    78
    		 Charlottesville, VA
    63.2
    98.7
    62
    -16
    79
    		 Appleton, WI
    63.2
    116.0
    134
    55
    80
    		 Jefferson City, MO
    63.0
    77.7
    61
    -19
    81
    		 Pittsfield, MA NECTA
    62.8
    35.4
    169
    88
    82
    		 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
    62.7
    60.3
    213
    131
    83
    		 Greenville, NC
    62.5
    75.0
    37
    -46
    84
    		 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
    62.0
    88.6
    66
    -18
    85
    		 Kankakee-Bradley, IL
    62.0
    42.9
    29
    -56
    86
    		 Springfield, OH
    61.8
    49.9
    155
    69
    87
    		 Erie, PA
    61.7
    128.5
    180
    93
    88
    		 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
    61.7
    54.8
    57
    -31
    89
    		 Athens-Clarke County, GA
    61.6
    81.0
    69
    -20
    90
    		 Palm Coast, FL
    61.5
    18.2
    113
    23
    91
    		 Tuscaloosa, AL
    60.9
    94.1
    87
    -4
    92
    		 Bloomington, IN
    60.9
    82.6
    10
    -82
    93
    		 Billings, MT
    60.8
    78.4
    44
    -49
    94
    		 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA
    60.6
    55.9
    115
    21
    95
    		 Winchester, VA-WV
    60.4
    54.4
    150
    55
    96
    		 Victoria, TX
    60.4
    49.2
    141
    45
    97
    		 Bloomington-Normal, IL
    60.2
    90.3
    64
    -33
    98
    		 Fayetteville, NC
    59.9
    128.2
    6
    -92
    99
    		 Cheyenne, WY
    59.8
    43.4
    33
    -66
    100
    		 Hot Springs, AR
    59.8
    37.1
    107
    7
    101
    		 Coeur d’Alene, ID
    59.5
    52.6
    80
    -21
    102
    		 Johnson City, TN
    58.1
    78.4
    160
    58
    103
    		 Merced, CA
    58.0
    55.6
    174
    71
    104
    		 Lafayette, IN
    57.7
    93.2
    145
    41
    105
    		 St. Joseph, MO-KS
    57.6
    57.3
    5
    -100
    106
    		 Abilene, TX
    57.5
    65.2
    47
    -59
    107
    		 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL
    57.2
    70.7
    67
    -40
    108
    		 La Crosse, WI-MN
    57.2
    73.1
    103
    -5
    109
    		 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA
    56.3
    47.9
    121
    12
    110
    		 Mankato-North Mankato, MN
    56.1
    52.1
    119
    9
    111
    		 Lafayette, LA
    56.1
    148.0
    -26
    112
    		 Duluth, MN-WI
    55.7
    127.8
    138
    26
    113
    		 Alexandria, LA
    55.6
    64.0
    46
    -67
    114
    		 Utica-Rome, NY
    55.4
    129.7
    60
    -54
    115
    		 Manchester, NH NECTA
    55.0
    97.5
    71
    -44
    116
    		 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA
    54.8
    48.5
    201
    85
    117
    		 Sherman-Denison, TX
    54.6
    42.3
    106
    -11
    118
    		 Topeka, KS
    54.6
    107.9
    93
    -25
    119
    		 Casper, WY
    53.4
    38.3
    127
    8
    120
    		 Kingston, NY
    53.4
    60.7
    110
    -10
    121
    		 Decatur, IL
    52.7
    52.6
    161
    40
    122
    		 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Division
    52.7
    114.7
    144
    22
    123
    		 Greeley, CO
    52.4
    77.9
    130
    7
    124
    		 Charleston, WV
    51.2
    147.1
    -12
    125
    		 Columbus, GA-AL
    50.7
    117.2
    95
    -30
    126
    		 Savannah, GA
    50.6
    149.5
    -8
    127
    		 Rochester, MN
    50.2
    101.7
    53
    -74
    128
    		 Battle Creek, MI
    49.6
    56.0
    172
    44
    129
    		 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
    49.5
    73.1
    74
    -55
    130
    		 Anderson, SC
    49.1
    60.0
    226
    96
    131
    		 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
    48.9
    43.8
    168
    37
    132
    		 Wilmington, NC
    48.7
    135.2
    76
    -56
    133
    		 Kokomo, IN
    48.4
    41.1
    231
    98
    134
    		 Idaho Falls, ID
    48.3
    48.2
    98
    -36
    135
    		 Hanford-Corcoran, CA
    48.3
    35.2
    16
    -119
    136
    		 Champaign-Urbana, IL
    47.7
    109.4
    118
    -18
    137
    		 Terre Haute, IN
    47.7
    70.9
    177
    40
    138
    		 Holland-Grand Haven, MI
    47.6
    104.6
    232
    94
    139
    		 Santa Fe, NM
    47.5
    60.4
    123
    -16
    140
    		 Binghamton, NY
    47.4
    109.5
    99
    -41
    141
    		 Spartanburg, SC
    46.8
    118.9
    214
    73
    142
    		 Grand Junction, CO
    46.7
    58.8
    146
    4
    143
    		 Columbus, IN
    46.2
    42.4
    188
    45
    144
    		 Lynchburg, VA
    46.1
    104.1
    101
    -43
    145
    		 Punta Gorda, FL
    45.9
    40.7
    179
    34
    146
    		 Chico, CA
    45.7
    70.2
    143
    -3
    147
    		 Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL
    45.4
    43.6
    40
    -107
    148
    		 Modesto, CA
    45.2
    145.6
    20
    149
    		 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division
    43.9
    98.5
    142
    -7
    150
    		 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
    43.8
    96.9
    153
    3
    151
    		 El Centro, CA
    43.2
    44.3
    91
    -60
    152
    		 Missoula, MT
    43.1
    54.4
    105
    -47
    153
    		 Fort Smith, AR-OK
    42.9
    116.5
    157
    4
    154
    		 Gainesville, FL
    42.6
    127.7
    112
    -42
    155
    		 Elkhart-Goshen, IN
    42.6
    105.0
    233
    78
    156
    		 Sumter, SC
    42.3
    37.0
    225
    69
    157
    		 Burlington, NC
    41.9
    55.8
    209
    52
    158
    		 Olympia, WA
    41.7
    96.6
    52
    -106
    159
    		 Danbury, CT NECTA
    41.6
    65.8
    208
    49
    160
    		 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
    41.6
    116.9
    182
    22
    161
    		 Decatur, AL
    41.6
    53.7
    199
    38
    162
    		 Lake Charles, LA
    40.8
    88.7
    133
    -29
    163
    		 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA
    40.6
    128.8
    100
    -63
    164
    		 Salem, OR
    39.8
    142.0
    -43
    165
    		 Lawrence, KS
    39.8
    49.9
    41
    -124
    166
    		 Bangor, ME NECTA
    39.5
    63.9
    84
    -82
    167
    		 Farmington, NM
    39.5
    48.3
    176
    9
    168
    		 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
    39.4
    67.9
    108
    -60
    169
    		 Wichita Falls, TX
    39.3
    58.2
    192
    23
    170
    		 Salisbury, MD
    39.2
    52.2
    162
    -8
    171
    		 Macon, GA
    39.0
    95.9
    165
    -6
    172
    		 Madera-Chowchilla, CA
    38.9
    32.5
    56
    -116
    173
    		 Florence, SC
    38.8
    82.5
    173
    0
    174
    		 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI
    38.7
    83.4
    186
    12
    175
    		 Anderson, IN
    38.3
    40.4
    120
    -55
    176
    		 Cleveland, TN
    37.9
    39.2
    175
    -1
    177
    		 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA
    37.9
    81.8
    85
    -92
    178
    		 Goldsboro, NC
    37.8
    42.3
    102
    -76
    179
    		 Monroe, LA
    37.6
    75.4
    114
    -65
    180
    		 Gadsden, AL
    37.4
    35.7
    200
    20
    181
    		 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
    37.3
    113.7
    104
    -77
    182
    		 Port St. Lucie, FL
    36.9
    120.7
    191
    9
    183
    		 Valdosta, GA
    36.8
    52.3
    149
    -34
    184
    		 Racine, WI
    36.8
    74.8
    221
    37
    185
    		 Jackson, TN
    36.6
    57.9
    205
    20
    186
    		 Danville, VA
    35.8
    39.7
    211
    25
    187
    		 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
    35.7
    137.3
    185
    -2
    188
    		 Fond du Lac, WI
    35.5
    44.9
    217
    29
    189
    		 Lewiston, ID-WA
    35.1
    25.6
    122
    -67
    190
    		 Rockford, IL
    34.5
    144.0
    20
    191
    		 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
    34.1
    76.2
    109
    -82
    192
    		 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division
    33.9
    125.1
    154
    -38
    193
    		 Muncie, IN
    33.8
    49.3
    207
    14
    194
    		 Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH
    33.7
    68.8
    126
    -68
    195
    		 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
    32.3
    95.9
    167
    -28
    196
    		 Visalia-Porterville, CA
    32.1
    104.8
    139
    -57
    197
    		 Medford, OR
    32.1
    75.3
    193
    -4
    198
    		 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
    31.7
    117.9
    181
    -17
    199
    		 St. George, UT
    31.5
    45.6
    164
    -35
    200
    		 Rocky Mount, NC
    31.1
    60.6
    196
    -4
    201
    		 Lima, OH
    30.8
    52.2
    206
    5
    202
    		 Waterbury, CT NECTA
    30.3
    62.7
    228
    26
    203
    		 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ
    30.1
    58.2
    116
    -87
    204
    		 Bellingham, WA
    29.9
    77.7
    140
    -64
    205
    		 Bay City, MI
    29.7
    36.2
    203
    -2
    206
    		 Salinas, CA
    29.6
    119.5
    152
    -54
    207
    		 Albany, GA
    29.2
    60.9
    135
    -72
    208
    		 Pocatello, ID
    28.7
    35.6
    151
    -57
    209
    		 Napa, CA
    27.6
    58.0
    163
    -46
    210
    		 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
    26.3
    132.3
    224
    14
    211
    		 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
    26.2
    85.9
    183
    -28
    212
    		 Longview, WA
    26.1
    34.9
    170
    -42
    213
    		 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
    25.9
    135.3
    195
    -18
    214
    		 Michigan City-La Porte, IN
    24.6
    42.4
    187
    -27
    215
    		 Anniston-Oxford, AL
    24.1
    48.7
    156
    -59
    216
    		 Redding, CA
    24.0
    57.0
    189
    -27
    217
    		 Wausau, WI
    24.0
    67.0
    210
    -7
    218
    		 Yuba City, CA
    23.9
    36.3
    159
    -59
    219
    		 Sheboygan, WI
    21.8
    58.3
    216
    -3
    220
    		 Bend, OR
    21.6
    59.6
    184
    -36
    221
    		 Yuma, AZ
    21.2
    49.7
    204
    -17
    222
    		 Carson City, NV
    21.1
    28.8
    202
    -20
    223
    		 Brunswick, GA
    20.6
    40.4
    171
    -52
    224
    		 Naples-Marco Island, FL
    20.3
    110.7
    219
    -5
    225
    		 Danville, IL
    20.2
    28.9
    178
    -47
    226
    		 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
    18.2
    45.2
    197
    -29
    227
    		 Ocala, FL
    18.1
    89.9
    215
    -12
    228
    		 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
    17.8
    43.1
    198
    -30
    229
    		 Prescott, AZ
    17.7
    54.0
    190
    -39
    230
    		 Eugene-Springfield, OR
    17.6
    140.6
    -11
    231
    		 Rome, GA
    17.2
    38.1
    147
    -84
    232
    		 Mansfield, OH
    16.7
    52.1
    212
    -20
    233
    		 Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV
    15.0
    43.6
    222
    -11
    234
    		 Monroe, MI
    14.1
    37.3
    223
    -11
    235
    		 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
    13.7
    142.7
    -1
    236
    		 Morristown, TN
    13.4
    45.3
    234
    -2
    237
    		 Flint, MI
    13.4
    132.7
    218
    -19
    238
    		 Jackson, MI
    13.3
    53.0
    227
    -11
    239
    		 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI
    10.3
    57.7
    220
    -19
    240
    		 Dalton, GA
    9.6
    65.7
    229
    -11
    241
    		 Janesville, WI
    9.3
    60.8
    230
    -11
    242
    		 Dothan, AL
    8.2
    56.5
    194
    -48
    243
    		 Pine Bluff, AR
    8.2
    36.5
    136
    -107

  • How China’s Megacities Have Avoided Problems of Other Developing Cities

    Urbanist media can’t seem to get enough of the megacity these days. Much of the commentary surrounding this topic is disconcertingly celebratory about these leviathans despite such phenomena as overcrowding, high levels of congestion and sprawling slums.

    Yet absent from most of the commentary is any mention of cities in China. This is perhaps due in large part to the lack of serious social problems in comparison to its developing city counterparts in other countries. If a megacity is defined as a city with a population of more than 10 million, then China is home to 5 megacities: Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan. As the country continues to urbanize, more Chinese cities are bound to join the ranks of these megacities.

    How has China been able to avoid the pitfalls facing other developing megacities? No one is denying that Chinese cities don’t have problems including unequal income distribution, pollution and growing traffic congestion. Yet China’s megacities seem to have largely avoided social dangers such as violent crime, disease and slum proliferation that plague urban areas of other developing countries.

    How have China’s cities avoided these issues?

    1. Construction of New Housing Units

    Western media continues to bawl over the amount of new residential construction in China, calling it the ”biggest bubble ever.” I have pointed out before how this might be an overestimation of the problem and that the housing market is actually more stable than many think. One thing is clear: the ample construction of new housing units in cities across China remains the essential component leading the way in the country’s development. The ability to provide modern accommodations for millions of aspiring urban dwellers has also directly prevented the proliferation of slums and large-scale shantytowns.

    2. Development of Public Transportation

    The ability to move efficiently through an urban area is paramount to opportunity and quality of life. When one thinks of megacities such as Jakarta or Mexico City, automobile gridlock often comes to mind. Beijing might have its traffic problems as well, but China’s development of public transportation, including extensive underground subway networks, ensures citizens will have other options to move around besides motor vehicles. The more connected by different forms of a transportation a city is, the more opportunity people have to live where they want and have access to a wider geographic range of job options.

    3. Land-Use and Zoning Flexibility

    The often-overlooked reality of zoning and land-use regulations plays a much greater role in the shaping the character of megacities then it is given credit for. Mumbai’s draconian 1.33 floor-to-area ratio (FAR) throughout most of the city means that it is limited to construction of low-rise buildings,leading to the growth of overcrowded sprawling slums. Chinese cities, in contrast, allow for high FAR, promoting construction of high-rise buildings that leave room for ample green space.

    Furthermore, Chinese cities are not limited by ”urban growth boundaries” and allow development to occur on newly annexed land outside of traditional urban cores. Even traditionally ”dense” cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong allow for new development outside of their traditional centers: the Pudong New Area in Shanghai and the New Territories in Hong Kong are huge areas that are still largely underdeveloped when compared to their respective downtown areas.

    Critically, these nominally suburban or even “exurban” expansions are not mere bedroom community; they are frequently attached to areas of intense commercial, industrial and technical development. In many cities, including Chengdu, where I reside, most of the new economic growth takes place in such communities.

    4. Providing Economic Incentives with Special Trade Zones

    As China enters its third decade of rapid development, competition is heating up between its cities for domestic and foreign investment. The winners will ultimately be cities that are most business friendly and offer incentives like tax breaks to companies looking to set up operations. Many of China’s cities have gone about this by establishing special ‘economic and trade zones’, usually outside of traditional urban cores. As a matter of fact, one of new China’s most economically successful cities, Shenzhen, largely started as a ‘Special Economic Zone’ (SEZ). Special economic and trade zones that are not actual cities, but part of a larger city, thrive because they usually built on more affordable land on urban peripheries, opening up more investment for construction of state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D facilities.

    5. Willingness to Learn from Outside Experts

    When it comes to political issues at the Central Government level, it is clear that China does not want to be told how to run its country by outside diplomats and foreign policy experts. Yet at the municipal level, Chinese government and business leaders are earnestly open to listening to experts in planning and development from outside its borders. One only needs to take a look at the countless architecture and urban planning practices from the West, Singapore and even Taiwan who currently work in China. This open exchange of ideas taking place is what allows best practices to come to fruition.

    Adam Nathaniel Mayer is an American architectural design professional currently living in China. In addition to his job designing buildings he writes the China Urban Development Blog, where a version of this piece originally appeared.

    Photo by xiquinhosilva

  • iziel

  • Divorce and Demographics by State

    While everyone seems to know someone who has been divorced, rates can vary widely by state.  Why?  Do high divorce states have anything in common?  We took a look at some visualizations of state divorce rates against a few other demographic characteristics.

    The latest Census data offers up some observations of how divorce varies regionally. The first graph shows 2008/2009 divorce rate against 2009 bachelor’s degree educational attainment.   We average two years of Census divorce rate data to help even out the variance caused by small sample sizes.

    The chart produces interesting find: states with a high level of bachelor degree attainment (27.5% of the population or higher) also have relatively low divorce rates (lower than 9.9%). States such as California, Hawaii, Minnesota, Illinois, and much of the Northeast fit this profile. Meanwhile, Southeastern and mostly rural states fall in the territory dominated by high divorce rates and low bachelor’s degree attainment.

    This relationship is an alluring one that has been touched on previously. A New York Times article seems to suggest that education does have an impact on divorce rates, especially in rural areas. As married partners become more educated, perhaps this leads to a stronger sense of individualism, or the education of one partner may make them more employable and geographically mobile. The article cites Sioux County, IA as a premier example of this. Heralding from the area myself, I can attest to the strong religious ideologies in that region.

    Orange City in Sioux County is an especially strong example, where a deeply-rooted religious presence mixed with a strong conservative disposition helps to feed a socially conservative society. For example, during the city’s regionally renowned Tulip Festival that occurs every year in mid-May, defacing a precious tulip results in a police citation. On top of this, many storefronts are closed on Sundays, grass must be cut a certain length on a certain day with no exceptions, and taking an absence from the church can lead to adverse social consequences within the community.

    Having such a tight grasp on values leaves little room for anything other than heritage by the city’s residents, especially when these traditions are held in high merit amongst the city dwellers. A strong commitment to a pre-ordained structure seems to have kept women in a certain place — one with less agency and more conformity. Not that this is against any person’s will, quite the contrary: the social structure is geared towards these values and it has stuck since inception.

    Divorce may not work the same in much more populated areas. Regions such as California and the Northeast have low divorce rates while their populations are some of the largest and most concentrated in the nation. Add to this equation the states that contain within them top tier schools (the Ivy League, Stanford, and University of Chicago come to mind) are also more likely to have low divorce rates. Perhaps the emphasis on education in these mostly urban areas has allowed for a more stable social structure. One in which secularism prevails and the choice of marriage between two people suddenly becomes a pragmatic decision rather than one made out of need or what “should be”.

    The chart pitting divorce against average income also reveals a disparity between regions—the higher the household makes annually, the less likely the couple inhabiting it is to be divorced. States such as New Jersey, Hawaii, Connecticut and Massachusetts can all be located here. Meanwhile, households in states with lower incomes (such as states in the South) seem to possess higher rates of divorce. The trend seems to put the Northeast in opposition to the Southeast and the Rust Belt.

    Many of the states settled first with more well-established economies (and perhaps older money) seem to have a lower amount of divorce. Meanwhile, hard-struck regions (Michigan, the Southeast) have below-average rates in general. The more money that households accumulate in these regions, the seemingly lower the rates are. Combine this with less volatile housing markets and economies established in technology and education and much of the Northeast and Midwest seem to be more stable.  Of course, education and income levels are highly interrelated themselves.

    The last graph displayed here gives the relationship between divorce rates and the percentage of married couples in which both partners work. As in the previous graphs, Northeastern states dominate the first quadrant as well as some Midwestern states.  Meanwhile, the Sun Belt and Southeastern states seem to lag on both measures, much like in the other charts.  Interestingly, in general the northern tier of the U.S. – especially the northeast and northern plains – seems to have a much higher rate of dual income couples than the south.

    The data here may suggest that hard-working couples stick together naturally, or at least persevere more effectively. Perhaps the work ethic amongst couples in these states translates to sound marriage values as well, however correlation to divorce rate seems weaker here than with education and income.

    An outlier for divorce seems to be Wyoming whose high divorce rate (a 2008-2009 average of 16%) places it outside of the bunch in many of the graphs. This may be because of the state’s “quickie” divorces. An article by Wyoming News discusses the reality of Wyoming’s label as “Splitsville” where many couples unhappy with their marriages travel to call it quits. The state lacks laws that force a couple to separate for some time prior to the official divorce, making the state more appealing for those who don’t wish to remain together. With all of the proper paper work in line, a couple could easily end it in Wyoming. Where Las Vegas is the home for a fast espousal, Cheyenne may be the new destination for a speedy separation. 

    Jacob Langenfeld is an undergraduate at the University of Iowa studying economics and entrepreneurship. He aspires to pursue graduate work in one of his many interests, including economics, public policy, and urban issues.

    Photo by DrJohnBullas