New Geography

Tag: Best Cities 2013

  • The Cities That Are Stealing Finance Jobs From Wall Street

    Over the past 60 years, financial services’ share of the economy has exploded from 2.5% to 8.5% of GDP. Even if you believe, as we do, that financialization is not a healthy trend, the sector boasts a high number of relatively well-paid jobs that most cities would welcome.

    Yet our list of the fastest-growing finance economies is a surprising one that includes many “second-tier” cities that most would not associate with banking. To identify the cities making the biggest gains, we ranked metropolitan statistical areas’ employment growth in the sector over the long-term (2001-12), mid-term (2007-12) and the last two years, as well as momentum.

    Best Cities for Jobs in Finance Industries

    New High-Fliers

    Tops on our list among the 66 largest metro areas is Richmond, Va., where financial sector employment has grown an impressive 12% since 2009. This reflects the presence of large banks such as Capital One Financial , the area’s largest private employer with 10,900 jobs, and SunTrust Banks , which employs 4,400. The insurer Genworth Financial is based in Richmond, and Wells Fargo and Bank of America also have sizable operations there. Along with the Northern Virginia metropolitan statistical area (an area encompassing the state’s suburbs of Washington, D.C., including Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties), which is No. 7 on our list, the Old Dominion is quietly becoming a major financial power.

    In once-gritty Pittsburgh, which places second on our list, financial services is now the largest contributor to the regional GDP, according to the Allegheny Conference. Long seen as a backwater, the area has begun to lure the kind of highly trained workers used by financial firms, leading Rust Belt analyst Jim Russell to joke, “Pittsburgh is becoming the new Portland.” Financial employment there has grown nearly 7% since 2009. The strongly reviving local economy spans everything from energy to medical technology.

    Like Pittsburgh, some of the areas doing well in financial services are also thriving generally. These include such Texas high-fliers as No. 3 Ft. Worth-Arlington, where financial services employment has expanded over 12% since 2007, as well as No. 4 San Antonio-New Braunfels. And it is not real estate that is driving this boom—in Fort Worth, for example, the “real estate and rental and leasing” sub-sector of financial services shed jobs over the last five years while the “finance and insurance” subsector expanded almost 20%.

    Some metro areas that aren’t exactly setting the world on fire are scoring in the financial job sweepstakes. Jacksonville, Fla., ranks fifth on our list and St. Louis, MO-IL ranks eighth. In St. Louis, financial sector employment is up 6.4% since 2007 by our count, and the number of securities industry jobs has increased 85% to 12,000 over that span, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    What’s Driving Dispersion of Financial Services?

    The largest traditional financial centers appear to be losing their edge. New York, home to by far the largest banking sector with 436,000 jobs, places a meager 52nd on our list of the cities winning the most new jobs in the sector. Big money may still be minted in Gotham, but jobs are not. Since 2007 financial employment in the Big Apple is down 7.4%.

    The next four biggest financial centers are also doing poorly. San Francisco-San Mateo ranks 37th – remarkably poor given that San Francisco placed first overall on our 2013 list of The Best Cities For Jobs. Meanwhile Boston-Cambridge-Quincy ranks 44th (despite notching a strong 17th place ranking on our overall list), Los Angeles-Long Beach is 47th, and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville is 57th.

    So what gives here? A key factor is cost-cutting. As firms look to move back office and some sales functions to less expensive locales, the traditional financial centers are losing out. Between 2007 and 2012, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco lost a combined 40,000 finance jobs.

    In addition to lower rents in the cities that rank highly on our list, workers come cheaper, too: the average annual salary for securities industry jobs in St. Louis is $102,000, according to the Wall Street Journal, compared with $343,000 in New York.

    This trend is not just limited to the high-profile investment banks and brokerages. Insurance, the quieter and tamer part of the financial services sector (it has roughly the same number of jobs today as it did in 2001 and 2007), has seen an exodus of jobs into these lower-cost regional markets as well. Illinois-based insurance giant State Farm, for example, recently signed mega-leases in Dallas, Phoenix and Atlanta.

    Manufacturing And Energy Drive Changes

    The manufacturing revival in the Rust Belt and the Midwest is creating financial sector jobs in midsized cities (those with overall employment totaling 150,000 to 450,000).  Tops on that list is Ann Arbor, Mich., followed by Green Bay, Wisc., No. 16 Grand-Rapids-Wyoming, Mich., and No. 19 Madison, Wisc. Among small cities, Owensboro, Ky., ranks first, followed by No. 3 Kankakee-Bradley, Ill., No. 5 Clarksville, Tenn.-Ky., No. 11 Bloomington-Normal, Ill., and No. 13 Michigan City-La Porte, Ind. With low commercial and industrial market costs and available workforces, these regions could prove attractive to manufacturers re-shoring U.S. operations.

    The top of the financial services rankings for midsized and small cities is also liberally sprinkled with places where hot energy economies are driving employment in all sectors. The midsized list features Bakersfield-Delano, Calif., in third place, the Texas towns of El Paso and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission in fifth and ninth place, respectively, and No. 10 Lafayette, La. Our small cities ranking includes the Texas towns of Odessa (2nd), Midland (fourth) and Sherman-Denison (10th), and Cheyenne, Wyo. (14th). More economic activity will continue to flow to these regions both as they grow and as their suppliers move closer to reduce costs.

    What The Future Holds

    Historically financial services clustered in big cities, but increasingly cost is leading financial institutions to focus on smaller metropolitan areas. With the connectivity of the Internet and growth of educated workforces in many smaller metros, it has become increasingly possible for financial firms to locate many key functions outside of the traditional money centers.

    Some places can boast advantages beyond just lower costs. Jacksonville, and Miami-Kendall (No. 13 on our big cities list) benefit from the huge demand for financial advisers in Florida. The Sunshine State ranks fourth in the number of financial advisors, and this seems likely to grow as at least some of the expanding ranks of down-shifting boomers — some with decent nest eggs– head down south to retire or start second careers. This demographic trend could also benefit Phoenix, which already hosts substantial operations of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo.

    Perhaps no low-cost metro area has greater long-term advantages than Salt Lake City, 12th on our list. The unique linguistics skills of the largely Mormon workforce have attracted big financial firms such as Goldman Sachs, who need people capable of conversing in Lithuanian, Chinese or Tagalog. Salt Lake City, with 1,400 employees, is the investment bank’s sixth largest location in the world.

    “We consider Salt Lake a high leverage location,” notes Goldman managing director David W. Lang. “There’s a huge cost differential and you have a huge talent-rich environment.”

    As we saw in manufacturing and information sectors, the financial services industry appears to be undergoing a profound geographic shift. Once identified largely with such storied locales as Wall Street, Chicago’s LaSalle Street or San Francisco’s Montgomery, the financial sector — like much of the economy — is dispersing, perhaps even more rapidly. Over time, this could accelerate the process of economic decentralization that has been occurring, fairly steadily, for the better part of a half century.

    Best Cities for Jobs in Finance Industries

    Joel Kotkin is executive editor of NewGeography.com and a distinguished presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University, and a member of the editorial board of the Orange County Register. He is author of The City: A Global History and The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050. His most recent study, The Rise of Postfamilialism, has been widely discussed and distributed internationally. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.

    Michael Shires, Ph.D. is a professor at Pepperdine University School of Public Policy.

    This piece originally appeared at Forbes.com.

    Downtown Richmond photo by CoredesatChikai.

  • Small Cities Finance Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    Best Cities for Jobs in Finance Industries

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for financial activities jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings.  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the financial activities rankings use employment in the financial activities sector (supersector 55) in the BLS MSA employment data. The Financial Activities rankings include the 323 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis.

    2013 MSA Fin Activs Ranking –
    Small MSAs    		 Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Emplymnt – Fin Activ
    (1000s)    		 2012 MSA Fin Activ Ranking –
    Small MSAs    		 Fin Activ 2013 Change from 2012 –
    Small MSAs
    1 Owensboro, KY 99.3          3.4 7 6
    2 Odessa, TX 91.8          3.0 1 (1)
    3 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 91.5          2.1 6 3
    4 Midland, TX 88.8          4.2 18 14
    5 Clarksville, TN-KY 88.7          3.1 32 27
    6 Macon, GA 88.4          9.3 not rated not rated
    7 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 85.2          4.0 not rated not rated
    8 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 84.5          1.1 51 43
    9 Victoria, TX 82.7          2.3 20 11
    10 Sherman-Denison, TX 82.1          2.9 8 (2)
    11 Bloomington-Normal, IL 81.6        13.0 54 43
    12 Madera-Chowchilla, CA 81.6          0.8 71 59
    13 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 80.8          1.3 not rated not rated
    14 Cheyenne, WY 80.0          2.3 9 (5)
    15 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 79.3          4.3 102 87
    16 Bellingham, WA 79.0          3.2 not rated not rated
    17 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA 78.7          4.5 3 (14)
    18 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 77.7          8.4 13 (5)
    19 Greenville, NC 76.7          2.8 2 (17)
    20 Bismarck, ND 76.6          3.5 21 1
    21 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 76.6          3.3 5 (16)
    22 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 75.6          6.0 126 104
    23 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 74.9          4.0 15 (8)
    24 Longview, TX 74.2          4.0 33 9
    25 St. Cloud, MN 74.1          4.4 90 65
    26 Gainesville, FL 72.8          6.4 119 93
    27 Danville, IL 72.3          1.4 89 62
    28 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 72.3          4.1 68 40
    29 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 72.0          5.4 19 (10)
    30 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA 71.3          1.7 30 0
    31 Springfield, IL 70.7          7.6 64 33
    32 Columbus, GA-AL 70.6        12.9 41 9
    33 Sioux Falls, SD 70.2        16.2 109 76
    34 Las Cruces, NM 70.1          2.5 58 24
    35 Elmira, NY 69.8          1.5 93 58
    36 Tyler, TX 69.2          4.2 17 (19)
    37 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 68.3          8.1 23 (14)
    38 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division 68.1          8.1 74 36
    39 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 68.0          3.3 123 84
    40 Muncie, IN 67.9          2.6 53 13
    41 Lafayette, IN 67.3          3.7 43 2
    42 Terre Haute, IN 66.7          2.6 127 85
    43 Fond du Lac, WI 66.5          2.0 22 (21)
    44 Fargo, ND-MN 66.1          9.2 11 (33)
    45 San Angelo, TX 66.0          2.1 55 10
    46 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 65.6          3.2 46 0
    47 College Station-Bryan, TX 65.5          3.6 27 (20)
    48 Erie, PA 65.0          6.2 37 (11)
    49 Morristown, TN 64.3          1.2 92 43
    50 Wichita Falls, TX 63.6          2.8 99 49
    51 Casper, WY 62.6          2.0 63 12
    52 Napa, CA 62.3          2.3 105 53
    53 Pocatello, ID 61.9          1.9 125 72
    54 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 61.8          3.7 133 79
    55 Abilene, TX 61.6          3.8 40 (15)
    56 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 61.6          3.1 57 1
    57 Jackson, TN 61.5          1.7 113 56
    58 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 59.2          4.9 42 (16)
    59 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 59.0          2.6 26 (33)
    60 Fort Smith, AR-OK 59.0          4.3 139 79
    61 Sheboygan, WI 58.7          2.5 39 (22)
    62 Rapid City, SD 57.5          3.8 47 (15)
    63 Grand Forks, ND-MN 56.3          1.7 85 22
    64 La Crosse, WI-MN 56.0          3.7 24 (40)
    65 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 54.6          5.6 52 (13)
    66 Palm Coast, FL 54.3          0.8 144 78
    67 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 53.7          1.8 121 54
    68 Lubbock, TX 53.5          6.9 82 14
    69 El Centro, CA 53.3          1.3 49 (20)
    70 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA 53.2          3.1 108 38
    71 Merced, CA 52.4          1.6 110 39
    72 Idaho Falls, ID 52.2          2.1 76 4
    73 Battle Creek, MI 51.5          1.4 not rated not rated
    74 Cedar Rapids, IA 51.4        10.1 95 21
    75 Tuscaloosa, AL 51.1          3.7 45 (30)
    76 Bangor, ME NECTA 50.3          2.1 28 (48)
    77 St. George, UT 50.2          1.9 69 (8)
    78 Santa Fe, NM 50.2          2.7 77 (1)
    79 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 50.1          2.3 4 (75)
    80 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 49.5          2.1 31 (49)
    81 Auburn-Opelika, AL 49.3          1.7 35 (46)
    82 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 48.9          3.9 147 65
    83 Appleton, WI 48.9          7.3 65 (18)
    84 Ithaca, NY 48.9          1.6 34 (50)
    85 Waterbury, CT NECTA 47.7          2.0 153 68
    86 Burlington, NC 47.7          1.8 14 (72)
    87 Coeur d’Alene, ID 46.7          3.1 60 (27)
    88 Anniston-Oxford, AL 46.2          1.3 79 (9)
    89 Charleston, WV 45.8          8.0 128 39
    90 Duluth, MN-WI 45.1          5.4 73 (17)
    91 Waco, TX 44.6          6.2 70 (21)
    92 Topeka, KS 44.4          7.0 86 (6)
    93 Laredo, TX 44.3          3.8 44 (49)
    94 Modesto, CA 43.9          5.4 66 (28)
    95 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 43.9          1.8 29 (66)
    96 Greeley, CO 43.8          4.1 143 47
    97 Naples-Marco Island, FL 43.4          6.7 87 (10)
    98 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 43.4          5.0 50 (48)
    99 Johnstown, PA 43.4          2.8 not rated not rated
    100 Champaign-Urbana, IL 43.3          4.3 75 (25)
    101 Yuba City, CA 42.4          1.3 48 (53)
    102 Kokomo, IN 42.0          1.3 91 (11)
    103 Wausau, WI 42.0          5.5 111 8
    104 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 41.5          3.9 80 (24)
    105 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division 41.4          3.0 59 (46)
    106 Lewiston, ID-WA 39.9          1.7 134 28
    107 Redding, CA 39.5          2.4 145 38
    108 Wilmington, NC 39.1          6.2 88 (20)
    109 Eugene-Springfield, OR 39.0          7.2 122 13
    110 Glens Falls, NY 38.8          1.9 12 (98)
    111 Janesville, WI 38.2          1.8 56 (55)
    112 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Div 38.0          3.6 138 26
    113 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Div 37.9          2.6 72 (41)
    114 Salem, OR 37.3          7.0 16 (98)
    115 Yuma, AZ 37.3          1.4 146 31
    116 Flint, MI 37.3          6.3 61 (55)
    117 Jackson, MI 37.1          1.8 not rated not rated
    118 Bay City, MI 36.5          1.5 10 (108)
    119 Grand Junction, CO 35.5          3.0 124 5
    120 Fayetteville, NC 34.5          4.1 25 (95)
    121 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 34.0          6.0 154 33
    122 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 33.9          3.3 36 (86)
    123 Pueblo, CO 33.4          1.9 132 9
    124 Chico, CA 33.0          2.8 not rated not rated
    125 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 32.4          4.0 78 (47)
    126 Anderson, IN 32.2          1.5 116 (10)
    127 Logan, UT-ID 31.7          1.6 100 (27)
    128 Ocala, FL 31.5          4.2 98 (30)
    129 Bloomington, IN 31.2          2.7 148 19
    130 Fairbanks, AK 31.1          1.3 81 (49)
    131 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 31.0          4.6 117 (14)
    132 Utica-Rome, NY 31.0          7.1 104 (28)
    133 Dothan, AL 30.6          2.0 115 (18)
    134 Mansfield, OH 28.3          1.6 not rated not rated
    135 Gadsden, AL 28.0          1.4 130 (5)
    136 Salinas, CA 27.6          4.2 151 15
    137 Amarillo, TX 27.3          6.1 112 (25)
    138 Cleveland, TN 27.0          1.4 136 (2)
    139 Decatur, IL 26.8          1.9 96 (43)
    140 Lawton, OK 26.6          2.4 106 (34)
    141 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 26.5          1.5 38 (103)
    142 Corvallis, OR 24.6          1.3 83 (59)
    143 New Bedford, MA NECTA 24.3          1.8 84 (59)
    144 Rochester, MN 23.8          2.4 103 (41)
    145 Manchester, NH NECTA 23.3          6.8 131 (14)
    146 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 22.6          2.3 62 (84)
    147 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 22.3          3.6 150 3
    148 Decatur, AL 21.6          2.0 129 (19)
    149 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 21.3          1.5 135 (14)
    150 Rockford, IL 19.9          5.4 107 (43)
    151 Medford, OR 19.7          3.5 118 (33)
    152 Visalia-Porterville, CA 18.9          3.8 120 (32)
    153 Kingston, NY 18.5          2.2 97 (56)
    154 Dover, DE 18.1          1.6 152 (2)
    155 Columbus, IN 16.8          1.3 101 (54)
    156 Punta Gorda, FL 15.2          1.7 137 (19)
    157 Bend, OR 14.7          3.9 149 (8)
    158 Port St. Lucie, FL 14.3          5.2 94 (64)
    159 Johnson City, TN 12.2          3.6 155 (4)
    160 Flagstaff, AZ 11.8          1.2 156 (4)
    161 Binghamton, NY 11.8          3.8 67 (94)
    162 Monroe, MI 11.6          1.1 not rated not rated
    163 Prescott, AZ 10.9          1.7 141 (22)
    164 Racine, WI 8.7          2.6 142 (22)
    165 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division 8.5          4.4 114 (51)
    166 Altoona, PA 3.6          1.5 not rated not rated

     

  • Midsized Cities Finance Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    Best Cities for Jobs in Finance Industries

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for financial activities jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings.  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the financial activities rankings use employment in the financial activities sector (supersector 55) in the BLS MSA employment data. The Financial Activities rankings include the 323 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis.

    2013 MSA Fin Activ Ranking –
    Midsized MSAs    		 Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Emplymnt – Fin Activ
    (1000s)    		 2012 MSA Fin Activ  Ranking –
    Midsized  MSAs    		 Fin Activ 2013 Change from 2012 –
    Midsized MSAs
    1 Ann Arbor, MI 98.0          7.5 1 0
    2 Green Bay, WI 81.4        13.7 54 52
    3 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 77.6          8.8 22 19
    4 Provo-Orem, UT 77.3          6.6 44 40
    5 El Paso, TX 76.3        12.6 3 (2)
    6 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 74.5          9.1 52 46
    7 Columbia, SC 73.0        29.1 36 29
    8 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC 72.6        14.2 38 30
    9 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 72.3          8.9 6 (3)
    10 Lafayette, LA 71.4          9.0 10 0
    11 Boise City-Nampa, ID 71.2        14.6 45 34
    12 Mobile, AL 71.1          9.5 2 (10)
    13 Tacoma, WA Mtr Div 70.1        13.1 77 64
    14 Lincoln, NE 68.9        14.2 12 (2)
    15 Kansas City, KS 67.6        33.5 19 4
    16 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 67.4        21.0 18 2
    17 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 66.9          7.7 23 6
    18 Springfield, MO 66.1        12.5 40 22
    19 Madison, WI 63.8        28.7 48 29
    20 Tucson, AZ 63.4        19.2 41 21
    21 Roanoke, VA 62.3          8.3 85 64
    22 Trenton-Ewing, NJ 61.0        16.9 4 (18)
    23 Dayton, OH 61.0        17.6 50 27
    24 Framingham, MA  NECTA Division 60.9          5.3 8 (16)
    25 Corpus Christi, TX 60.8          7.6 60 35
    26 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 60.3        52.0 15 (11)
    27 Knoxville, TN 59.7        17.2 35 8
    28 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 59.5        19.8 43 15
    29 Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Mtr Div 58.7        21.3 67 38
    30 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 58.1        25.1 16 (14)
    31 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 57.7          5.7 31 0
    32 Worcester, MA-CT NECTA 56.2        13.6 33 1
    33 Gary, IN Mtr Div 55.4          9.0 72 39
    34 Akron, OH 55.2        13.6 39 5
    35 Spokane, WA 54.5        12.4 34 (1)
    36 Savannah, GA 54.3          6.0 86 50
    37 Canton-Massillon, OH 53.2          7.9 24 (13)
    38 Anchorage, AK 52.5          8.6 7 (31)
    39 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 52.0        12.6 13 (26)
    40 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 50.7          7.1 11 (29)
    41 Fort Wayne, IN 49.7        11.5 5 (36)
    42 Wichita, KS 49.4        10.7 55 13
    43 Huntsville, AL 47.6          6.0 29 (14)
    44 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA 47.5        15.0 20 (24)
    45 Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Mtr Div 47.3        38.8 14 (31)
    46 Baton Rouge, LA 47.3        17.2 56 10
    47 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC 47.0        14.6 37 (10)
    48 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 45.8          7.7 65 17
    49 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 45.5        13.6 26 (23)
    50 Ogden-Clearfield, UT 45.2          8.0 63 13
    51 Jackson, MS 44.7        15.4 66 15
    52 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 44.0        15.0 75 23
    53 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 43.7          8.0 47 (6)
    54 Lancaster, PA 42.6          8.5 70 16
    55 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 41.9          7.6 71 16
    56 Boulder, CO 41.2          7.2 28 (28)
    57 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 40.5        11.4 61 4
    58 Albuquerque, NM 40.2        17.6 87 29
    59 Asheville, NC 39.3          5.6 17 (42)
    60 Baltimore City, MD 39.1        18.3 59 (1)
    61 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 38.6        10.7 81 20
    62 Chattanooga, TN-GA 37.6        17.1 51 (11)
    63 Lexington-Fayette, KY 37.2          9.8 49 (14)
    64 Colorado Springs, CO 36.5        15.4 21 (43)
    65 Montgomery, AL 36.0          7.2 91 26
    66 Fresno, CA 35.6        12.9 58 (8)
    67 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA 35.2        40.6 57 (10)
    68 Reno-Sparks, NV 35.1          9.0 76 8
    69 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 35.1          7.5 89 20
    70 Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, MD 34.7        14.0 84 14
    71 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 34.6          6.6 74 3
    72 York-Hanover, PA 34.5          5.1 62 (10)
    73 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 34.0        22.2 69 (4)
    74 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 33.4        14.0 42 (32)
    75 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA 33.3        11.7 32 (43)
    76 New Haven, CT NECTA 32.2        12.1 78 2
    77 Syracuse, NY 31.0        16.6 30 (47)
    78 Evansville, IN-KY 24.0          5.1 68 (10)
    79 Tallahassee, FL 23.2          7.1 25 (54)
    80 Toledo, OH 22.1        10.8 73 (7)
    81 Winston-Salem, NC 21.8        11.5 53 (28)
    82 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 21.8          6.5 82 0
    83 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 20.9          8.6 64 (19)
    84 Peoria, IL 20.5          7.4 90 6
    85 Tulsa, OK 20.0        22.2 86 1
    86 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 17.5        18.7 9 (77)
    87 Stockton, CA 17.5          7.4 79 (8)
    88 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 14.2          8.0 46 (42)
    89 Greensboro-High Point, NC 12.7        18.2 83 (6)
    90 Springfield, MA-CT NECTA 11.8        14.8 80 (10)
    91 Reading, PA 3.5          6.0 88 (3)

     

  • Large Cities Finance Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    Best Cities for Jobs in Finance Industries

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for financial activities jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings.  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the financial activities rankings use employment in the financial activities sector (supersector 55) in the BLS MSA employment data. The Financial Activities rankings include the 323 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis.

    2013 MSA Fin Activities Ranking –
    Large MSAs    		 Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Emplymnt – Fin Activ
    (1000s)    		 2012 MSA Fin Activ  Ranking –
    Large MSAs    		 Fin Activ 2013  Change from 2012 –
    Large MSAs
    1 Richmond, VA 84.6          47.5 5 4
    2 Pittsburgh, PA 84.2          72.5 2 0
    3 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Mtr Div 81.6          55.4 1 (2)
    4 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 76.3          72.3 6 2
    5 Jacksonville, FL 76.3          61.3 11 6
    6 Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Mtr Div 75.6       191.5 8 2
    7 Northern Virginia, VA 72.6          67.9 7 0
    8 St. Louis, MO-IL 72.0          85.0 17 9
    9 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 71.6       150.1 23 14
    10 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 70.6          95.7 39 29
    11 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 70.6          45.6 3 (8)
    12 Salt Lake City, UT 69.7          50.3 14 2
    13 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Mtr Div 68.5          72.0 58 45
    14 Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Mtr Div 68.2       111.3 54 40
    15 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Mtr Div 68.1       110.7 18 3
    16 Columbus, OH 67.5          72.2 15 (1)
    17 Kansas City, MO 66.5          40.7 45 28
    18 Camden, NJ Mtr Div 65.6          31.0 48 30
    19 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 65.0          38.1 22 3
    20 Oklahoma City, OK 64.3          33.7 32 12
    21 Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Mtr Div 63.5          32.0 24 3
    22 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 62.8          95.6 27 5
    23 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 61.0          41.6 20 (3)
    24 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 60.8       140.3 21 (3)
    25 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 60.6          26.9 40 15
    26 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 60.1       156.2 59 33
    27 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA 59.9          34.6 47 20
    28 Newark-Union, NJ-PA Mtr Div 59.3          69.4 36 8
    29 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 59.3          47.7 9 (20)
    30 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 58.4       140.1 12 (18)
    31 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 58.1          40.7 44 13
    32 Nassau-Suffolk, NY Mtr Div 57.9          73.1 38 6
    33 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 57.7          41.6 30 (3)
    34 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 57.5          33.6 29 (5)
    35 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 57.1          32.0 16 (19)
    36 Rochester, NY 57.1          20.9 4 (32)
    37 San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Mtr Div 55.4          79.4 33 (4)
    38 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 54.3          66.9 19 (19)
    39 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 52.9          42.0 62 23
    40 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 51.5          41.6 64 24
    41 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 48.8          69.4 51 10
    42 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 46.9          64.0 56 14
    43 Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Mtr Div 46.9          67.8 31 (12)
    44 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 46.7       143.2 53 9
    45 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 46.5          63.1 42 (3)
    46 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC 45.5          71.9 26 (20)
    47 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Mtr Div 45.0       212.8 37 (10)
    48 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Mtr Div 44.9          36.4 25 (23)
    49 Raleigh-Cary, NC 43.0          26.0 28 (21)
    50 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Mtr Div 42.1          54.4 46 (4)
    51 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA 41.9          48.0 57 6
    52 New York City, NY 41.8       436.1 10 (42)
    53 Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Mtr Div 40.7          56.3 49 (4)
    54 Honolulu, HI 40.1          20.6 25 (29)
    55 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 39.5          58.2 50 (5)
    56 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 38.2          61.8 41 (15)
    57 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Mtr Div 38.1       259.1 63 6
    58 Philadelphia City, PA 36.8          41.1 61 3
    59 Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Mtr Div 35.7          48.0 52 (7)
    60 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 33.0          54.3 35 (25)
    61 Putnam-Rockland-Westchester, NY 32.7          32.7 13 (48)
    62 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Mtr Div 32.5          39.4 55 (7)
    63 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA 31.8          59.8 43 (20)
    64 Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ 30.7          69.1 34 (30)
    65 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Mtr Div 24.2          79.3 60 (5)
    66 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 9.5          26.9 65 (1)

     

  • Overall Finance Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    Best Cities for Jobs in Finance Industries

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for financial activities jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings.  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the financial activities rankings use employment in the financial activities sector (supersector 55) in the BLS MSA employment data. The Financial Activities rankings include the 323 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis.

    2013 MSA Fin Activities Ranking –
    All MSAs    		 Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Emplymt – Fin Activities
    (1000s)    		 2012 MSA Fin Activities  Ranking –
    All MSAs    		 Fin Activities 2013  Change from 2012 –
    All MSAs
    1 Owensboro, KY 99.3         3.4 11 10
    2 Ann Arbor, MI 98.0         7.5 5 3
    3 Odessa, TX 91.8         3.0 1 (2)
    4 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 91.5         2.1 10 6
    5 Midland, TX 88.8         4.2 30 25
    6 Clarksville, TN-KY 88.7         3.1 57 51
    7 Macon, GA 88.4         9.3 not rated not rated
    8 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 85.2         4.0 not rated not rated
    9 Richmond, VA 84.6      47.5 27 18
    10 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 84.5         1.1 100 90
    11 Pittsburgh, PA 84.2      72.5 14 3
    12 Victoria, TX 82.7         2.3 36 24
    13 Sherman-Denison, TX 82.1         2.9 12 (1)
    14 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Mtr Div 81.6      55.4 3 (11)
    15 Bloomington-Normal, IL 81.6      13.0 110 95
    16 Madera-Chowchilla, CA 81.6         0.8 146 130
    17 Green Bay, WI 81.4      13.7 180 163
    18 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 80.8         1.3 not rated not rated
    19 Cheyenne, WY 80.0         2.3 13 (6)
    20 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 79.3         4.3 215 195
    21 Bellingham, WA 79.0         3.2 not rated not rated
    22 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA 78.7         4.5 4 (18)
    23 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 77.7         8.4 20 (3)
    24 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 77.6         8.8 87 63
    25 Provo-Orem, UT 77.3         6.6 152 127
    26 Greenville, NC 76.7         2.8 2 (24)
    27 Bismarck, ND 76.6         3.5 38 11
    28 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 76.6         3.3 9 (19)
    29 El Paso, TX 76.3      12.6 7 (22)
    30 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 76.3      72.3 28 (2)
    31 Jacksonville, FL 76.3      61.3 48 17
    32 Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Mtr Div 75.6    191.5 34 2
    33 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 75.6         6.0 264 231
    34 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 74.9         4.0 25 (9)
    35 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 74.5         9.1 175 140
    36 Longview, TX 74.2         4.0 63 27
    37 St. Cloud, MN 74.1         4.4 186 149
    38 Columbia, SC 73.0      29.1 123 85
    39 Gainesville, FL 72.8         6.4 252 213
    40 Northern Virginia, VA 72.6      67.9 32 (8)
    41 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC 72.6      14.2 129 88
    42 Danville, IL 72.3         1.4 185 143
    43 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 72.3         8.9 24 (19)
    44 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 72.3         4.1 143 99
    45 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 72.0         5.4 31 (14)
    46 St. Louis, MO-IL 72.0      85.0 70 24
    47 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 71.6    150.1 95 48
    48 Lafayette, LA 71.4         9.0 39 (9)
    49 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA 71.3         1.7 54 5
    50 Boise City-Nampa, ID 71.2      14.6 157 107
    51 Mobile, AL 71.1         9.5 6 (45)
    52 Springfield, IL 70.7         7.6 133 81
    53 Columbus, GA-AL 70.6      12.9 81 28
    54 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 70.6      95.7 172 118
    55 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 70.6      45.6 21 (34)
    56 Sioux Falls, SD 70.2      16.2 227 171
    57 Las Cruces, NM 70.1         2.5 119 62
    58 Tacoma, WA Mtr Div 70.1      13.1 261 203
    59 Elmira, NY 69.8         1.5 190 131
    60 Salt Lake City, UT 69.7      50.3 59 (1)
    61 Tyler, TX 69.2         4.2 29 (32)
    62 Lincoln, NE 68.9      14.2 47 (15)
    63 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Mtr Div 68.5      72.0 245 182
    64 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 68.3         8.1 43 (21)
    65 Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Mtr Div 68.2    111.3 226 161
    66 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Mtr Div 68.1    110.7 71 5
    67 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division 68.1         8.1 149 82
    68 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 68.0         3.3 259 191
    69 Muncie, IN 67.9         2.6 108 39
    70 Kansas City, KS 67.6      33.5 80 10
    71 Columbus, OH 67.5      72.2 60 (11)
    72 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 67.4      21.0 76 4
    73 Lafayette, IN 67.3         3.7 83 10
    74 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 66.9         7.7 88 14
    75 Terre Haute, IN 66.7         2.6 268 193
    76 Kansas City, MO 66.5      40.7 197 121
    77 Fond du Lac, WI 66.5         2.0 40 (37)
    78 Fargo, ND-MN 66.1         9.2 17 (61)
    79 Springfield, MO 66.1      12.5 137 58
    80 San Angelo, TX 66.0         2.1 111 31
    81 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 65.6         3.2 93 12
    82 Camden, NJ Mtr Div 65.6      31.0 202 120
    83 College Station-Bryan, TX 65.5         3.6 51 (32)
    84 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 65.0      38.1 86 2
    85 Erie, PA 65.0         6.2 74 (11)
    86 Oklahoma City, OK 64.3      33.7 136 50
    87 Morristown, TN 64.3         1.2 188 101
    88 Madison, WI 63.8      28.7 162 74
    89 Wichita Falls, TX 63.6         2.8 205 116
    90 Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Mtr Div 63.5      32.0 99 9
    91 Tucson, AZ 63.4      19.2 138 47
    92 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 62.8      95.6 109 17
    93 Casper, WY 62.6         2.0 132 39
    94 Napa, CA 62.3         2.3 221 127
    95 Roanoke, VA 62.3         8.3 287 192
    96 Pocatello, ID 61.9         1.9 262 166
    97 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 61.8         3.7 280 183
    98 Abilene, TX 61.6         3.8 79 (19)
    99 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 61.6         3.1 115 16
    100 Jackson, TN 61.5         1.7 237 137
    101 Trenton-Ewing, NJ 61.0      16.9 16 (85)
    102 Dayton, OH 61.0      17.6 165 63
    103 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 61.0      41.6 73 (30)
    104 Framingham, MA  NECTA Division 60.9         5.3 35 (69)
    105 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 60.8    140.3 78 (27)
    106 Corpus Christi, TX 60.8         7.6 207 101
    107 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 60.6      26.9 181 74
    108 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 60.3      52.0 64 (44)
    109 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 60.1    156.2 248 139
    110 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA 59.9      34.6 201 91
    111 Knoxville, TN 59.7      17.2 120 9
    112 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 59.5      19.8 150 38
    113 Newark-Union, NJ-PA Mtr Div 59.3      69.4 168 55
    114 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 59.3      47.7 42 (72)
    115 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 59.2         4.9 82 (33)
    116 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 59.0         2.6 50 (66)
    117 Fort Smith, AR-OK 59.0         4.3 286 169
    118 Sheboygan, WI 58.7         2.5 77 (41)
    119 Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Mtr Div 58.7      21.3 235 116
    120 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 58.4    140.1 49 (71)
    121 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 58.1      25.1 67 (54)
    122 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 58.1      40.7 194 72
    123 Nassau-Suffolk, NY Mtr Div 57.9      73.1 171 48
    124 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 57.7      41.6 126 2
    125 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 57.7         5.7 113 (12)
    126 Rapid City, SD 57.5         3.8 94 (32)
    127 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 57.5      33.6 125 (2)
    128 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 57.1      32.0 62 (66)
    129 Rochester, NY 57.1      20.9 23 (106)
    130 Grand Forks, ND-MN 56.3         1.7 176 46
    131 Worcester, MA-CT NECTA 56.2      13.6 117 (14)
    132 La Crosse, WI-MN 56.0         3.7 44 (88)
    133 Gary, IN Mtr Div 55.4         9.0 247 114
    134 San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Mtr Div 55.4      79.4 142 8
    135 Akron, OH 55.2      13.6 130 (5)
    136 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 54.6         5.6 105 (31)
    137 Spokane, WA 54.5      12.4 118 (19)
    138 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 54.3      66.9 72 (66)
    139 Palm Coast, FL 54.3         0.8 292 153
    140 Savannah, GA 54.3         6.0 288 148
    141 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 53.7         1.8 256 115
    142 Lubbock, TX 53.5         6.9 166 24
    143 El Centro, CA 53.3         1.3 97 (46)
    144 Canton-Massillon, OH 53.2         7.9 89 (55)
    145 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA 53.2         3.1 225 80
    146 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 52.9      42.0 269 123
    147 Anchorage, AK 52.5         8.6 33 (114)
    148 Merced, CA 52.4         1.6 230 82
    149 Idaho Falls, ID 52.2         2.1 153 4
    150 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 52.0      12.6 58 (92)
    151 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 51.5      41.6 294 143
    152 Battle Creek, MI 51.5         1.4 not rated not rated
    153 Cedar Rapids, IA 51.4      10.1 195 42
    154 Tuscaloosa, AL 51.1         3.7 92 (62)
    155 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 50.7         7.1 41 (114)
    156 Bangor, ME NECTA 50.3         2.1 52 (104)
    157 St. George, UT 50.2         1.9 144 (13)
    158 Santa Fe, NM 50.2         2.7 155 (3)
    159 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 50.1         2.3 8 (151)
    160 Fort Wayne, IN 49.7      11.5 19 (141)
    161 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 49.5         2.1 56 (105)
    162 Wichita, KS 49.4      10.7 182 20
    163 Auburn-Opelika, AL 49.3         1.7 66 (97)
    164 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 48.9         3.9 299 135
    165 Appleton, WI 48.9         7.3 135 (30)
    166 Ithaca, NY 48.9         1.6 65 (101)
    167 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 48.8      69.4 212 45
    168 Waterbury, CT NECTA 47.7         2.0 305 137
    169 Burlington, NC 47.7         1.8 22 (147)
    170 Huntsville, AL 47.6         6.0 106 (64)
    171 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA 47.5      15.0 84 (87)
    172 Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Mtr Div 47.3      38.8 61 (111)
    173 Baton Rouge, LA 47.3      17.2 183 10
    174 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC 47.0      14.6 128 (46)
    175 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 46.9      64.0 231 56
    176 Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Mtr Div 46.9      67.8 134 (42)
    177 Coeur d’Alene, ID 46.7         3.1 124 (53)
    178 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 46.7    143.2 223 45
    179 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 46.5      63.1 191 12
    180 Anniston-Oxford, AL 46.2         1.3 160 (20)
    181 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 45.8         7.7 229 48
    182 Charleston, WV 45.8         8.0 270 88
    183 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC 45.5      71.9 107 (76)
    184 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 45.5      13.6 101 (83)
    185 Ogden-Clearfield, UT 45.2         8.0 217 32
    186 Duluth, MN-WI 45.1         5.4 148 (38)
    187 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Mtr Div 45.0    212.8 169 (18)
    188 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Mtr Div 44.9      36.4 103 (85)
    189 Jackson, MS 44.7      15.4 233 44
    190 Waco, TX 44.6         6.2 145 (45)
    191 Topeka, KS 44.4         7.0 178 (13)
    192 Laredo, TX 44.3         3.8 91 (101)
    193 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 44.0      15.0 254 61
    194 Modesto, CA 43.9         5.4 140 (54)
    195 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 43.9         1.8 53 (142)
    196 Greeley, CO 43.8         4.1 291 95
    197 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 43.7         8.0 159 (38)
    198 Naples-Marco Island, FL 43.4         6.7 179 (19)
    199 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 43.4         5.0 98 (101)
    200 Johnstown, PA 43.4         2.8 not rated not rated
    201 Champaign-Urbana, IL 43.3         4.3 151 (50)
    202 Raleigh-Cary, NC 43.0      26.0 121 (81)
    203 Lancaster, PA 42.6         8.5 242 39
    204 Yuba City, CA 42.4         1.3 96 (108)
    205 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Mtr Div 42.1      54.4 199 (6)
    206 Kokomo, IN 42.0         1.3 187 (19)
    207 Wausau, WI 42.0         5.5 232 25
    208 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA 41.9      48.0 244 36
    209 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 41.9         7.6 243 34
    210 New York City, NY 41.8    436.1 45 (165)
    211 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 41.5         3.9 161 (50)
    212 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division 41.4         3.0 122 (90)
    213 Boulder, CO 41.2         7.2 104 (109)
    214 Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Mtr Div 40.7      56.3 208 (6)
    215 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 40.5      11.4 213 (2)
    216 Albuquerque, NM 40.2      17.6 296 80
    217 Honolulu, HI 40.1      20.6 102 (115)
    218 Lewiston, ID-WA 39.9         1.7 281 63
    219 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 39.5      58.2 209 (10)
    220 Redding, CA 39.5         2.4 293 73
    221 Asheville, NC 39.3         5.6 69 (152)
    222 Wilmington, NC 39.1         6.2 184 (38)
    223 Baltimore City, MD 39.1      18.3 206 (17)
    224 Eugene-Springfield, OR 39.0         7.2 257 33
    225 Glens Falls, NY 38.8         1.9 18 (207)
    226 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 38.6      10.7 272 46
    227 Janesville, WI 38.2         1.8 114 (113)
    228 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 38.2      61.8 189 (39)
    229 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Mtr Div 38.1    259.1 277 48
    230 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Div 38.0         3.6 285 55
    231 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Div 37.9         2.6 147 (84)
    232 Chattanooga, TN-GA 37.6      17.1 173 (59)
    233 Salem, OR 37.3         7.0 26 (207)
    234 Yuma, AZ 37.3         1.4 298 64
    235 Flint, MI 37.3         6.3 127 (108)
    236 Lexington-Fayette, KY 37.2         9.8 163 (73)
    237 Jackson, MI 37.1         1.8 not rated not rated
    238 Philadelphia City, PA 36.8      41.1 265 27
    239 Bay City, MI 36.5         1.5 15 (224)
    240 Colorado Springs, CO 36.5      15.4 85 (155)
    241 Montgomery, AL 36.0         7.2 311 70
    242 Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Mtr Div 35.7      48.0 216 (26)
    243 Fresno, CA 35.6      12.9 204 (39)
    244 Grand Junction, CO 35.5         3.0 260 16
    245 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA 35.2      40.6 198 (47)
    246 Reno-Sparks, NV 35.1         9.0 258 12
    247 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 35.1         7.5 308 61
    248 Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, MD 34.7      14.0 279 31
    249 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 34.6         6.6 251 2
    250 York-Hanover, PA 34.5         5.1 214 (36)
    251 Fayetteville, NC 34.5         4.1 46 (205)
    252 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 34.0      22.2 238 (14)
    253 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 34.0         6.0 307 54
    254 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 33.9         3.3 68 (186)
    255 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 33.4      14.0 139 (116)
    256 Pueblo, CO 33.4         1.9 278 22
    257 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA 33.3      11.7 116 (141)
    258 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 33.0      54.3 167 (91)
    259 Chico, CA 33.0         2.8 not rated not rated
    260 Putnam-Rockland-Westchester, NY 32.7      32.7 55 (205)
    261 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Mtr Div 32.5      39.4 228 (33)
    262 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 32.4         4.0 156 (106)
    263 New Haven, CT NECTA 32.2      12.1 263 0
    264 Anderson, IN 32.2         1.5 241 (23)
    265 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA 31.8      59.8 193 (72)
    266 Logan, UT-ID 31.7         1.6 210 (56)
    267 Ocala, FL 31.5         4.2 203 (64)
    268 Bloomington, IN 31.2         2.7 300 32
    269 Fairbanks, AK 31.1         1.3 164 (105)
    270 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 31.0         4.6 246 (24)
    271 Utica-Rome, NY 31.0         7.1 219 (52)
    272 Syracuse, NY 31.0      16.6 112 (160)
    273 Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ 30.7      69.1 154 (119)
    274 Dothan, AL 30.6         2.0 240 (34)
    275 Mansfield, OH 28.3         1.6 not rated not rated
    276 Gadsden, AL 28.0         1.4 274 (2)
    277 Salinas, CA 27.6         4.2 303 26
    278 Amarillo, TX 27.3         6.1 234 (44)
    279 Cleveland, TN 27.0         1.4 283 4
    280 Decatur, IL 26.8         1.9 196 (84)
    281 Lawton, OK 26.6         2.4 222 (59)
    282 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 26.5         1.5 75 (207)
    283 Corvallis, OR 24.6         1.3 170 (113)
    284 New Bedford, MA NECTA 24.3         1.8 174 (110)
    285 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Mtr Div 24.2      79.3 253 (32)
    286 Evansville, IN-KY 24.0         5.1 236 (50)
    287 Rochester, MN 23.8         2.4 218 (69)
    288 Manchester, NH NECTA 23.3         6.8 276 (12)
    289 Tallahassee, FL 23.2         7.1 90 (199)
    290 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 22.6         2.3 131 (159)
    291 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 22.3         3.6 302 11
    292 Toledo, OH 22.1      10.8 250 (42)
    293 Winston-Salem, NC 21.8      11.5 177 (116)
    294 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 21.8         6.5 273 (21)
    295 Decatur, AL 21.6         2.0 271 (24)
    296 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 21.3         1.5 282 (14)
    297 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 20.9         8.6 220 (77)
    298 Peoria, IL 20.5         7.4 309 11
    299 Tulsa, OK 20.0      22.2 295 (4)
    300 Rockford, IL 19.9         5.4 224 (76)
    301 Medford, OR 19.7         3.5 249 (52)
    302 Visalia-Porterville, CA 18.9         3.8 255 (47)
    303 Kingston, NY 18.5         2.2 200 (103)
    304 Dover, DE 18.1         1.6 304 0
    305 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 17.5      18.7 37 (268)
    306 Stockton, CA 17.5         7.4 266 (40)
    307 Columbus, IN 16.8         1.3 211 (96)
    308 Punta Gorda, FL 15.2         1.7 284 (24)
    309 Bend, OR 14.7         3.9 301 (8)
    310 Port St. Lucie, FL 14.3         5.2 192 (118)
    311 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 14.2         8.0 158 (153)
    312 Greensboro-High Point, NC 12.7      18.2 275 (37)
    313 Johnson City, TN 12.2         3.6 310 (3)
    314 Springfield, MA-CT NECTA 11.8      14.8 267 (47)
    315 Flagstaff, AZ 11.8         1.2 312 (3)
    316 Binghamton, NY 11.8         3.8 141 (175)
    317 Monroe, MI 11.6         1.1 not rated not rated
    318 Prescott, AZ 10.9         1.7 289 (29)
    319 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 9.5      26.9 306 (13)
    320 Racine, WI 8.7         2.6 290 (30)
    321 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division 8.5         4.4 239 (82)
    322 Altoona, PA 3.6         1.5 not rated not rated
    323 Reading, PA 3.5         6.0 297 (26)

     

  • The Cities Winning The Battle For Information Jobs

    The information industry has long been a darling of the media — no surprise since the media constitutes a major part of this economic sector, which includes publishing, software, entertainment and data processing. Yet until the last few years, it has been a sector in overall decline, with almost 850,000 jobs lost since 2001. The biggest losses have been in telecommunications (half a million jobs gone since 2001) and print publishing (books, newspapers, magazines), which lost 290,000 jobs — 40% of its 2001 job base.

    Yet over the past two years, spurred largely by social media and the growing use of data in business, there has been something of a resurgence in the information sector, with strong hiring in software publishing, data processing and other information services. To identify the cities making the biggest gains, we ranked metropolitan statistical areas’ employment growth in the sector over the long-term (2001-12), mid-term (2007-12) and the last two years, as well as momentum.

    Best Cities for Information Sector Jobs

    The Usual Suspects

    On our large cities list (the 66 metropolitan statistical areas with more than 450,000 jobs), the top two, perhaps not surprisingly, are San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., aka Silicon Valley, followed by San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City. Since 2007, the number of information jobs in the Valley has grown by 25%, although this has not offset the large job losses in manufacturing, construction and government. Overall, San Francisco comes off a bit better: information employment is up less over the same period, 18%, but it has suffered less grievous losses in its smaller industrial and construction sectors. The San Francisco metro area ranks No. 1 on our 2013 list of The Best Cities For Jobs.

    Several other of our top performers come from what we might consider the usual suspects of high-tech hype, including Boston (No. 4), where information employment is up over 8% since 2007, and Seattle (15th), which has posted solid if not overwhelming growth of 4% in the sector since 2007, but has a much stronger manufacturing scene than the Bay Area. (See: America’s New Manufacturing Boomtowns)

    The Rising Stars

    But the big story in the information sector may be the emergence of a whole series of smaller metro areas that are usually less expensive. Some of the names here would also not surprise, such as Austin, Texas (fifth), and Raleigh-Cary, N.C. (eighth). They have been pulling information jobs from places like Boston, New York and the Bay Area for almost a generation. For example, Apple decided last year to center its Americas operations division in Austin, which is likely to bring upward of 3,000 information jobs to the Texas capital.

    Less well-known has been the growth in other upstart locations. Perhaps the most dramatic player is third-place New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, where information employment is up 28% since 2009. The information sector in the area, where I am currently working as a consultant to the regional development agency, GNO, Inc., is very broad-based, including companies in digital effects, videogames, software development as well as a burgeoning film and television industry. The recent decision by General Electric to place its new technology center and its 300 new technology jobs in New Orleans is another sign of the Crescent City’s emergence as a viable information hub.

    GE is representative of a growing trend to place high-tech jobs in a new cadre of low-cost locations. In addition to New Orleans, the conglomerate has announced, over the past year, new technology centers in Detroit; Richmond, Va.; and San Ramon, Calif. While these expansions were not enough to reverse the overall poor showing on our large cities list of Richmond (second to last out of 66) and Detroit (60th), they reflect a growing tendency of businesses to tap relatively low-cost pools of talent.

    In many ways, New Orleans’ success story in information — the migration of jobs to lower cost, but still attractive, regions — is mirrored in other metro areas in our rankings. This includes No. 6 Atlanta, whose 85,000-strong information sector is now the nation’s fourth largest, if you combine Silicon Valley and San Francisco into one region. As in New Orleans, mega-companies also see Atlanta as a major and affordable talent center. General Motors, for example, recently announced plans to set up its new software center in the Atlanta suburbs, bringing more tech jobs.

    Several other large but affordable metro areas are also gaining momentum, most of which are in the Sun Belt. These include seventh-place San Antonio, which has experienced strong growth in such fields as cyber-security, and Phoenix (ninth),which traditionally draws talent and companies from California, and has also won a 1,000-person strong GM tech center in suburban Chandler.

    Finally, tech and media watchers should look out for 10th-place Nashville-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. Like New Orleans, the country music capital has a very strong media base and provides newcomers with everything from a hip urban ambiance to bucolic country suburbs. Its information sector is also helped by growth in health and manufacturing in the area.

    What About The Big Boys?

    New York, with some 174,000 information jobs, and Los Angeles, with over 190,000, retain the largest clusters of information industry jobs, but they are not growing as quickly as our top 10 metros. New York, at No. 13, has enjoyed only modest 3.2% growth in employment in the sector since 2007, and, despite all the renewed hype about “Silicon Alley,” growth ground to a halt over the past year. Overall since 2001 New York has lost some 16,000 information jobs, many of them directly tied to a big drop in publishing employment.

    But the Big Apple is an information boom town compared to Los Angeles (28th), with information employment there dropping 7.3% since 2007. L.A. today has 25,000 fewer information jobs than in 2001. Things appear to be more stable recently, but the big issue for L.A. lies in the decline of the entertainment industry, which dominates much of the area’s information sector. Since 2007, the Big Orange has lost roughly 9,000 jobs connected to the motion picture, television and recording industry, something the region has not found a way to redress.

    The only information hub that arguably has done consistently worse is Chicago, which has lost 30,000 information jobs since 2001. Many of those losses came from publishing and telecom, which suffered huge losses early in the last decade. Since then, the information sector decline has slowed and last year the area eked out growth of 0.4%.

    Best Cities for Information Sector Jobs

    Little Wonders

    Information businesses historically cluster in big cities, but there are now several smaller regions whose sectors are now growing rapidly. On our medium-size metro area list (between 150,000 and 450,000 jobs), the top spot goes to Trenton-Ewing, N.J., which enjoyed 9.2% growth in the sector since 2007 and appears to be attracting software development jobs. There’s also been considerable growth in Utah, which boasts Provo-Orem (fourth) and Ogden-Clearfield (sixth). Combined with Salt Lake City, a respectable 17th on the large metro area list, the Wasatch Front appears to be a real comer in the information economy.

    The mid-sized list, like the rising stars, appears very much to be driven by lifestyle preferences and the proximity of universities to provide raw talent. If there’s a more physically attractive metro area than No. 2 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, Calif., we’d like someone to find it for us. Lansing-East Lansing, Mich. (third), and Madison, Wisc. (fifth), may be a lot colder and less spectacularly beautiful than Santa Barbara, but as college towns and state capitals, they boast considerable amenities and a constant flow of recent graduates. Much the same can be said of No. 7 Baton Rouge, La., which also enjoys the benefits of an expanding energy industry. Albuquerque, N.M. (eighth), and Huntsville, Ala. (ninth), while not state capitals, are home to major national science laboratories that also attract a deep pool of local technology talent.

    The impact of the modern energy industry on information grows from the need of oil and gas firms to use technology to discover, maintain and expand their operations. This can be seen in our number one small metro for information jobs, Cheyenne, Wyo., as well as the Texas towns of College Station-Bryan (third) and Tyler (fourth). The link between manufacturing and information is evident in some of the small metros, including No. 2 Flint, Mich., and No. 8 Columbus, Ind.

    Who’s Left Behind?

    The information industry’s growth has missed many, if not most American metro areas. This includes many large cities in California, including Oakland-Fremont-Hayward (58th on our large cities list), Sacramento-Arden Arcade-Roseville (63rd) and San Bernardino-Riverside (64th). Given its proximity to both Silicon Valley and San Francisco, Oakland’s slow recovery is a bit surprising, but remember it was only when growth in Silicon Valley went hyper-critical during the ’90s dot-com bubble that Oakland finally surged. Other poor performers include last-place Camden, N.J.; Oklahoma City (62nd), Kansas City, Kan. (61st).

    Yet to an extent not well appreciated in the media, a slow-growing or even shrinking information sector isn’t necessarily an economic kiss of death. Information remains a relatively small, if highly obsessed over, sector of our economy. Additionally, some of these jobs are being subsumed into the indistinguishable category of business services as more and more firms bring them in-house as part of the normal course of doing business. Nonetheless, while you can certainly thrive without it, given the glitz factor, most metro areas would probably prefer to rank among those that are winning these jobs than missing out on them.

    Joel Kotkin is executive editor of NewGeography.com and a distinguished presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University, and a member of the editorial board of the Orange County Register. He is author of The City: A Global History and The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050. His most recent study, The Rise of Postfamilialism, has been widely discussed and distributed internationally. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.

    Michael Shires, Ph.D. is a professor at Pepperdine University School of Public Policy.

    This piece originally appeared at Forbes.com.

  • Large Cities Information Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for information jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings (link to that page here or “above” if on the same page).  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the information rankings use employment in the information sector (supersector 50) in the BLS MSA employment data.  The information rankings include the 317 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis. 

    2013 MSA Info  Ranking – LARGE MSAs Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Info Emplymnt 2012 Info Ranking – Large MSAs 2013  Change from 2012 – Large MSAs
    1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 96.2          51.6 1 0
    2 San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Mtr Div 88.5          47.1 2 0
    3 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 87.2            8.2 3 0
    4 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 81.8          59.9 9 5
    5 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 81.7          22.2 10 5
    6 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 80.2          85.0 14 8
    7 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 79.4          20.3 37 30
    8 Raleigh-Cary, NC 78.4          17.9 4 (4)
    9 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 77.1          29.8 13 4
    10 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 75.0          20.2 20 10
    11 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC 74.5          22.2 8 (3)
    12 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Mtr Div 74.2          18.1 35 23
    13 New York City, NY 73.9        174.2 6 (7)
    14 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 73.5          15.4 46 32
    15 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Mtr Div 71.3          85.8 7 (8)
    16 Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Mtr Div 71.2          19.4 17 1
    17 Salt Lake City, UT 69.7          16.8 30 13
    18 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 67.4          11.4 39 21
    19 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 67.4            9.5 34 15
    20 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Mtr Div 66.9          74.9 27 7
    21 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 66.5          39.0 22 1
    22 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 66.1            9.5 19 (3)
    23 Philadelphia City, PA 66.0          11.9 29 6
    24 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 65.3          31.9 38 14
    25 St. Louis, MO-IL 65.1          30.2 42 17
    26 Pittsburgh, PA 64.9          18.5 51 25
    27 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 64.5          22.6 23 (4)
    28 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Mtr Div 64.1        190.5 12 (16)
    29 Columbus, OH 63.4          16.5 15 (14)
    30 Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Mtr Div 61.2          64.1 16 (14)
    31 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Mtr Div 60.7          17.7 24 (7)
    32 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 60.3            7.5 44 12
    33 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 60.3          42.5 31 (2)
    34 Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Mtr Div 60.3          24.6 45 11
    35 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 60.1          13.7 28 (7)
    36 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 59.8          24.9 58 22
    37 Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Mtr Div 59.1          24.3 47 10
    38 Newark-Union, NJ-PA Mtr Div 58.6          19.7 63 25
    39 Nassau-Suffolk, NY Mtr Div 58.5          24.0 50 11
    40 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Mtr Div 57.5            9.0 21 (19)
    41 Rochester, NY 57.1            8.9 53 12
    42 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 56.5          23.3 18 (24)
    43 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Mtr Div 56.0          14.4 41 (2)
    44 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 55.8            6.0 52 8
    45 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA 55.7          10.9 11 (34)
    46 Honolulu, HI 55.4            7.2 66 20
    47 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 54.9          15.2 48 1
    48 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 54.6          25.4 26 (22)
    49 Northern Virginia, VA 54.4          39.6 43 (6)
    50 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Mtr Div 52.2          62.3 25 (25)
    51 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 52.1          14.7 36 (15)
    52 Jacksonville, FL 51.4            9.0 33 (19)
    53 Putnam-Rockland-Westchester, NY 50.4          13.1 49 (4)
    54 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Mtr Div 50.2          13.4 40 (14)
    55 Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ 49.7          18.3 56 1
    56 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA 48.1          10.6 5 (51)
    57 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 47.8          11.4 64 7
    58 Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Mtr Div 45.8          21.6 54 (4)
    59 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 45.4            8.7 60 1
    60 Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Mtr Div 42.7            7.1 65 5
    61 Kansas City, MO 40.2          14.2 59 (2)
    62 Oklahoma City, OK 37.7            8.7 61 (1)
    63 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA 36.3          14.9 57 (6)
    64 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 34.0          11.5 32 (32)
    65 Richmond, VA 25.3            7.8 55 (10)
    66 Camden, NJ Mtr Div 11.5            6.3 62 (4)

  • Midsized Cities Information Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for information jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings (link to that page here or “above” if on the same page).  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the information rankings use employment in the information sector (supersector 50) in the BLS MSA employment data.  The information rankings include the 317 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis. 

    2013 MSA Info  Ranking – Midsized MSAs Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Info Emplymnt 2012 MSA Info Ranking – Midsized MSAs 2013 Ranking Change from 2012 – Midsized MSAs
    1 Trenton-Ewing, NJ 88.3            6.7 64 63
    2 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 86.6            4.2 7 5
    3 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 85.9            3.0 4 1
    4 Provo-Orem, UT 85.4            9.0 5 1
    5 Madison, WI 81.1          11.9 1 (4)
    6 Ogden-Clearfield, UT 77.9            2.2 12 6
    7 Baton Rouge, LA 77.6            5.3 84 77
    8 Albuquerque, NM 76.2            8.7 23 15
    9 Huntsville, AL 75.4            2.6 3 (6)
    10 Jackson, MS 74.9            4.5 25 15
    11 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 74.4            3.6 47 36
    12 Asheville, NC 72.3            2.0 17 5
    13 Fort Wayne, IN 72.0            3.4 35 22
    14 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 71.9            2.6 45 31
    15 Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, MD 71.8            5.7 2 (13)
    16 Spokane, WA 70.4            2.9 48 32
    17 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC 69.8            6.7 9 (8)
    18 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA 69.5          11.0 19 1
    19 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 67.6            2.7 18 (1)
    20 Fresno, CA 66.6            3.5 73 53
    21 York-Hanover, PA 65.4            1.9 59 38
    22 Reading, PA 65.1            1.4 33 11
    23 Worcester, MA-CT NECTA 63.9            3.5 79 56
    24 El Paso, TX 63.6            5.0 26 2
    25 Toledo, OH 63.5            3.4 22 (3)
    26 Tallahassee, FL 63.5            3.2 6 (20)
    27 Knoxville, TN 63.3            5.4 14 (13)
    28 Springfield, MA-CT NECTA 63.2            3.7 11 (17)
    29 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC 62.9            4.9 38 9
    30 Boulder, CO 62.8            8.7 15 (15)
    31 Peoria, IL 62.4            2.5 56 25
    32 Montgomery, AL 62.3            2.2 39 7
    33 Ann Arbor, MI 61.8            4.0 13 (20)
    34 Springfield, MO 61.6            4.1 8 (26)
    35 Colorado Springs, CO 60.9            7.1 21 (14)
    36 Framingham, MA  NECTA Division 60.7            5.4 36 0
    37 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 59.4            3.0 50 13
    38 Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Mtr Div 59.3            4.1 40 2
    39 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 59.0            4.9 37 (2)
    40 Gary, IN Mtr Div 57.2            2.0 52 12
    41 Boise City-Nampa, ID 57.1            4.3 27 (14)
    42 Greensboro-High Point, NC 56.7            5.3 32 (10)
    43 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 56.7            1.9 10 (33)
    44 Canton-Massillon, OH 56.4            1.8 29 (15)
    45 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 55.2            5.7 67 22
    46 Kansas City, KS 54.5          15.4 89 43
    47 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 53.4            2.0 31 (16)
    48 Akron, OH 53.3            3.7 43 (5)
    49 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 52.7            8.4 57 8
    50 Tucson, AZ 52.7            4.2 85 35
    51 Green Bay, WI 51.9            1.9 75 24
    52 Baltimore City, MD 51.8            4.1 54 2
    53 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 50.7            4.1 66 13
    54 Syracuse, NY 48.6            4.6 44 (10)
    55 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 47.9            1.6 77 22
    56 Corpus Christi, TX 47.7            2.0 83 27
    57 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 47.2            2.5 68 11
    58 Lexington-Fayette, KY 46.9            5.7 24 (34)
    59 Tulsa, OK 46.8            7.8 51 (8)
    60 Anchorage, AK 46.5            4.4 16 (44)
    61 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 46.3            2.1 28 (33)
    62 Roanoke, VA 45.8            1.8 81 19
    63 Mobile, AL 45.7            2.0 41 (22)
    64 Savannah, GA 45.1            1.4 65 1
    65 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 44.1            2.4 63 (2)
    66 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 43.6            7.4 46 (20)
    67 Columbia, SC 43.4            5.2 20 (47)
    68 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 42.7            1.9 82 14
    69 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 42.5            3.3 65 (4)
    70 Lancaster, PA 42.5            3.1 60 (10)
    71 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 42.4            3.6 61 (10)
    72 Lincoln, NE 40.2            2.1 34 (38)
    73 Tacoma, WA Mtr Div 39.9            2.7 74 1
    74 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA 39.1            4.4 80 6
    75 Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Mtr Div 39.0            4.7 42 (33)
    76 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 38.8            4.9 70 (6)
    77 Winston-Salem, NC 37.9            1.8 30 (47)
    78 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 37.2            1.4 91 13
    79 Evansville, IN-KY 36.8            2.0 55 (24)
    80 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 34.9            2.6 76 (4)
    81 Reno-Sparks, NV 33.6            2.0 58 (23)
    82 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 30.7            7.3 78 (4)
    83 Stockton, CA 30.0            1.8 71 (12)
    84 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 28.7            2.3 62 (22)
    85 Lafayette, LA 27.7            2.4 49 (36)
    86 Dayton, OH 26.2            8.7 69 (17)
    87 Chattanooga, TN-GA 24.0            2.7 53 (34)
    88 New Haven, CT NECTA 23.9            4.3 88 0
    89 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 14.6            2.1 72 (17)
    90 Wichita, KS 12.0            4.4 86 (4)
    91 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA 7.0            3.0 90 (1)

  • Small Cities Information Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for information jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings (link to that page here or “above” if on the same page).  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the information rankings use employment in the information sector (supersector 50) in the BLS MSA employment data.  The information rankings include the 317 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis. 

    2013 MSA Info Overall Ranking Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Information Employment 2012 MSA Info Ranking –Small MSAs 2013 Ranking Change from 2012 – Small MSAs
    1 Cheyenne, WY 96.4            1.2 13 12
    2 Flint, MI 95.1            3.8 2 0
    3 College Station-Bryan, TX 89.3            1.3 9 6
    4 Tyler, TX 86.2            2.4 12 8
    5 Fort Smith, AR-OK 85.2            1.4 117 112
    6 Yuma, AZ 83.7            0.6 77 71
    7 Rochester, MN 83.5            1.7 30 23
    8 Columbus, IN 81.9            0.5 1 (7)
    9 Logan, UT-ID 81.9            0.8 72 63
    10 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 80.2            1.0 3 (7)
    11 Clarksville, TN-KY 78.0            1.0 74 63
    12 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA 77.8            1.2 87 75
    13 Kingston, NY 77.7            1.0 115 102
    14 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 77.6            1.9 15 1
    15 St. George, UT 76.0            0.8 44 29
    16 Laredo, TX 74.6            0.6 27 11
    17 Las Cruces, NM 73.3            0.9 42 25
    18 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 71.9            1.2 33 15
    19 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 71.7            0.7 4 (15)
    20 Chico, CA 71.4            1.1 not rated not rated
    21 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division 69.9            2.0 38 17
    22 Casper, WY 69.9            0.5 18 (4)
    23 Cleveland, TN 69.9            0.3 19 (4)
    24 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA 69.9            0.5 36 12
    25 Kokomo, IN 69.9            0.4 21 (4)
    26 Lewiston, ID-WA 69.9            0.4 22 (4)
    27 El Centro, CA 69.9            0.4 20 (7)
    28 Flagstaff, AZ 69.9            0.4 43 15
    29 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 67.9            0.7 69 40
    30 Lafayette, IN 67.9            1.0 5 (25)
    31 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 67.5            1.6 29 (2)
    32 Manchester, NH NECTA 67.4            3.2 11 (21)
    33 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 67.2            1.6 6 (27)
    34 Topeka, KS 66.7            1.8 121 87
    35 Prescott, AZ 66.2            0.6 24 (11)
    36 St. Cloud, MN 65.7            1.7 150 114
    37 Glens Falls, NY 65.3            1.0 10 (27)
    38 Abilene, TX 65.2            1.1 45 7
    39 Bloomington, IN 64.8            1.3 91 52
    40 La Crosse, WI-MN 64.6            1.1 80 40
    41 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 64.4            2.5 58 17
    42 Naples-Marco Island, FL 63.5            1.5 95 53
    43 Greenville, NC 63.5            0.9 85 42
    44 Decatur, IL 63.2            0.7 70 26
    45 Terre Haute, IN 63.2            0.7 55 10
    46 Odessa, TX 62.4            0.6 52 6
    47 Medford, OR 61.4            1.6 7 (40)
    48 Longview, TX 61.1            1.4 154 106
    49 Ithaca, NY 60.6            0.5 129 80
    50 Eugene-Springfield, OR 60.4            3.3 59 9
    51 Binghamton, NY 60.3            1.8 116 65
    52 Janesville, WI 60.2            1.1 35 (17)
    53 Rapid City, SD 59.7            0.9 93 40
    54 Cedar Rapids, IA 58.9            4.9 47 (7)
    55 Racine, WI 58.2            0.4 75 20
    56 Bangor, ME NECTA 58.0            1.1 138 82
    57 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Division 58.0            0.8 82 25
    58 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division 57.8            1.0 32 (26)
    59 Madera-Chowchilla, CA 57.5            0.4 108 49
    60 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 57.5            2.3 57 (3)
    61 Dothan, AL 57.4            0.7 104 43
    62 Yuba City, CA 56.2            0.4 111 49
    63 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 56.1            0.6 89 26
    64 Bloomington-Normal, IL 55.7            0.8 110 46
    65 Pueblo, CO 54.8            0.7 73 8
    66 Decatur, AL 54.2            0.3 61 (5)
    67 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 54.2            0.7 51 (16)
    68 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division 54.2            0.7 67 (1)
    69 Johnstown, PA 52.8            0.8 not rated not rated
    70 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 52.6            0.5 155 85
    71 Redding, CA 51.6            0.6 131 60
    72 Fairbanks, AK 50.9            0.5 34 (38)
    73 Tuscaloosa, AL 49.6            0.8 8 (65)
    74 Erie, PA 48.9            1.5 134 60
    75 Salem, OR 47.6            1.1 102 27
    76 Napa, CA 47.4            0.6 60 (16)
    77 Burlington, NC 47.1            0.5 17 (60)
    78 Fargo, ND-MN 47.0            3.2 31 (47)
    79 Wilmington, NC 46.5            2.8 41 (38)
    80 Bay City, MI 46.4            0.4 97 17
    81 Appleton, WI 45.5            1.6 50 (31)
    82 Altoona, PA 44.9            0.8 not rated not rated
    83 Bend, OR 44.7            1.3 94 11
    84 Amarillo, TX 44.3            1.4 76 (8)
    85 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 44.3            1.6 146 61
    86 Sioux Falls, SD 44.0            2.6 37 (49)
    87 Fond du Lac, WI 44.0            0.8 53 (34)
    88 Muncie, IN 43.9            0.3 140 52
    89 Eau Claire, WI 43.8            0.9 128 39
    90 Ocala, FL 43.8            1.5 66 (24)
    91 Sherman-Denison, TX 43.7            0.5 54 (37)
    92 Fayetteville, NC 43.4            1.4 64 (28)
    93 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA 42.5            1.4 143 50
    94 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 42.3            0.2 118 24
    95 Columbus, GA-AL 42.3            1.4 149 54
    96 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 42.0            2.3 81 (15)
    97 Bismarck, ND 41.1            0.9 48 (49)
    98 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 41.0            1.1 137 39
    99 New Bedford, MA NECTA 40.7            0.6 40 (59)
    100 Elmira, NY 40.1            0.4 136 36
    101 Waterbury, CT NECTA 39.9            0.6 145 44
    102 Grand Junction, CO 39.8            0.8 26 (76)
    103 Grand Forks, ND-MN 39.0            0.6 99 (4)
    104 Wichita Falls, TX 38.9            1.1 112 8
    105 Salinas, CA 36.9            1.5 98 (7)
    106 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 36.7            1.1 79 (27)
    107 Punta Gorda, FL 36.1            0.4 28 (79)
    108 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 36.0            0.5 114 6
    109 Rockford, IL 36.0            1.6 84 (25)
    110 Lawton, OK 35.4            0.5 88 (22)
    111 Anderson, IN 35.4            0.5 147 36
    112 San Angelo, TX 35.1            1.0 124 12
    113 Charleston, WV 35.1            1.9 71 (42)
    114 Auburn-Opelika, AL 34.9            0.5 62 (52)
    115 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 34.9            0.8 39 (76)
    116 Port St. Lucie, FL 33.2            1.3 14 (102)
    117 Champaign-Urbana, IL 33.2            2.2 16 (101)
    118 Waco, TX 32.6            1.3 109 (9)
    119 Gainesville, FL 31.5            1.4 122 3
    120 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 31.2            0.8 141 21
    121 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 30.6            0.8 100 (21)
    122 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 30.1            1.2 46 (76)
    123 Morristown, TN 29.8            0.4 153 30
    124 Palm Coast, FL 29.7            0.9 105 (19)
    125 Victoria, TX 28.6            0.4 49 (76)
    126 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 28.5            0.7 139 13
    127 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 28.5            0.7 65 (62)
    128 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 26.8            2.1 135 7
    129 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Division 26.3            4.0 90 (39)
    130 Utica-Rome, NY 26.0            1.7 83 (47)
    131 Owensboro, KY 26.0            0.4 23 (108)
    132 Midland, TX 25.7            1.0 101 (31)
    133 Duluth, MN-WI 23.6            1.3 157 24
    134 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 22.6            1.0 113 (21)
    135 Lubbock, TX 22.3            3.7 107 (28)
    136 Idaho Falls, ID 22.2            0.9 106 (30)
    137 Pocatello, ID 22.1            0.4 158 21
    138 Sheboygan, WI 21.9            0.2 25 (113)
    139 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 20.3            0.4 86 (53)
    140 Springfield, IL 19.5            1.4 130 (10)
    141 Jackson, TN 19.0            0.5 144 3
    142 Coeur d’Alene, ID 18.5            0.6 123 (19)
    143 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 18.3            0.5 152 9
    144 Danville, IL 17.8            0.2 63 (81)
    145 Wausau, WI 17.8            0.4 142 (3)
    146 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 17.7            1.1 120 (26)
    147 Greeley, CO 17.5            0.7 156 9
    148 Jackson, MI 16.3            0.3 56 (92)
    149 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 16.3            0.9 126 (23)
    150 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 15.2            1.4 119 (31)
    151 Visalia-Porterville, CA 14.8            0.8 125 (26)
    152 Santa Fe, NM 14.1            0.8 151 (1)
    153 Gadsden, AL 13.7            0.3 103 (50)
    154 Johnson City, TN 12.1            1.4 78 (76)
    155 Corvallis, OR 10.5            0.7 148 (7)
    156 Merced, CA 9.6            0.4 68 (88)
    157 Modesto, CA 8.1            1.0 132 (25)
    158 Anniston-Oxford, AL 4.6            0.6 133 (25)
    159 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 4.6            0.4 92 (67)
    160 Dover, DE 1.3            0.4 127 (33)

  • Overall Information Jobs – 2013 Best Cities Rankings

    The methodology for the 2013 rankings for best cities for information jobs parallels that used for our 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth rankings (link to that page here or “above” if on the same page).  Instead of using Total Nonfarm Employment, the information rankings use employment in the information sector (supersector 50) in the BLS MSA employment data.  The information rankings include the 317 MSAs for which there are sectoral employment data for all 12 years used in our analysis. 

    2013 MSA Info Overall Ranking Area Weighted INDEX 2012 Info Emplymt 2012 MSA Info Overall Ranking 2013  Change from 2012 –
    All MSAs
    1 Cheyenne, WY 96.4            1.2 34 33
    2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 96.2          51.6 3 1
    3 Flint, MI 95.1            3.8 2 (1)
    4 College Station-Bryan, TX 89.3            1.3 26 22
    5 San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Mtr Div 88.5          47.1 7 2
    6 Trenton-Ewing, NJ 88.3            6.7 212 206
    7 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 87.2            8.2 8 1
    8 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 86.6            4.2 19 11
    9 Tyler, TX 86.2            2.4 32 23
    10 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 85.9            3.0 10 0
    11 Provo-Orem, UT 85.4            9.0 13 2
    12 Fort Smith, AR-OK 85.2            1.4 253 241
    13 Yuma, AZ 83.7            0.6 169 156
    14 Rochester, MN 83.5            1.7 65 51
    15 Columbus, IN 81.9            0.5 1 (14)
    16 Logan, UT-ID 81.9            0.8 159 143
    17 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 81.8          59.9 36 19
    18 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 81.7          22.2 38 20
    19 Madison, WI 81.1          11.9 4 (15)
    20 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 80.2            1.0 9 (11)
    21 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 80.2          85.0 62 41
    22 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 79.4          20.3 137 115
    23 Raleigh-Cary, NC 78.4          17.9 14 (9)
    24 Clarksville, TN-KY 78.0            1.0 161 137
    25 Ogden-Clearfield, UT 77.9            2.2 27 2
    26 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA 77.8            1.2 198 172
    27 Kingston, NY 77.7            1.0 248 221
    28 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 77.6            1.9 42 14
    29 Baton Rouge, LA 77.6            5.3 278 249
    30 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 77.1          29.8 55 25
    31 Albuquerque, NM 76.2            8.7 69 38
    32 St. George, UT 76.0            0.8 90 58
    33 Huntsville, AL 75.4            2.6 6 (27)
    34 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 75.0          20.2 89 55
    35 Jackson, MS 74.9            4.5 83 48
    36 Laredo, TX 74.6            0.6 57 21
    37 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC 74.5          22.2 33 (4)
    38 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 74.4            3.6 168 130
    39 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Mtr Div 74.2          18.1 127 88
    40 New York City, NY 73.9        174.2 21 (19)
    41 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 73.5          15.4 170 129
    42 Las Cruces, NM 73.3            0.9 87 45
    43 Asheville, NC 72.3            2.0 53 10
    44 Fort Wayne, IN 72.0            3.4 130 86
    45 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 71.9            1.2 73 28
    46 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 71.9            2.6 163 117
    47 Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, MD 71.8            5.7 5 (42)
    48 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 71.7            0.7 11 (37)
    49 Chico, CA 71.4            1.1 not rated not rated
    50 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Mtr Div 71.3          85.8 30 (20)
    51 Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Mtr Div 71.2          19.4 71 20
    52 Spokane, WA 70.4            2.9 172 120
    53 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division 69.9            2.0 79 26
    54 Casper, WY 69.9            0.5 45 (9)
    55 Cleveland, TN 69.9            0.3 46 (9)
    56 El Centro, CA 69.9            0.4 47 (9)
    57 Flagstaff, AZ 69.9            0.4 88 31
    58 Kokomo, IN 69.9            0.4 48 (10)
    59 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA 69.9            0.5 77 18
    60 Lewiston, ID-WA 69.9            0.4 49 (11)
    61 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC 69.8            6.7 22 (39)
    62 Salt Lake City, UT 69.7          16.8 118 56
    63 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA 69.5          11.0 61 (2)
    64 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 67.9            0.7 153 89
    65 Lafayette, IN 67.9            1.0 12 (53)
    66 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 67.6            2.7 58 (8)
    67 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 67.5            1.6 60 (7)
    68 Manchester, NH NECTA 67.4            3.2 29 (39)
    69 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 67.4          11.4 142 73
    70 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 67.4            9.5 125 55
    71 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 67.2            1.6 15 (56)
    72 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Mtr Div 66.9          74.9 114 42
    73 Topeka, KS 66.7            1.8 259 186
    74 Fresno, CA 66.6            3.5 237 163
    75 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 66.5          39.0 97 22
    76 Prescott, AZ 66.2            0.6 51 (25)
    77 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 66.1            9.5 84 7
    78 Philadelphia City, PA 66.0          11.9 116 38
    79 St. Cloud, MN 65.7            1.7 303 224
    80 York-Hanover, PA 65.4            1.9 193 113
    81 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 65.3          31.9 139 58
    82 Glens Falls, NY 65.3            1.0 28 (54)
    83 Abilene, TX 65.2            1.1 91 8
    84 Reading, PA 65.1            1.4 122 38
    85 St. Louis, MO-IL 65.1          30.2 148 63
    86 Pittsburgh, PA 64.9          18.5 192 106
    87 Bloomington, IN 64.8            1.3 203 116
    88 La Crosse, WI-MN 64.6            1.1 176 88
    89 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 64.5          22.6 102 13
    90 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 64.4            2.5 124 34
    91 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Mtr Div 64.1        190.5 54 (37)
    92 Worcester, MA-CT NECTA 63.9            3.5 254 162
    93 El Paso, TX 63.6            5.0 86 (7)
    94 Naples-Marco Island, FL 63.5            1.5 214 120
    95 Greenville, NC 63.5            0.9 195 100
    96 Toledo, OH 63.5            3.4 67 (29)
    97 Tallahassee, FL 63.5            3.2 17 (80)
    98 Columbus, OH 63.4          16.5 64 (34)
    99 Knoxville, TN 63.3            5.4 35 (64)
    100 Decatur, IL 63.2            0.7 156 56
    101 Terre Haute, IN 63.2            0.7 112 11
    102 Springfield, MA-CT NECTA 63.2            3.7 24 (78)
    103 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC 62.9            4.9 141 38
    104 Boulder, CO 62.8            8.7 37 (67)
    105 Odessa, TX 62.4            0.6 108 3
    106 Peoria, IL 62.4            2.5 188 82
    107 Montgomery, AL 62.3            2.2 146 39
    108 Ann Arbor, MI 61.8            4.0 31 (77)
    109 Springfield, MO 61.6            4.1 20 (89)
    110 Medford, OR 61.4            1.6 18 (92)
    111 Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Mtr Div 61.2          64.1 70 (41)
    112 Longview, TX 61.1            1.4 309 197
    113 Colorado Springs, CO 60.9            7.1 66 (47)
    114 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Mtr Div 60.7          17.7 103 (11)
    115 Framingham, MA  NECTA Division 60.7            5.4 132 17
    116 Ithaca, NY 60.6            0.5 273 157
    117 Eugene-Springfield, OR 60.4            3.3 126 9
    118 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 60.3            7.5 154 36
    119 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 60.3          42.5 119 0
    120 Binghamton, NY 60.3            1.8 250 130
    121 Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Mtr Div 60.3          24.6 166 45
    122 Janesville, WI 60.2            1.1 75 (47)
    123 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 60.1          13.7 115 (8)
    124 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 59.8          24.9 241 117
    125 Rapid City, SD 59.7            0.9 208 83
    126 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 59.4            3.0 177 51
    127 Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Mtr Div 59.3            4.1 147 20
    128 Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Mtr Div 59.1          24.3 174 46
    129 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 59.0            4.9 135 6
    130 Cedar Rapids, IA 58.9            4.9 93 (37)
    131 Newark-Union, NJ-PA Mtr Div 58.6          19.7 269 138
    132 Nassau-Suffolk, NY Mtr Div 58.5          24.0 185 53
    133 Racine, WI 58.2            0.4 165 32
    134 Bangor, ME NECTA 58.0            1.1 287 153
    135 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Division 58.0            0.8 186 51
    136 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division 57.8            1.0 72 (64)
    137 Madera-Chowchilla, CA 57.5            0.4 236 99
    138 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Mtr Div 57.5            9.0 95 (43)
    139 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 57.5            2.3 121 (18)
    140 Dothan, AL 57.4            0.7 229 89
    141 Gary, IN Mtr Div 57.2            2.0 180 39
    142 Boise City-Nampa, ID 57.1            4.3 96 (46)
    143 Rochester, NY 57.1            8.9 204 61
    144 Greensboro-High Point, NC 56.7            5.3 113 (31)
    145 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 56.7            1.9 23 (122)
    146 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 56.5          23.3 80 (66)
    147 Canton-Massillon, OH 56.4            1.8 101 (46)
    148 Yuba City, CA 56.2            0.4 243 95
    149 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 56.1            0.6 200 51
    150 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Mtr Div 56.0          14.4 145 (5)
    151 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 55.8            6.0 201 50
    152 Bloomington-Normal, IL 55.7            0.8 242 90
    153 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA 55.7          10.9 40 (113)
    154 Honolulu, HI 55.4            7.2 293 139
    155 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 55.2            5.7 222 67
    156 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 54.9          15.2 182 26
    157 Pueblo, CO 54.8            0.7 160 3
    158 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 54.6          25.4 109 (49)
    159 Kansas City, KS 54.5          15.4 304 145
    160 Northern Virginia, VA 54.4          39.6 150 (10)
    161 Decatur, AL 54.2            0.3 133 (28)
    162 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 54.2            0.7 104 (58)
    163 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division 54.2            0.7 149 (14)
    164 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 53.4            2.0 107 (57)
    165 Akron, OH 53.3            3.7 157 (8)
    166 Johnstown, PA 52.8            0.8 not rated not rated
    167 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 52.7            8.4 189 22
    168 Tucson, AZ 52.7            4.2 289 121
    169 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 52.6            0.5 310 141
    170 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Mtr Div 52.2          62.3 105 (65)
    171 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 52.1          14.7 129 (42)
    172 Green Bay, WI 51.9            1.9 246 74
    173 Baltimore City, MD 51.8            4.1 184 11
    174 Redding, CA 51.6            0.6 279 105
    175 Jacksonville, FL 51.4            9.0 123 (52)
    176 Fairbanks, AK 50.9            0.5 74 (102)
    177 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 50.7            4.1 220 43
    178 Putnam-Rockland-Westchester, NY 50.4          13.1 183 5
    179 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Mtr Div 50.2          13.4 143 (36)
    180 Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, NJ 49.7          18.3 226 46
    181 Tuscaloosa, AL 49.6            0.8 25 (156)
    182 Erie, PA 48.9            1.5 283 101
    183 Syracuse, NY 48.6            4.6 162 (21)
    184 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA 48.1          10.6 16 (168)
    185 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 47.9            1.6 251 66
    186 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 47.8          11.4 276 90
    187 Corpus Christi, TX 47.7            2.0 275 88
    188 Salem, OR 47.6            1.1 227 39
    189 Napa, CA 47.4            0.6 131 (58)
    190 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 47.2            2.5 223 33
    191 Burlington, NC 47.1            0.5 44 (147)
    192 Fargo, ND-MN 47.0            3.2 68 (124)
    193 Lexington-Fayette, KY 46.9            5.7 76 (117)
    194 Tulsa, OK 46.8            7.8 179 (15)
    195 Anchorage, AK 46.5            4.4 41 (154)
    196 Wilmington, NC 46.5            2.8 85 (111)
    197 Bay City, MI 46.4            0.4 216 19
    198 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 46.3            2.1 98 (100)
    199 Roanoke, VA 45.8            1.8 267 68
    200 Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Mtr Div 45.8          21.6 210 10
    201 Mobile, AL 45.7            2.0 152 (49)
    202 Appleton, WI 45.5            1.6 100 (102)
    203 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 45.4            8.7 264 61
    204 Savannah, GA 45.1            1.4 215 11
    205 Altoona, PA 44.9            0.8 not rated not rated
    206 Bend, OR 44.7            1.3 209 3
    207 Amarillo, TX 44.3            1.4 167 (40)
    208 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 44.3            1.6 298 90
    209 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 44.1            2.4 211 2
    210 Sioux Falls, SD 44.0            2.6 78 (132)
    211 Fond du Lac, WI 44.0            0.8 110 (101)
    212 Muncie, IN 43.9            0.3 291 79
    213 Eau Claire, WI 43.8            0.9 272 59
    214 Ocala, FL 43.8            1.5 144 (70)
    215 Sherman-Denison, TX 43.7            0.5 111 (104)
    216 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 43.6            7.4 164 (52)
    217 Fayetteville, NC 43.4            1.4 138 (79)
    218 Columbia, SC 43.4            5.2 63 (155)
    219 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 42.7            1.9 274 55
    220 Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Mtr Div 42.7            7.1 280 60
    221 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 42.5            3.3 219 (2)
    222 Lancaster, PA 42.5            3.1 197 (25)
    223 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA 42.5            1.4 295 72
    224 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 42.4            3.6 206 (18)
    225 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 42.3            0.2 255 30
    226 Columbus, GA-AL 42.3            1.4 301 75
    227 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 42.0            2.3 178 (49)
    228 Bismarck, ND 41.1            0.9 94 (134)
    229 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 41.0            1.1 286 57
    230 New Bedford, MA NECTA 40.7            0.6 82 (148)
    231 Kansas City, MO 40.2          14.2 256 25
    232 Lincoln, NE 40.2            2.1 128 (104)
    233 Elmira, NY 40.1            0.4 285 52
    234 Tacoma, WA Mtr Div 39.9            2.7 239 5
    235 Waterbury, CT NECTA 39.9            0.6 297 62
    236 Grand Junction, CO 39.8            0.8 56 (180)
    237 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA 39.1            4.4 262 25
    238 Grand Forks, ND-MN 39.0            0.6 218 (20)
    239 Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Mtr Div 39.0            4.7 155 (84)
    240 Wichita Falls, TX 38.9            1.1 244 4
    241 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 38.8            4.9 233 (8)
    242 Winston-Salem, NC 37.9            1.8 106 (136)
    243 Oklahoma City, OK 37.7            8.7 266 23
    244 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 37.2            1.4 314 70
    245 Salinas, CA 36.9            1.5 217 (28)
    246 Evansville, IN-KY 36.8            2.0 187 (59)
    247 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 36.7            1.1 173 (74)
    248 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA 36.3          14.9 240 (8)
    249 Punta Gorda, FL 36.1            0.4 59 (190)
    250 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 36.0            0.5 247 (3)
    251 Rockford, IL 36.0            1.6 194 (57)
    252 Lawton, OK 35.4            0.5 199 (53)
    253 Anderson, IN 35.4            0.5 299 46
    254 San Angelo, TX 35.1            1.0 263 9
    255 Charleston, WV 35.1            1.9 158 (97)
    256 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 34.9            2.6 249 (7)
    257 Auburn-Opelika, AL 34.9            0.5 134 (123)
    258 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 34.9            0.8 81 (177)
    259 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 34.0          11.5 120 (139)
    260 Reno-Sparks, NV 33.6            2.0 191 (69)
    261 Port St. Lucie, FL 33.2            1.3 39 (222)
    262 Champaign-Urbana, IL 33.2            2.2 43 (219)
    263 Waco, TX 32.6            1.3 238 (25)
    264 Gainesville, FL 31.5            1.4 260 (4)
    265 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 31.2            0.8 292 27
    266 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 30.7            7.3 252 (14)
    267 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 30.6            0.8 221 (46)
    268 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 30.1            1.2 92 (176)
    269 Stockton, CA 30.0            1.8 234 (35)
    270 Morristown, TN 29.8            0.4 307 37
    271 Palm Coast, FL 29.7            0.9 230 (41)
    272 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 28.7            2.3 207 (65)
    273 Victoria, TX 28.6            0.4 99 (174)
    274 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 28.5            0.7 288 14
    275 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 28.5            0.7 140 (135)
    276 Lafayette, LA 27.7            2.4 175 (101)
    277 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 26.8            2.1 284 7
    278 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Division 26.3            4.0 202 (76)
    279 Dayton, OH 26.2            8.7 225 (54)
    280 Utica-Rome, NY 26.0            1.7 190 (90)
    281 Owensboro, KY 26.0            0.4 50 (231)
    282 Midland, TX 25.7            1.0 224 (58)
    283 Richmond, VA 25.3            7.8 213 (70)
    284 Chattanooga, TN-GA 24.0            2.7 181 (103)
    285 New Haven, CT NECTA 23.9            4.3 302 17
    286 Duluth, MN-WI 23.6            1.3 312 26
    287 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 22.6            1.0 245 (42)
    288 Lubbock, TX 22.3            3.7 232 (56)
    289 Idaho Falls, ID 22.2            0.9 231 (58)
    290 Pocatello, ID 22.1            0.4 313 23
    291 Sheboygan, WI 21.9            0.2 52 (239)
    292 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 20.3            0.4 196 (96)
    293 Springfield, IL 19.5            1.4 277 (16)
    294 Jackson, TN 19.0            0.5 296 2
    295 Coeur d’Alene, ID 18.5            0.6 261 (34)
    296 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 18.3            0.5 306 10
    297 Danville, IL 17.8            0.2 136 (161)
    298 Wausau, WI 17.8            0.4 294 (4)
    299 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 17.7            1.1 258 (41)
    300 Greeley, CO 17.5            0.7 311 11
    301 Jackson, MI 16.3            0.3 117 (184)
    302 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 16.3            0.9 270 (32)
    303 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 15.2            1.4 257 (46)
    304 Visalia-Porterville, CA 14.8            0.8 265 (39)
    305 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 14.6            2.1 235 (70)
    306 Santa Fe, NM 14.1            0.8 305 (1)
    307 Gadsden, AL 13.7            0.3 228 (79)
    308 Johnson City, TN 12.1            1.4 171 (137)
    309 Wichita, KS 12.0            4.4 290 (19)
    310 Camden, NJ Mtr Div 11.5            6.3 268 (42)
    311 Corvallis, OR 10.5            0.7 300 (11)
    312 Merced, CA 9.6            0.4 151 (161)
    313 Modesto, CA 8.1            1.0 281 (32)
    314 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA 7.0            3.0 308 (6)
    315 Anniston-Oxford, AL 4.6            0.6 282 (33)
    316 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 4.6            0.4 205 (111)
    317 Dover, DE 1.3            0.4 271 (46)