New Geography

Tag: Best Cities 2013

  • Small Cities Rankings – 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth

    Read about how we selected the 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth
    View the interactive map

    This year’s rankings use four measures of growth to rank all 398 metro areas for which full data sets were available from the past 10 years. "Large" areas include those with a current nonfarm employment base of at least 450,000 jobs. "Midsize" areas range from 150,000 to 450,000 jobs. "Small" areas have as many as 150,000 jobs. This year’s rankings reflect the current size of each MSA’s employment. Only two MSAs changed size categories, with Honolulu, HI moving from “Midsized” to “Large” and Savannah, GA moving from “Small” to “Midsized.” In the instances where the analysis refers to changes in ranking order within the size categories, these two MSA’s changes are reported as if they had been included in their current category in the prior year.

    2013  Rank Among Small Cities Area 2013 Weighted INDEX  2012 Nonfarm Emplmt (1000s)  Size Mvmt 2012 Size Ranking
    1 Midland, TX 100.0 83.6 1 2
    2 Odessa, TX 100.0 74.2 -1 1
    3 Columbus, IN 98.5 49.8 0 3
    4 Cleveland, TN 93.9 43.8 216 220
    5 San Angelo, TX 88.3 47.0 -1 4
    6 Owensboro, KY 87.1 53.4 15 21
    7 Jonesboro, AR 85.5 52.0 78 85
    8 Williamsport, PA 84.6 57.1 -1 7
    9 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 81.8 104.1 179 188
    10 Auburn-Opelika, AL 81.7 56.4 53 63
    11 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 81.1 95.9 14 25
    12 Napa, CA 81.0 64.3 69 81
    13 Winchester, VA-WV 80.1 58.6 36 49
    14 Cheyenne, WY 78.5 45.6 10 24
    15 Lafayette, IN 78.5 98.1 18 33
    16 Greenville, NC 78.2 81.9 71 87
    17 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 78.0 72.7 -12 5
    18 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 77.8 55.8 -4 14
    19 Billings, MT 77.5 81.9 144 163
    20 Laredo, TX 77.5 95.8 -10 10
    21 Victoria, TX 77.4 52.6 8 29
    22 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH  NECTA Division 76.5 80.3 31 53
    23 Muncie, IN 76.5 52.6 150 173
    24 Greeley, CO 76.3 84.5 26 50
    25 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 75.9 113.1 -10 15
    26 Fargo, ND-MN 75.6 131.4 -7 19
    27 Sioux Falls, SD 74.6 140.9 27 54
    28 New Bedford, MA NECTA 74.3 67.5 122 150
    29 Longview, TX 72.9 101.7 -3 26
    30 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 72.7 140.3 8 38
    31 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 72.1 103.7 67 98
    32 Casper, WY 72.0 41.1 -26 6
    33 Bismarck, ND 71.9 67.6 -17 16
    34 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 71.7 96.2 -17 17
    35 Lubbock, TX 71.3 130.8 -26 9
    36 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 71.2 117.8 31 67
    37 Grand Forks, ND-MN 71.1 56.8 77 114
    38 Clarksville, TN-KY 71.0 87.6 31 69
    39 Manhattan, KS 70.9 57.7 116 155
    40 Merced, CA 70.7 58.6 59 99
    41 Columbia, MO 70.4 97.4 -30 11
    42 Jackson, TN 70.1 61.8 155 197
    43 Dubuque, IA 69.4 59.1 14 57
    44 Lake Charles, LA 68.9 92.2 143 187
    45 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 68.3 132.8 0 45
    46 Waco, TX 68.2 108.0 88 134
    47 Spartanburg, SC 68.0 124.8 124 171
    48 El Centro, CA 67.8 46.7 63 111
    49 Rochester, MN 67.7 105.9 116 165
    50 St. Joseph, MO-KS 67.1 62.6 -18 32
    51 Harrisonburg, VA 66.7 64.9 14 65
    52 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 66.3 92.5 -11 41
    53 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA 65.9 39.1 11 64
    54 Morgantown, WV 65.5 67.7 -15 39
    55 St. Cloud, MN 65.3 102.1 21 76
    56 Abilene, TX 65.0 67.2 96 152
    57 Bowling Green, KY 64.7 62.4 35 92
    58 Kokomo, IN 64.2 42.4 75 133
    59 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division 63.9 102.5 2 61
    60 Visalia-Porterville, CA 63.5 110.5 134 194
    61 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division 63.3 89.7 96 157
    62 Jacksonville, NC 62.9 48.8 0 62
    63 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 62.7 78.6 -23 40
    64 Iowa City, IA 62.7 94.2 9 73
    65 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 61.9 113.6 37 102
    66 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 61.9 61.6 64 130
    67 Palm Coast, FL 61.5 20.2 -21 46
    68 Bay City, MI 61.4 37.1 9 77
    69 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 61.3 130.3 -39 30
    70 Ithaca, NY 61.2 68.1 105 175
    71 Lebanon, PA 60.9 51.5 23 94
    72 Eau Claire, WI 60.9 83.0 89 161
    73 Danville, VA 60.8 40.9 -1 72
    74 Anderson, IN 60.6 40.7 86 160
    75 Mankato-North Mankato, MN 60.6 53.9 -24 51
    76 Battle Creek, MI 60.2 56.3 77 153
    77 La Crosse, WI-MN 59.6 75.5 35 112
    78 Missoula, MT 59.1 56.2 113 191
    79 Macon, GA 59.0 99.0 59 138
    80 Tuscaloosa, AL 58.6 96.8 87 167
    81 Flagstaff, AZ 58.1 62.3 126 207
    82 Sherman-Denison, TX 57.7 43.3 -47 35
    83 St. George, UT 57.4 49.2 61 144
    84 Wilmington, NC 56.9 138.1 94 178
    85 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 56.7 90.9 42 127
    86 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC 56.6 111.1 21 107
    87 Corvallis, OR 56.5 39.2 33 120
    88 Logan, UT-ID 56.2 55.2 -30 58
    89 Ocean City, NJ 55.9 35.2 -69 20
    90 Fairbanks, AK 55.7 38.3 5 95
    91 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 55.6 74.8 37 128
    92 Amarillo, TX 55.5 113.1 -48 44
    93 Gainesville, GA 55.4 74.9 -80 13
    94 Lawrence, KS 55.3 51.7 87 181
    95 Gainesville, FL 55.1 131.5 98 193
    96 Naples-Marco Island, FL 54.3 120.2 17 113
    97 Elizabethtown, KY 53.9 48.8 13 110
    98 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Division 53.6 118.8 -32 66
    99 Ames, IA 53.5 48.5 -44 55
    100 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 53.1 121.1 21 121
    101 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 52.8 93.1 -49 52
    102 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 52.8 44.1 -16 86
    103 Tyler, TX 52.6 94.7 -80 23
    104 Cedar Rapids, IA 51.8 140.8 39 143
    105 Idaho Falls, ID 51.4 49.7 34 139
    106 Glens Falls, NY 51.3 53.7 -98 8
    107 Fayetteville, NC 51.1 130.0 -70 37
    108 Topeka, KS 51.1 109.8 43 151
    109 Joplin, MO 51.1 80.6 -39 70
    110 Pueblo, CO 50.8 58.8 -76 34
    111 Danbury, CT NECTA 50.5 68.8 -52 59
    112 Athens-Clarke County, GA 50.5 88.8 30 142
    113 College Station-Bryan, TX 50.4 97.5 -17 96
    114 Hattiesburg, MS 50.2 60.5 54 168
    115 Yakima, WA 50.2 76.7 2 117
    116 State College, PA 50.1 75.4 -98 18
    117 Bloomington-Normal, IL 49.9 91.1 31 148
    118 Manchester, NH NECTA 49.8 99.8 -30 88
    119 Cumberland, MD-WV 49.5 39.8 -107 12
    120 Sumter, SC 49.4 37.3 101 221
    121 Rapid City, SD 49.3 60.4 -74 47
    122 Grand Junction, CO 49.0 60.6 -91 31
    123 Bangor, ME NECTA 48.5 65.7 9 132
    124 Hot Springs, AR 48.4 37.5 32 156
    125 Warner Robins, GA 48.4 59.4 -25 100
    126 Appleton, WI 48.1 117.5 -36 90
    127 Port St. Lucie, FL 48.1 125.1 75 202
    128 Modesto, CA 46.6 148.6 20 208
    129 Monroe, LA 45.9 77.2 -10 119
    130 Duluth, MN-WI 45.6 129.9 82 212
    131 Valdosta, GA 45.6 54.0 54 185
    132 Springfield, IL 45.5 111.4 -52 80
    133 Madera-Chowchilla, CA 45.5 33.2 72 205
    134 Columbus, GA-AL 45.4 119.8 -86 48
    135 Altoona, PA 45.1 60.9 -75 60
    136 Great Falls, MT 44.9 35.2 38 174
    137 Olympia, WA 44.8 99.1 -63 74
    138 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA 44.7 56.2 -67 71
    139 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 44.6 57.1 -97 42
    140 Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL 44.5 44.1 75 215
    141 Lawton, OK 44.2 43.6 17 158
    142 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 44.0 55.6 3 145
    143 Longview, WA 43.8 36.0 79 222
    144 Las Cruces, NM 43.7 69.1 -65 79
    145 Chico, CA 43.1 69.4 68 213
    146 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 42.1 35.3 -119 27
    147 Ocala, FL 42.0 93.4 54 201
    148 Erie, PA 41.6 130.1 -112 36
    149 Johnstown, PA 41.3 60.2 -8 141
    150 Salisbury, MD 41.3 52.8 -26 124
    151 Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA 41.1 19.6 -73 78
    152 Yuma, AZ 41.0 52.2 71 223
    153 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 40.9 120.1 -4 149
    154 Johnson City, TN 40.3 79.3 -98 56
    155 Bellingham, WA 40.2 80.9 -64 91
    156 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 39.3 44.2 3 159
    157 Prescott, AZ 39.3 55.9 62 219
    158 Yuba City, CA 39.2 37.1 -23 135
    159 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division 38.2 126.1 45 204
    160 Lynchburg, VA 38.1 103.2 40 200
    161 Brunswick, GA 38.0 40.6 67 228
    162 Punta Gorda, FL 37.8 42.4 -39 123
    163 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 37.5 98.2 -135 28
    164 Charlottesville, VA 37.4 99.8 -142 22
    165 Bloomington, IN 37.3 82.4 12 177
    166 Rockford, IL 37.3 149.1 20 146
    167 Coeur d’Alene, ID 36.5 52.7 -99 68
    168 Wheeling, WV-OH 36.4 66.3 -31 137
    169 Bend, OR 36.4 61.5 27 196
    170 Charleston, WV 35.6 146.6 -12 104
    171 Salinas, CA 35.5 122.7 -89 82
    172 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 35.4 35.2 18 190
    173 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 34.9 48.1 -90 83
    174 Janesville, WI 33.8 62.4 66 240
    175 Florence, SC 33.7 84.0 -50 125
    176 Terre Haute, IN 33.4 71.6 42 218
    177 Medford, OR 32.9 76.2 21 198
    178 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 32.6 86.1 -2 176
    179 Pocatello, ID 32.2 35.9 -9 170
    180 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 32.0 114.2 -26 154
    181 Rome, GA 32.0 39.0 51 232
    182 Salem, OR 31.9 141.5 -43 183
    183 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 31.0 70.0 -65 118
    184 Pascagoula, MS 30.9 55.1 -37 147
    185 Albany, GA 30.9 61.4 52 237
    186 Eugene-Springfield, OR 30.2 141.9 -11 226
    187 Anderson, SC 30.1 61.5 38 225
    188 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 30.0 45.5 -91 97
    189 Farmington, NM 29.8 48.8 -81 108
    190 Gadsden, AL 29.7 36.4 9 199
    191 Lewiston, ID-WA 29.4 25.8 -51 140
    192 Santa Fe, NM 29.3 60.3 -70 122
    193 Springfield, OH 29.1 49.9 -88 105
    194 Fort Smith, AR-OK 28.3 116.6 36 230
    195 Jefferson City, MO 28.2 75.9 -66 129
    196 Goldsboro, NC 28.2 42.9 -103 93
    197 Alexandria, LA 27.6 62.7 -28 169
    198 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA 27.3 48.2 26 224
    199 Burlington, NC 26.8 58.8 -115 84
    200 Danville, IL 26.7 29.6 -16 184
    201 Dover, DE 26.6 63.1 -100 101
    202 Fond du Lac, WI 25.5 45.5 -38 164
    203 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 25.3 81.4 -23 180
    204 Champaign-Urbana, IL 24.3 106.9 34 238
    205 Anniston-Oxford, AL 23.8 48.0 24 229
    206 Dothan, AL 23.3 57.0 -17 189
    207 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 21.9 57.3 -92 115
    208 Pine Bluff, AR 21.3 36.2 19 227
    209 Racine, WI 21.3 74.1 -6 203
    210 Elmira, NY 20.7 39.9 -28 182
    211 Sheboygan, WI 20.6 57.3 23 234
    212 Morristown, TN 19.8 45.5 29 241
    213 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 19.8 42.8 -3 210
    214 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 19.7 59.4 -105 109
    215 Jackson, MI 19.6 54.0 -79 136
    216 Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH 19.5 69.1 -30 186
    217 Wausau, WI 19.0 66.4 -8 209
    218 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 18.6 44.7 -7 211
    219 Monroe, MI 18.1 38.5 17 236
    220 Redding, CA 17.4 56.5 -58 162
    221 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 16.8 134.5 -90 131
    222 Decatur, AL 16.8 54.4 -106 116
    223 Waterbury, CT NECTA 16.7 63.3 -9 214
    224 Utica-Rome, NY 16.7 127.9 -181 43
    225 Kingston, NY 16.5 60.4 -122 103
    226 Flint, MI 15.7 135.9 -47 179
    227 Wichita Falls, TX 15.3 58.6 -10 217
    228 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 14.8 104.7 -122 106
    229 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 14.7 136.4 2 231
    230 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 12.8 142.9 -1 216
    231 Lima, OH 11.1 51.6 -65 166
    232 Sandusky, OH 9.7 33.8 -157 75
    233 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA 8.0 126.7 -27 206
    234 Binghamton, NY 7.8 107.2 -108 126
    235 Carson City, NV 7.0 27.6 4 239
    236 Mansfield, OH 5.9 52.0 -44 192
    237 Decatur, IL 5.4 51.2 -148 89
    238 Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV 5.2 43.5 -3 235
    239 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 2.9 130.2 -44 195
    240 Rocky Mount, NC 2.1 57.9 -7 233
    241 Dalton, GA 1.6 63.1 1 242