Small Cities Rankings - 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth

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