Small Cities Information Jobs - 2015 Best Cities Rankings

Read about how we selected the 2015 Best Cities for Job Growth

We used five measures of growth to rank MSAs over 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 new Office of Management and Budget definitions of MSAs for all series released after March 2015. As a result, the MSA listed in this year’s rankings do not necessary correspond directly to those listed in prior years. In some instances, MSAs were consolidated with others — for example Pascagoula, MS, was combined with the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, MSA to form the new Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS, MSA. Others were separated from previously consolidated MSAs and in still other instances individual counties were shifted from one MSA to another. The bottom line is that this year’s rankings are based on good time series for the newly defined MSAs but may not be precisely comparable to those listed in prior years. The total number of MSAs included in this year’s rankings has risen from 398 to 421. This year’s rankings reflect the current size of each MSA’s employment.







2014 MSA Info  Ranking - SMALL MSAs Area 2015 Weighted INDEX 2014 Nonfarm Emplymt (1000s) 2014 Info Emplymt Total Information Emplymt Cum Growth 2009-2014 2014 Info Rank Within Size
1 Janesville-Beloit, WI 99.3        66.8     1.8 63.6% 1
2 Rochester, MN 94.3     114.9     2.0 27.1% 7
3 Logan, UT-ID 88.8        58.3     0.9 28.6% 3
4 College Station-Bryan, TX 87.5     106.1     1.4 27.3% 9
5 Laredo, TX 85.6     100.2     0.7 16.7% 5
6 Cheyenne, WY 84.7        47.1     1.2 9.1% 15
7 Fond du Lac, WI 84.6        48.3     1.0 11.1% 8
8 Wilmington, NC 82.6     117.1     2.8 0.0% 33
9 Victoria, TX 78.9        45.5     0.5 0.0% 49
10 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 78.6        95.1     1.7 13.3% 18
11 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 78.3        83.6     2.4 5.9% 10
12 Bloomington, IN 78.3        77.0     1.4 0.0% 38
13 Bend-Redmond, OR 77.9        70.3     1.5 7.1% 20
14 Flint, MI 77.8     142.3     4.1 32.6% 2
15 Sheboygan, WI 77.3        60.9     0.3 0.0% 129
16 Abilene, TX 75.5        69.2     1.2 9.1% 4
17 Rapid City, SD 75.3        65.0     1.0 0.0% 123
18 Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div 75.1        79.2     1.6 33.3%  
19 Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div 74.6        62.8     0.4 0.0% 43
20 Clarksville, TN-KY 73.7        88.2     1.2 20.7% 31
21 Columbus, IN 73.7        51.8     0.5 25.0% 32
22 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 73.4     111.1     1.4 16.7% 6
23 Tyler, TX 71.8     100.2     2.3 11.1% 12
24 Napa, CA 71.6        69.5     0.6 5.6% 100
25 Bay City, MI 71.0        37.4     0.5 0.0% 27
26 Champaign-Urbana, IL 70.3     108.7     2.6 -7.2% 13
27 Pocatello, ID 69.8        35.2     0.4 0.0% 90
28 Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div 67.7        96.2     1.3 30.0% 79
29 Port St. Lucie, FL 67.2     135.3     1.4 0.0% 74
30 Fort Collins, CO 67.0     148.9     2.5 -2.6% 56
31 Jackson, MI 66.7        55.9     0.4 0.0% 160
32 Spartanburg, SC 66.6     140.6     1.1 0.0%  
33 Cleveland, TN 66.1        46.0     0.3 0.0% 26
34 Burlington, NC 65.8        60.9     0.5 0.0% 36
35 Fargo, ND-MN 65.4     140.2     3.3 -5.7% 34
36 Auburn-Opelika, AL 65.1        60.7     0.5 0.0% 23
37 Flagstaff, AZ 65.1        64.3     0.4 0.0% 24
38 Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div 64.8        58.7     1.3 0.0%  
39 Walla Walla, WA 64.5        27.1     0.4 0.0%  
40 Gainesville, FL 64.2     135.2     1.6 0.0% 94
41 Lewiston, ID-WA 64.1        27.4     0.4 0.0% 25
42 Redding, CA 63.4        63.1     0.7 10.5% 65
43 Muskegon, MI 63.3        63.0     0.8 0.0% 30
44 Kokomo, IN 63.0        40.7     0.4 0.0% 47
45 Eugene, OR 62.9     149.7     3.4 -1.9% 28
46 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 62.7     148.3     2.3 0.0%  
47 Grants Pass, OR 62.4        24.5     0.3 0.0%  
48 Bismarck, ND 61.4        74.0     1.0 3.6% 98
49 Santa Fe, NM 61.1        61.8     0.9 -12.9% 58
50 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 60.8        41.6     0.7 0.0%  
51 Prescott, AZ 60.5        60.9     0.6 0.0% 35
52 Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA 60.4        52.7     1.1 0.0%  
53 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 60.2     138.1     1.2 -42.9% 122
54 Chico, CA 60.1        76.9     1.1 6.7% 113
55 Las Cruces, NM 58.7        71.1     0.9 8.0% 22
56 Decatur, AL 58.6        53.8     0.3 0.0% 50
57 Binghamton, NY 58.6     105.7     1.9 -3.4% 16
58 Sioux Falls, SD 58.4     146.5     2.7 -10.0% 46
59 Bangor, ME NECTA 57.3        66.4     1.1 0.0% 119
60 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div 56.9     147.6     6.4 3.2% 143
61 Albany, OR 56.9        41.1     0.4 0.0%  
62 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 56.6        37.6     0.2 0.0% 110
63 Fairbanks, AK 55.8        37.5     0.5 0.0% 104
64 Terre Haute, IN 55.3        70.8     0.7 0.0% 66
65 St. George, UT 54.8        54.6     0.7 0.0% 53
66 Yuba City, CA 53.4        40.5     0.4 -14.3% 62
67 Wichita Falls, TX 53.2        58.5     1.1 -8.3% 76
68 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 53.0     137.6     1.8 0.0% 67
69 San Rafael, CA Met. Div 52.5     113.0     2.6 36.8%  
70 Texarkana, TX-AR 52.4        59.1     0.5 -16.7% 71
71 Madera, CA 51.5        36.5     0.4 -14.3% 42
72 Charlottesville, VA 51.5     112.2     2.1 0.0%  
73 Lawton, OK 51.4        45.4     0.5 -16.7% 64
74 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 51.2        48.4     0.6 0.0% 17
75 Pueblo, CO 51.2        60.6     0.7 -12.5% 44
76 Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 51.0     136.2     1.5 -6.3% 48
77 Altoona, PA 50.4        61.1     0.8 -7.4% 52
78 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 50.0     124.2     2.3 -11.5% 91
79 Jackson, TN 49.9        65.6     0.6 -10.0% 124
80 Greenville, NC 49.0        78.4     0.9 -10.0% 19
81 Corvallis, OR 48.7        40.3     0.7 -22.2% 149
82 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 48.7        77.2     1.1 0.0% 68
83 Visalia-Porterville, CA 48.2     116.6     0.9 -18.2% 141
84 Grand Forks, ND-MN 48.1        58.0     0.6 -10.0% 72
85 Saginaw, MI 47.4        88.7     1.3 0.0% 21
86 Charleston, WV 47.3     123.3     1.7 -15.0% 99
87 Dothan, AL 47.3        57.3     0.7 -12.5% 87
88 Kankakee, IL 47.3        45.2     0.5 -17.6% 73
89 Olympia-Tumwater, WA 46.5     108.9     0.9 -6.9%  
90 Utica-Rome, NY 46.4     127.8     1.8 -19.7% 159
91 Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div 46.3     125.4     1.9 -6.7% 105
92 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 45.6     122.2     2.0 -10.4% 29
93 Cedar Rapids, IA 45.4     140.5     4.7 -4.1% 69
94 Racine, WI 45.3        76.0     0.4 -7.7% 88
95 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 44.5     147.2     0.9 0.0% 14
96 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 43.9     103.4     2.2 -4.3% 82
97 Kennewick-Richland, WA 43.8     104.6     0.8 -11.1%  
98 Johnson City, TN 43.7        78.6     1.5 -22.0% 132
99 Columbus, GA-AL 43.6     123.2     1.6 -11.3% 116
100 Odessa, TX 42.7        81.7     0.5 -16.7% 109
101 Eau Claire, WI 42.3        85.3     0.9 -10.0% 103
102 Longview, TX 42.2     105.4     1.4 -10.9% 61
103 Manchester, NH NECTA 42.0     108.6     3.0 -9.1% 57
104 Amarillo, TX 41.9     117.4     1.4 -12.5% 97
105 Tuscaloosa, AL 41.7     104.4     0.8 -17.2% 115
106 Waterbury, CT NECTA 41.4        68.4     0.7 -8.7% 95
107 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 41.3     141.5     1.3 -13.3%  
108 Elmira, NY 40.0        39.6     0.4 -20.0% 89
109 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 39.8        41.4     0.6 -5.6% 107
110 Punta Gorda, FL 39.3        44.6     0.4 -14.3% 112
111 Yuma, AZ 39.2        52.7     0.5 -6.3% 45
112 Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Met. Div 38.7     142.4     1.9 -14.9%  
113 Topeka, KS 38.6     111.6     1.5 -25.0% 144
114 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 38.6        60.2     0.5 -11.8% 133
115 Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA 37.8        50.4     0.4 -20.0% 152
116 Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div 37.8        45.2     1.0 -12.1%  
117 Muncie, IN 37.5        51.0     0.3 -25.0% 86
118 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 37.3        97.6     1.5 -11.8% 54
119 Fort Smith, AR-OK 36.7     113.4     1.2 0.0% 63
120 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 35.9     102.3     0.9 -10.0% 11
121 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 35.8        95.7     0.8 -14.3% 128
122 Lynchburg, VA 35.6     103.7     0.9 -18.2%  
123 Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL 35.2        46.3     0.6 -25.0% 135
124 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 35.1     130.4     1.1 -21.4% 108
125 Fayetteville, NC 34.7     128.6     1.4 -8.7% 70
126 St. Cloud, MN 34.6     107.0     1.6 -9.4% 40
127 Glens Falls, NY 34.3        53.6     0.9 -10.0% 41
128 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div 33.4        80.8     0.6 -14.3% 140
129 Springfield, IL 32.8     111.4     1.7 -19.0% 142
130 Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 32.5        72.4     0.6 -25.0%  
131 Johnstown, PA 30.3        57.8     0.7 -12.5% 114
132 Casper, WY 30.2        43.2     0.4 -20.0% 83
133 Duluth, MN-WI 29.6     134.0     1.4 -20.4% 84
134 Salisbury, MD-DE 28.3     142.3     1.2 -21.7%  
135 Gadsden, AL 28.3        37.6     0.3 -40.0% 55
136 Decatur, IL 27.9        50.8     0.6 -21.7% 138
137 Idaho Falls, ID 27.3        60.2     0.9 -30.8% 120
138 Kingston, NY 26.6        60.9     0.9 -10.0% 81
139 Danville, IL 26.4        29.3     0.2 -33.3% 150
140 Merced, CA 26.1        64.5     0.4 -33.3% 117
141 Wausau, WI 26.0        71.6     0.4 -29.4% 145
142 Lubbock, TX 25.1     138.6     3.8 -16.8% 111
143 Ocala, FL 24.4        98.3     0.8 -25.0% 139
144 El Centro, CA 24.3        54.9     0.3 -25.0% 77
145 Ithaca, NY 23.8        70.6     0.4 -20.0% 51
146 Waco, TX 23.5     112.4     1.2 -16.3% 92
147 Owensboro, KY 23.5        52.6     0.4 -20.0% 125
148 Sherman-Denison, TX 23.0        45.6     0.4 -20.0% 37
149 Appleton, WI 22.6     122.1     1.5 -27.4% 130
150 Salinas, CA 22.5     132.8     1.4 -17.6% 118
151 Killeen-Temple, TX 22.4     136.2     1.8 -23.6% 59
152 Grand Junction, CO 22.1        61.9     0.7 -22.2% 60
153 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 21.9        34.7     0.3 -50.0%  
154 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 20.8        56.4     0.4 -29.4% 134
155 Midland, TX 19.7        98.6     0.9 -25.0% 154
156 Panama City, FL 18.6        78.4     1.1 -31.3% 136
157 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 18.1     141.0     0.9 -34.1% 147
158 Coeur d'Alene, ID 18.1        58.3     0.6 -29.2% 78
159 Greeley, CO 17.7     101.5     0.7 -28.6% 131
160 Medford, OR 16.7        82.0     1.3 -23.5% 121
161 Bloomington, IL 15.8        94.4     0.7 -22.2% 146
162 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 15.3     124.5     0.5 -21.1% 85
163 Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 12.5        56.6     0.5 -42.3% 96
164 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 10.7        46.6     0.6 -30.8% 155
165 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 10.3     130.6     0.7 -30.0% 102
166 Erie, PA 10.1     130.6     1.2 -29.4% 153
167 San Angelo, TX 8.2        49.3     0.8 -34.2% 156
168 Dover, DE 7.3        68.0     0.4 -33.3% 93
169 Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA 7.2     127.5     1.1 -32.7% 127
170 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 6.6        50.6     0.5 -34.8% 148
171 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 5.1     103.4     0.9 -32.5% 151
172 New Bedford, MA NECTA 4.2        66.3     0.4 -42.9% 106
173 Morristown, TN 3.9        44.2     0.3 -40.0% 126
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