Top 10 Metros

We recognize that growthpotential is not deter-mined by size; in fact,

there are a number of “overgrown”metropolises in the U.S. that rapidlyare being outpaced by mid-sized con-tenders. Also, some of the most dra-matic growth possibilities can befound in smaller communities. Sowe’ve divided our Top 10 Metros forEconomic Growth Potential rankinginto two sub-categories, giving largecities and their smaller brethren achance to shine side by side.

In the small population sub-cate-

gory, Panama City, FL remains front-and-center on our growth radar. As wedetailed in our June cover feature[Editor’s Location Picks], it would behard to find a better example of theseemingly overnight transformationof a region than the current activityon the Florida panhandle. One of thenation’s largest economic develop-ment initiatives is taking shape amidstthe piney trees and pristine beaches inNorthwest Florida near Panama City.

What makes the 75,000-acre WestBay development unique is not just ahuge public-private effort that is

spearheaded by the area’s largestproperty owner, The St. Joe Co. andhas brought together state, regionaland local agencies: West Bay is theonly economic development projectin the nation that comes with its ownbrand-new international airport.

The $318-million NorthwestFlorida Beaches International Airportbegan operations with the first land-ing by Southwest Airlines on May 23after a ribbon-cutting ceremonyattended by Gov. Charlie Crist. It isthe first greenfield commercial serviceairport to be built in the U.S. in morethan 15 years, replacing the existingPanama City-Bay County Interna-tional Airport. The new airportboasts a 10,000-foot runway built onapproximately 1,300 acres of a 4,000-acre site in the West Bay develop-ment. The land for the airport wasdonated by St. Joe Co.

The 125,000-square-foot passen-ger terminal at NW Beaches featuresseven gates, two restaurants, tworetail shops and six car-rental coun-

2 8 J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Top 10 MetroEconomic Growth

Potential

1. CHATTANOOGA, TN

2. ALBUQUERQUE, NM

3. SAN ANTONIO, TX

4. CHARLESTON, SC

5. CHARLOTTE, NC

6. TUCSON, AZ

7. INDIANAPOLIS, IN

8. KANSAS CITY, MO

9. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

10. LOUISVILLE, KY

Top 10 Metro EconomicGrowth Potential

(Under 200k Population)

1. PANAMA CITY, FL

2. MANHATTAN, KS

3. MIDLAND, MI

4. NEWPORT NEWS, VA

5. KNOXVILLE, TN

6. GREENVILLE, SC

7. DUBUQUE, IA

8. JUNCTION CITY, KS

9. SIOUX CITY, IA

10. SURPRISE, AZ

Top Logistics/ Distribution

Shipping Hubs

1. MEMPHIS

2. CHICAGO

3. DALLAS

4. NEW ORLEANS

5. LOS ANGELES

ters. Southwest Airlines and Delta AirLines will offer daily service to Atlanta,Memphis, Orlando, Cincinnati,Houston, Baltimore and Nashville.

The West Bay Sector Plan initiallycalls for a business center and a

regional employment center, dividedinto more than two dozen parcelsranging from 7 to 44 acres each. Thebusiness and retail sites are sur-rounded by more than 40,000 acresthat have been set aside by the devel-

opers for environmental preserva-tion. St. Joe’s new headquarters willbe located within Phase I of the WestBay Sector Plan development nearthe entrance of the new internationalairport. The new offices will providethe company with a location centralto its numerous residential commu-nities and commercial propertiesunder development.

AEROTROPOLIS RISINGFor years, Memphis has rightfully

branded itself as America’s Distribu-tion Center. Today, the charming cityon the banks of the Mississippi Riveris calling itself America’s Aerotropolis.This is not a hollow boast—we affirmMemphis’ global leadership as a mega-cargo/shipping hub with the topranking in our new Logistics/Distrib-ution Shipping Hubs category.

From its antebellum leadership,consolidating and distributing cot-ton and lumber to the nation and theworld, through its 21st century posi-tion as the globe’s largest, fastest, andmost connected multimodal logisticscomplex, Memphis and distributionhave been synonymous.

Largely due to its status as theglobal hub for FedEx, MemphisInternational Airport has an esti-mated $22 billion annual impact onthe metropolitan economy, generat-ing 166,000 jobs and moving up to 5million metric tons of cargo, makingit the world’s busiest cargo airport for17 consecutive years.

Memphis also boasts superior rail,water and road access. More than 400motor freight companies operating inMemphis offer direct service to all 48contiguous states as well as Mexicoand Canada, and the city can deliverby road transport overnight to moremetro markets (152) than any other

3 0 J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Emerging Logistics/Distribution Growth Centers

(Less Than 500k Population)

3. HESPERIA, CA

4. JOPLIN, MO

5. ARDMORE, OK

1. GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG, SC

2. TUPELO-MERIDIAN-JACKSON, MS

6. FINDLAY, OH

7. SIOUX CITY, IA

8. DECATUR, IL

9. CALEDON, ONTARIO

10. JEFFERSON CITY, MO

Alternative Energy Industry Leaders

1. TUCSON, AZ

2. ALBUQUERQUE, NM

3. MIDLAND, MI

4. CLARKSVILLE, TN

5. GREENVILLE, SC

6. FORT MADISON, IA

7. KNOXVILLE, TN

8. LOUISVILLE, KY

9. JUNCTION CITY, KS

10. BAKERSFIELD, CA

major U.S. shipping hub. Also, five major rail networksintersect in Memphis (CSX, Union Pacific, CanadianNational, Norfolk Southern and BNSF). Memphis is thefourth largest inland port in the country, handling morethan 18 million tons of cargo on the river annually.

We also took a look at emerging logistics/distributiongrowth centers this year, and the Greenville-Spartanburgarea of South Carolina jumped to the top of the listwhen we assessed mid-sized locations.

There have been a bevy of major distribution facilitiesdeveloped in upstate SC recently, the latest being theopening in Spartanburg earlier this year of Adidas’ mas-sive $150 million, 1.9-million-square-foot center, thesporting goods and apparel-maker’s largest and mosttechnologically advanced distribution facility in theworld. The new Spartanburg facility employs more than1,500 people.

“At The Adidas Group, we’re passionate about per-formance—in order to get something right you have tocreate the conditions for it,” said Glen Bennett, head ofglobal operations for The Adidas Group. “That’s whatwe’re trying to do here in Spartanburg.”

The Spartanburg center includes two large distribu-tion buildings that house more than 15 million units ofAdidas and Reebok brand apparel, footwear, equipmentand accessories. A state-of-the-art Shared Services Centeron the eastern edge of the campus will process more than2 million orders and answer more than 300,000 cus-tomer service calls annually.

“This is one more reminder of South Carolina’s per-formance, attracting recruitment, investment and globalrecognition,” said Gov. Mark Sanford. “The dark days oftextiles leaving are behind us. The fact is we have a morediversified economy. It’s a compliment to our workforceand geography, and it bodes well for our future.”

Bob Henriques, head of U.S. distribution for TheAdidas Group, said 1,100 of the center’s workers arelocal hires and 130 more distribution and customer serv-ice jobs will be added over the next month. Although thecompany is using 50 percent of its distribution space, thefacility has been built with the ability to expand byanother 475,000 square feet as orders for Adidas andReebok products continue to grow.

Adidas, which already shipped 300,000 jerseys and1.2 million soccer balls to World Cup fans across theglobe, completed its $3.8 billion acquisition of Reebokin January 2006.

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ALT ENERGY POWER TEAMWith Arizona grabbing top honors

in our new state ranking for Alterna-tive Energy Industry Leaders, logic—

supported by a cornucopia of majorproject announcements—dictatesthat Tucson, AZ takes the crown inthe metro version of this category.

The self-styled Solar City hasshined so brightly in the alternativeenergy sector that it graced the coverof our April issue [Alternative EnergyArrives]. Here are some activities thatnailed the top ranking for Tucson:

Tucson today is the U.S. home tosome of the world’s leading photo-voltaic manufacturers, includingSchletter Inc., which designs and man-ufactures solar mounting systems;Global Solar Energy, the leading man-ufacturer of thin-film CIGS photo-voltaic modules; and SOLON, whichlike Schletter is German-owned.SOLON’s operation, Arizona’s first forthe manufacturing of photovoltaicequipment, could serve as the corner-stone of the growing solar economicdevelopment market in Southern Ari-zona. The state’s solar push began adecade ago when the public utility reg-ulator, the Arizona Corporation Com-mission (ACC), began to aggressivelypursue solar resources. ACC laterannounced that 15 percent of regulatedutilities’ retail sales must come fromrenewable energy sources by 2025.

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Renewable EnergyAvailability Leaders

1. AUSTIN, TX

2. CHICAGO, IL

3. OAKLAND, CA

4. PORTLAND, OR

5. SEATTLE, WA

Monroe

Shreveport-Bossier

Funded in part by Louisiana Economic Development

web: www.nlep.org | phone:318.677.2536 | contact: Kurt Foreman | [email protected]

NORTH LOUISIANA: TOPPING THE RANKINGS

MORE ACCOLADES:

BUSINESS FACILITIES MAGAZINE RANKS:

Shreveport-Bossier is #1 in cost of doing business. KPMG Competitive Alternatives, 2010 Forbes.com, April 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS & DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE NAMES:

Global Strike Command in Bossier Defense Deal of the Year

Foster Farms in Union ParishAgribusiness Deal of the Year

V-Vehicle in Ouachita Parish as a Recipient ofExcellence in Green Economy Recruitment Awards

SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER MSA (includes Bossier, Caddo, & DeSoto)Honorable MentionMid-Market Division

MONROE/WEST MONROE MSA(includes Ouachita & Union)Small Market of the Year

Monroe ranks #3 in top 10 cities where home values have increased in 2008. Kiplinger

SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER #3among Low Cost Manufacturing Centers

SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER #3among Low Cost Manufacturing Centers

SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER #4in Motion Picture Industry GrowthSHREVEPORT/BOSSIER #4in Motion Picture Industry Growth


Arizona released its Solar Electri-cal Road Map Study in 2007, leadingto the creation of the ArizonaResearch Institute for Solar Energy(AZRise) at the University of Ari-zona, which serves as a solar energycenter of excellence. Arizona hasshown its commitment to meetingthe 15-percent renewable energystandard. Tucson Electric Power(TEP) already has developed almost10 megawatts of company-ownedrenewable energy generating capac-ity, and is on track to add another 3.4

megawatts of company-ownedcapacity and to purchase 31.5megawatts in the coming years.Some of the power TEP will buy will

come from a 5-megawatt concentrat-ing solar power system being built byBell Independent Power Corp. at theUniversity of Arizona Science and



Top 10 Metro Greenest Cities

1. PORTLAND, OR

2. AUSTIN, TX

3. CHICAGO, IL

4. SAN FRANCISCO, CA

5. BOSTON, MA

6. SEATTLE, WA

7. WASHINGTON, DC

8. MINNEAPOLIS, MN

9. BOULDER, CO

10. NEW YORK, NY

Technology Park in Tucson. TEP willpurchase another 25 megawatts froma photovoltaic system owned byFotowatio Renewable Energies. [formore information about Tucson andalternative energy, see Industry Focuson page 36 of this issue].

Knoxville, TN also caught ourattention when we rated the top

metros for alternative energy leader-ship. We were particularly impressedwith the bold plans announced ear-lier this year, when the area declareditself the Knoxville-Oak RidgeInnovation Valley, bringingresearchers from Oak RidgeNational Laboratory (ORNL) andUniversity of Tennessee/Knoxville

together in an ambitious effort toestablish the region as a primaryalternative energy hub.

Improved LED lights, high techair filtration systems and lighter,stronger and easier-to-ship materi-als—all developed locally—are fuel-ing a promising, and increasinglygreen, future for the Knoxville-OakRidge Innovation Valley.

Concrete examples of the region’s technical and entrepreneur-ial synergies are easy to find. LEDNorth America wants to make LED lights last longer. The com-pany also is making use of light-weight carbon foam developed atORNL that reduces temperatures inLED engines by as much as tendegrees Celsius.

Another example of InnovationValley technology at work locally isKnoxville-based Bandit Lites, oneof the entertainment world’s largestlighting providers. Gaining a com-petitive edge by working withGRNLite, the company has developed a full range of rugged,bright and affordable LED fixturesthat reduce onstage heat, use 90percent less electricity and reducetruck space, cutting related fueland emissions.

Technology transfer is also atwork locally at Industrial CeramicSolutions, which produces ceramicfiber filters for industrial and dieselexhaust applications. The company,headed by former Oak Ridge materials research scientist DickNixdorf, is also developing highperformance reinforcement fibers toimprove durability of combustionchamber liners in coal-fired powerplants. Nixdorf ’s company alsoworks with carbon nanotubes,which could improve fuel cells and

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Top 10 Metro - Quality Of Life

1. AUSTIN, TX

2. NASHVILLE, TN

3. PORTLAND, OR

4. TULSA, OK

5. ALBUQUERQUE, NM

6. SEATTLE, WA

7. LEXINGTON, KY

8. MINNEAPOLIS, MN

9. CHICAGO, IL

10. SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Top 10 Metro - Aerospace/DefenseManufacturing

1. WICHITA, KS

2. HUNTSVILLE, AL

3. SEATTLE, WA

4. CHARLESTON, SC

5. FT. WORTH, TX

6. TUCSON, AZ

7. PHOENIX, AZ

8. LOS ANGELES, CA

9. TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG, FL

10. ORLANDO, FL

lithium. The underlying technologydeveloped was a joint effort byORNL and Y-12.

The synergies between researchand the region’s economy are per-haps best symbolized by ORNLLab Director Thom Mason’schairmanship of the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley eco-nomic development partnershipand by such events as the JuneTechnology Resource Showcase,which connected local researchersand their innovative technologieswith local companies.

Also fueling growth in the area isincreased demand for centrifugesproduced at a site in Oak Ridgeshared by USEC Inc and its manu-

facturing partner The Babcock &Wilcox Co. USEC recentlyannounced that Toshiba Corp. andBabcock & Wilcox Investment Co.,an affiliate of The Babcock &Wilcox Co., have signed a “definitiveagreement” to a three-phased invest-ment of $200 million in USEC.

The alternative energy activitiesdetailed above were major factors inour decision to include Tucson andKnoxville among our top 10 listsfor economic growth potential.

EMERGING AEROSPACE KINGSWichita, KS maintaining its

top position in our metro Aero-space/Defense Manufacturing ranking


(Continued on page 66)

City Led Redevelopment at Metro Kansas City’s Transportation Hub • Visibility to 130,000+ Vehicles Daily • LowTaxes, High Services, Incentives Available

City-Owned Fiber Optic System • Excellent Access (five interstates within 3 miles) • Daytime Population 120,000 (3 mile radius) • Complete R.F.Q. at www.nkc.org

North Kansas City Office of Economic Development • City Hall – 2010 Howell – North Kansas City, MO 64116 • 816-274-6040 • [email protected] • www.nkc.org

PREMIERMIXED-USE

DEVELOPMENTOPPORTUNITY

(50 ACRES +/-)

NKC HOSPITAL – $237 Million New Investment

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COMPLETE

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$23 Million New InvestmentOne-Half Mile (West)

CHRISTOPHER BONDBRIDGE & CORRIDOR

$245 MILLION

2011

COMPLETIO

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HARRAH’S – $350 Million New Investment

COMPLETE

D

CERNER CORPORATION EXPANSION$1 Billion New Investment

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Motion Picture Industry Growth

1. NEW YORK, NY

2. LOS ANGELES, CA

3. ALBUQUERQUE, NM

4. SHREVEPORT, LA

5. DETROIT, MI

was no surprise, but this year’s resultsindicate that some rising competitorsmay give the Kansas city a run for itsaircraft dollars in coming years.

Wichita, hosts the world’s best-known aviation cluster, and is oftenreferred to as the “Air Capital of the

World.” Aircraft and aircraft compo-nents have been built with Wichitaexpertise and craftsmanship for nearly90 years. Wichita offers one of thelargest aerospace labor pools and sup-plier networks in the world. Accord-ing to a Milken Institute study,Wichita has the highest concentrationof aerospace manufacturing employ-ment and skills in the nation. About57 percent of Wichita metro areamanufacturing employment is inaerospace products and parts.

The Wichita area hosts four aero-space OEMs (Boeing IntegratedDefense Systems, Bombardier Lear-jet, Cessna Aircraft and HawkerBeechcraft). Wichita also is home toan Airbus Engineering Design Cen-ter. In 2008, Wichita companiesdelivered 59 percent of all generalaviation aircraft built in the UnitedStates, and accounted for 46 percentof global general aviation deliveries.Located in Wichita is some of themost specialized equipment in theworld for metal and composite mate-rial fabrication. Decades of aircraft

production have built a network ofmore than 200 precision machineshops, tool and die shops, and otheraerospace subcontract manufacturers.

There are more than 40 Boeing-certified gold and silver supplierswithin a 200-mile radius of theKansas city. These leading-edge sup-pliers include Spirit AeroSystems, theworld’s largest independent producerof commercial aircraft structures.Wichita firms either directly manu-facture, or provide critical compo-nents for, more than half of all generalaviation, commercial and military air-craft. Industry-specific businessadvantages for aviation manufactur-ing include exemption of commercialaircraft and components from all salestaxes (including wet leases), liberalfly-away exemption and no excise taxon jet fuel and aviation gas.

Wichita also is the global center ofcomposites expertise. South CentralKansas hosts a rapidly developingindustrial cluster of firms in the fieldof advanced composites, advancedpolymers and elastomers.

The National Institute for AviationResearch (NIAR) at Wichita StateUniversity was founded in 1985, andis the largest aerospace appliedresearch and development academicinstitution in the nation. NIAR’s120,000-square-foot facility houses15 advanced research and testing labs,including several wind tunnels.

In order to assure a steady supply ofqualified workers for the aerospaceindustry, Sedgwick County TechnicalEducation and Training Authority(SCTETA) is developing the $54-mil-lion, 222,000-square-foot NationalCenter for Aviation Training. NCATwill be a world-class aviation manufac-turing training center on the groundsof Jabara Airport in northeast Wichita.

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Top 10 Metro - Wired Cities

1. ATLANTA, GA

2. SEATTLE, WA

3. TORONTO, CAN.

4 SAN JOSE, CA

5. CHARLOTTE, NC

6. CHICAGO, IL

7. BOSTON, MA

8. WASHINGTON, DC

9. NEW YORK, NY

10. ORLANDO, FL

1. SIOUXLAND

2. GENESSEE/LIVINGSTONCOUNTIES, NY

3. OMAHA, NE

4. FRESNO, CA

5. COVINGTON, GA

Top 5 MetroFood Processing Industry Growth

(Continued from page 35)

Two locations that are gearing upto challenge Wichita’s pre-eminencein aerospace manufacturing areHuntsville, AL, which repeats thisyear with the number two ranking inthis category, and the Charleston, SCarea, which has vaulted into fourthplace on the wings of Boeing’s deci-sion to locate its 787 assembly plantin N. Charleston.

Huntsville, AL earned themoniker “Rocket City” as a primaryhub for the nation’s missile defense,space and military aerospace pro-grams. Huntsville/Madison Countyis home to the NASA Marshall SpaceFlight Center and the U.S. Army’sRedstone Arsenal, both combiningto drive a strong research and devel-

opment economy and affecting spin-off and commercial activity of tech-nology innovations. years,

A few weeks ago, Huntsvillescored a major coup when RaytheonMissile Systems announced it willbuild a new $75-million missile fac-tory in Huntsville. The plant will beused for final assembly and testing ofStandard Missile-3 Block IB, a sea-based missile interceptor, and theStandard Missile-6, an advancedship-defense weapon, the Tucson,AZ-based company said.

The Alabama site will employ anestimated 300 workers at an annualaverage wage of $60,000. SeveralRaytheon divisions already employabout 600 people in the Huntsville

area. Raytheon said it expects tobreak ground on the 200-acreHuntsville plant site later this yearand build it in two phases over threeyears. Initial production is plannedto begin in January 2013.

Workers at the new, 70,000-square-foot plant—on the U.S.Army’s Redstone Arsenal site andclose to major NASA and U.S. Mis-sile Defense Agency facilities—willperform SM-3 and SM-6 finalassembly, integration, testing andlife-cycle support, or ongoing main-tenance. Section-level assembly, inte-gration and testing for the missileswill remain at the Tucson and sup-plier sites, the company said.

The agreement to build the plant


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was announced by company officials,Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby andGov. Bob Riley at the FarnboroughInternational Air Show in England.

Alabama offers job training and avariety of tax breaks to companiesbuilding new facilities in the state,including abatement of sales taxes on

construction and income-tax creditsfor capital costs of qualifying projects.

Raytheon said Huntsville waspicked over finalists Tucson andCamden, AR, where the companyalso has facilities. In a prepared state-ment, Raytheon said the company“conducted a rigorous site selectionprocess for 18 months, investigatingmore than 80 locations.”

In a statement on its website, thecompany said was unable to buildthe missile plant within Raytheon’scurrent Standard Missile final assem-bly compound at Tucson Interna-

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Top 10 Metro Medical Devices and Equipment

1. MINNEAPOLISST. PAUL, MN

2. NEW HAVENMILFORD, CT

3. SALT LAKE CITY, UT

4. SAN JOSE-SUNNYVALESANTA CLARA, CA

5. MADISON, WI

6. WORCESTER, MA

7. ROCHESTER, NY

8. SYRACUSE, NY

9. MILWAUKE-WAUKE-SHA-WEST ALLIS, WI

10. BOSTON-CAMBRIDGEQUINCY, MA

• Strategic location highways, ports, airports

• Productive workforcewith customized training

• Low costs/tax incentives

• Great quality of life

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tional Airport because of explosivefacility siting regulations coveringairports adjacent to industrial or res-idential areas.

“Raytheon continues to have along-term, strategic commitment toTucson,” the company said. Tucsonrepeated this year in sixth place in theaerospace manufacturing ranking.

AUSTIN’S STAR SHINES IN TXWhen we pull together our metro

rankings, there usually is one loca-tion that stands out for its across-the-board achievements, and this year’s

stand-out is Austin, TX. Austin tookour top ranking for Quality of Lifeand also was the top-ranked metro inour new Renewable Energy Available

Leaders category (its position inrenewable energy use was one of thefactors in the Quality of Life selec-tion; we expect availability of green


Low Cost Manufacturing Centers(Less Than 500k Population)

1. AKRONYOUNGSTOWN, OH

2. GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG, SC

3. SHREVEPORT, LA

4. CHARLESTON, WV

5. MCCALLEN-MISSION, TX

6. LEXINGTON, KY

7. RALEIGH, NC

8. CLARKSVILLE, TN

9. CHEYENNE, WY

10. BUFFALO, NY


energy to become a major bench-mark moving forward in determin-ing a community’s quality of life).

Regarding its unsurpassed lifestyle,a sunny climate and idyllic setting onthe edge of the beautiful Texas HillCountry make Austin a bonanza foroutdoor activities. If you’re a golfer,you can choose from multiple golfcourses in the area, including theprestigious Barton Creek and RiverPlace Country Clubs.

Zilker Park, located in the heart ofAustin, offers more than 400 acres foractivities including soccer, volleyball,summer theater and miles of hiking

and biking trails. Gardeners delightin Austin’s year-round growing sea-son, and no visit to Austin is com-plete without a trip to the Lady BirdJohnson Wildflower Center. A quickhike up Mount Bonnell rewards theclimber with spectacular hilltop viewsof the city and area lakes.

The area’s diversified chain oflakes starts about 70 miles to thenorth and ends at downtown Austin.Each lake has its own personality.You’ll be enchanted by the spectacu-lar waterfalls and excellent fishing onLake Buchanan; diving, sailing andboating in the crystal-clear waters of

nearby Lake Travis; the popular hike-and-bike trails along Town Lake inthe heart of downtown Austin; andwater sports and camping on LakeLBJ, Inks Lake and Lake MarbleFalls. The nearby upper ColoradoRiver area is the winter nestinggrounds for a growing population ofnative Bald Eagles. And with a con-stant temperature of 68 degreesFahrenheit, Barton Springs is thefavorite year-round swimming holefor many Austinites.

Austin’s sunny climate is match bythe warmth of its welcome to busi-nesses, one of the reasons the Texascapital and its surrounding areas havebecome known around the world as“Silicon Hills.” Although the high-tech industry is the fastest growingand most visible part of the economy,Austin is well diversified with astrong government, education andfinancial base. Austin has beennamed one of the best cities in theUnited States for business by Forbesand FORTUNE Magazine.

The influx of high-tech profes-sionals into Austin from all over theworld makes the city a challenging,exciting and diverse business environment. With more than a mil-lion residents in the greater metro-politan area, Austin is the secondfastest growing city in the UnitedStates and is now the country’s 16thlargest city overall.

“Austin has become one of the fewplaces in the country where peoplecome to live by choice, for all it hasto offer,” says Austin-based econo-mist Angelos Angelou.

Last, but certainly not least,Austin holds the title of “The LiveMusic Capital of the World,” withperhaps more musicians per capitathan any other city.

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Top 10 Metro Best Cost of Living

(Less Than 350k Population)

1. GASDEN, AL

2. FORTH SMITH, AR

3. PUEBLO, CO

4. HAGERSTOWN, MD

5. JONESBORO, AR

6. BROWNSVILLE, TX

7. ABILENE, TX

8. SPRINGFIELD, IL

9. JOPLIN, MO

10. CLARKSVILLE, TN

Top 10 Metro Best Cost of Living

1. TULSA, OK

2. MEMPHIS, TN

3. MCCALLEN-MISSION, TX

4. LITTLE ROCK, AR

5. NASHVILLE, TN

6. TOPEKA, KS

7. LOUISVILLE, KY

8. INDIANAPOLIS, IN

9. CHATTANOOGA, TN

10. KNOXVILLE, TN

Top 10 Metros

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