Small Cities Rankings - 2014 Best Cities for Job Growth

Read about how we selected the 2014 Best Cities for Job Growth

This year's rankings use five 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 MSAs employment.   Only one MSA—Modesto, CA—changed size categories moving from “Small” to “Midsized.” In the instances where the analysis refers to changes in ranking order within the size categories, this MSAs changes are reported as if they had been included in their current category in the prior year.






2014  Rank Among Small Cities Area 2014 Weighted INDEX  2013 Nonfarm Emplmt (1000s)  Size Mvmnt 2013 Size Ranking
1 Bismarck, ND 96.1 69.8 32 33
2 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 94.1 119.2 63 65
3 Columbia, MO 92.3 101.8 38 41
4 St. George, UT 87.9 52.2 79 83
5 Greeley, CO 87.7 92.0 19 24
6 Midland, TX 87.3 87.5 -5 1
7 Auburn-Opelika, AL 87.1 58.8 3 10
8 Naples-Marco Island, FL 84.9 129.2 88 96
9 College Station-Bryan, TX 84.8 104.3 104 113
10 El Centro, CA 84.7 52.9 38 48
11 San Angelo, TX 84.4 48.0 -6 5
12 Anderson, SC 84.1 66.3 175 187
13 Spartanburg, SC 83.8 131.0 34 47
14 Jonesboro, AR 82.7 53.0 -7 7
15 Odessa, TX 82.4 74.0 -13 2
16 Lubbock, TX 81.9 135.1 19 35
17 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 81.6 145.4 13 30
18 Napa, CA 81.3 67.2 -6 12
19 Fargo, ND-MN 80.8 133.9 7 26
20 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 80.3 101.0 14 34
21 Victoria, TX 79.8 54.7 0 21
22 Columbus, IN 79.5 49.8 -19 3
23 Iowa City, IA 79.1 98.1 41 64
24 Laredo, TX 78.4 97.0 -4 20
25 Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH NECTA Division 77.3 81.6 -3 22
26 Cleveland, TN 77.3 44.7 -22 4
27 Ames, IA 76.2 50.8 72 99
28 Bowling Green, KY 76.1 64.5 29 57
29 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 75.4 135.3 16 45
30 Palm Coast, FL 75.0 20.4 37 67
31 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 74.8 115.4 -6 25
32 Coeur d'Alene, ID 74.5 55.5 135 167
33 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC 74.3 114.2 53 86
34 Sioux Falls, SD 73.5 143.7 -7 27
35 Logan, UT-ID 72.5 56.6 53 88
36 Winchester, VA-WV 72.4 59.2 -23 13
37 Wilmington, NC 71.9 142.6 47 84
38 Cheyenne, WY 71.8 46.2 -24 14
39 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 71.6 56.5 -21 18
40 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 71.4 132.7 29 69
41 Bend, OR 71.3 64.6 128 169
42 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA  NECTA Division 70.9 93.2 19 61
43 Gainesville, GA 70.1 77.3 50 93
44 Merced, CA 70.0 61.2 -4 40
45 Ocean City, NJ 69.8 36.7 44 89
46 Chico, CA 69.7 75.5 99 145
47 Punta Gorda, FL 69.6 44.1 115 162
48 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 69.4 106.4 -39 9
49 Morgantown, WV 69.3 68.4 5 54
50 Greenville, NC 69.1 82.2 -34 16
51 Kokomo, IN 68.9 44.2 7 58
52 New Bedford, MA NECTA 68.7 70.1 -24 28
53 Pascagoula, MS 68.6 57.9 131 184
54 Olympia, WA 68.3 104.3 83 137
55 Visalia-Porterville, CA 68.0 114.6 5 60
56 Mankato-North Mankato, MN 67.9 55.3 19 75
57 St. Cloud, MN 67.4 104.2 -2 55
58 Bellingham, WA 67.2 85.3 97 155
59 Tyler, TX 65.8 97.3 44 103
60 Port St. Lucie, FL 65.4 129.3 67 127
61 Missoula, MT 64.6 57.9 17 78
62 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA 64.5 40.1 -9 53
63 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 64.4 46.4 93 156
64 Idaho Falls, ID 64.3 50.9 41 105
65 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 64.0 102.3 98 163
66 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 64.0 73.7 -49 17
67 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 63.8 96.1 -56 11
68 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 63.6 93.5 17 85
69 Monroe, MI 62.8 41.1 150 219
70 Casper, WY 62.7 42.1 -38 32
71 Ithaca, NY 61.5 69.4 -1 70
72 Pueblo, CO 61.4 59.8 38 110
73 La Crosse, WI-MN 61.4 77.4 4 77
74 Longview, TX 61.1 101.2 -45 29
75 Sherman-Denison, TX 61.1 44.6 7 82
76 Battle Creek, MI 61.0 58.4 0 76
77 Flagstaff, AZ 60.8 63.0 4 81
78 Springfield, OH 60.8 52.8 115 193
79 Dover, DE 60.6 66.9 122 201
80 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 60.6 126.9 20 100
81 Clarksville, TN-KY 59.9 88.5 -43 38
82 Grand Forks, ND-MN 59.8 57.2 -45 37
83 Jacksonville, NC 59.8 48.9 -21 62
84 Billings, MT 59.7 81.8 -65 19
85 Lake Charles, LA 59.3 94.1 -41 44
86 Lafayette, IN 59.1 99.8 -71 15
87 Lebanon, PA 58.8 51.4 -16 71
88 Great Falls, MT 58.5 36.3 48 136
89 Dubuque, IA 58.3 59.2 -46 43
90 Madera-Chowchilla, CA 57.7 35.2 43 133
91 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 57.0 76.4 0 91
92 Athens-Clarke County, GA 55.6 90.7 20 112
93 Charlottesville, VA 55.2 104.0 71 164
94 Janesville, WI 55.2 64.8 80 174
95 Owensboro, KY 54.8 52.8 -89 6
96 St. Joseph, MO-KS 54.7 63.0 -46 50
97 Eau Claire, WI 54.6 83.3 -25 72
98 Tuscaloosa, AL 54.5 97.7 -18 80
99 Sumter, SC 54.3 38.3 21 120
100 Fond du Lac, WI 54.1 47.0 102 202
101 Redding, CA 54.0 61.0 119 220
102 Salem, OR 53.6 146.3 80 182
103 Joplin, MO 53.6 82.3 6 109
104 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 52.7 79.5 -41 63
105 Prescott, AZ 52.5 57.5 52 157
106 Elizabethtown, KY 52.1 49.7 -9 97
107 Abilene, TX 51.5 67.5 -51 56
108 Williamsport, PA 50.9 56.3 -100 8
109 Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 50.9 72.1 74 183
110 Rochester, MN 50.6 107.6 -61 49
111 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 50.5 104.2 -80 31
112 Las Cruces, NM 50.0 70.6 32 144
113 Yuba City, CA 49.4 39.1 45 158
114 Florence, SC 49.3 85.5 61 175
115 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 49.3 118.2 -79 36
116 Jackson, TN 49.0 61.7 -74 42
117 Duluth, MN-WI 48.6 132.8 13 130
118 Yakima, WA 48.4 80.1 -3 115
119 Wheeling, WV-OH 47.5 68.4 49 168
120 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 47.3 94.4 -19 101
121 Harrisonburg, VA 47.2 65.0 -70 51
122 Danbury, CT NECTA 46.4 69.9 -11 111
123 Grand Junction, CO 46.3 60.8 -1 122
124 Lawrence, KS 46.1 52.1 -30 94
125 Amarillo, TX 46.0 114.1 -33 92
126 Medford, OR 45.7 78.3 51 177
127 State College, PA 45.5 76.2 -11 116
128 Peabody, MA  NECTA Division 44.6 103.7 -69 59
129 Eugene-Springfield, OR 44.6 146.2 57 186
130 Longview, WA 44.1 37.4 13 143
131 Hattiesburg, MS 43.8 60.4 -17 114
132 Rapid City, SD 43.8 61.4 -11 121
133 Corvallis, OR 43.6 39.3 -46 87
134 Manchester, NH NECTA 43.1 101.3 -16 118
135 Fairbanks, AK 42.8 38.0 -45 90
136 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 41.7 92.1 -84 52
137 Waco, TX 41.6 107.0 -91 46
138 Salinas, CA 41.6 126.7 33 171
139 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 41.5 55.8 3 142
140 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 41.0 44.2 -38 102
141 Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA 41.0 19.9 10 151
142 Monroe, LA 40.9 78.6 -13 129
143 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH  NECTA Division 40.8 120.4 -45 98
144 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 40.6 107.2 84 228
145 Lawton, OK 40.6 44.3 -4 141
146 Gainesville, FL 40.5 131.5 -51 95
147 Columbus, GA-AL 40.5 121.8 -13 134
148 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 40.2 61.8 -82 66
149 Gadsden, AL 40.2 36.9 41 190
150 Lewiston, ID-WA 40.0 26.5 41 191
151 Appleton, WI 39.7 118.4 -25 126
152 Bloomington, IN 39.1 83.1 13 165
153 Waterbury, CT NECTA 38.8 65.1 70 223
154 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 38.0 49.1 19 173
155 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 37.5 87.7 23 178
156 Bangor, ME NECTA 37.4 66.5 -33 123
157 Sandusky, OH 37.3 34.9 75 232
158 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 37.1 36.5 -12 146
159 Morristown, TN 37.1 46.6 53 212
160 Warner Robins, GA 37.1 58.7 -35 125
161 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 36.8 46.5 27 188
162 Pocatello, ID 36.6 36.8 17 179
163 Fayetteville, NC 36.1 132.5 -56 107
164 Sheboygan, WI 35.6 58.7 47 211
165 Cedar Rapids, IA 35.5 140.4 -61 104
166 Manhattan, KS 35.2 56.5 -127 39
167 Valdosta, GA 35.0 54.1 -36 131
168 Goldsboro, NC 34.7 43.6 28 196
169 Nashua, NH-MA  NECTA Division 34.3 129.3 -10 159
170 Topeka, KS 34.1 110.7 -62 108
171 Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL 34.0 44.7 -31 140
172 Hot Springs, AR 33.9 37.3 -48 124
173 Ocala, FL 33.5 93.1 -26 147
174 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 32.5 60.0 40 214
175 Cumberland, MD-WV 31.6 39.6 -56 119
176 Bay City, MI 30.6 37.2 -108 68
177 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 30.6 84.3 26 203
178 Yuma, AZ 30.4 52.5 -26 152
179 Macon, GA 29.7 99.1 -100 79
180 Santa Fe, NM 29.5 61.5 12 192
181 Kingston, NY 29.4 60.1 44 225
182 Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA 28.8 49.0 16 198
183 Farmington, NM 27.8 49.6 6 189
184 Muncie, IN 27.8 51.9 -161 23
185 Lima, OH 27.3 52.7 46 231
186 Erie, PA 27.3 129.7 -38 148
187 Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA 27.3 56.4 -49 138
188 Rome, GA 26.9 39.3 -7 181
189 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 26.8 119.9 -36 153
190 Springfield, IL 26.8 110.8 -58 132
191 Anderson, IN 26.3 40.4 -117 74
192 Wausau, WI 25.7 68.2 25 217
193 Altoona, PA 25.5 60.7 -58 135
194 Salisbury, MD 25.4 52.7 -44 150
195 Burlington, NC 25.3 59.1 4 199
196 Jackson, MI 24.3 54.5 19 215
197 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 23.8 35.8 -25 172
198 Champaign-Urbana, IL 23.7 107.9 6 204
199 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 23.3 146.1 31 230
200 Alexandria, LA 22.8 62.8 -3 197
201 Flint, MI 22.5 136.7 25 226
202 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 22.5 45.3 16 218
203 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 22.5 135.2 18 221
204 Decatur, AL 22.3 54.3 18 222
205 Fort Smith, AR-OK 21.9 116.6 -11 194
206 Racine, WI 21.8 75.2 3 209
207 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 21.6 114.8 -27 180
208 Terre Haute, IN 21.3 70.9 -32 176
209 Albany, GA 21.0 61.6 -24 185
210 Rockford, IL 20.9 146.9 -44 166
211 Jefferson City, MO 20.8 76.5 -16 195
212 Glens Falls, NY 20.0 52.2 -106 106
213 Johnson City, TN 19.9 78.3 -59 154
214 Lynchburg, VA 18.4 102.3 -54 160
215 Utica-Rome, NY 17.7 127.9 9 224
216 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 17.7 55.2 -77 139
217 Dothan, AL 17.4 56.9 -11 206
218 Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH 17.2 69.8 -2 216
219 Danville, VA 17.1 39.9 -146 73
220 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 16.6 137.2 9 229
221 Brunswick, GA 16.5 40.1 -60 161
222 Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV 15.4 44.1 16 238
223 Johnstown, PA 15.1 58.5 -74 149
224 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 14.3 57.7 -17 207
225 Mansfield, OH 13.4 52.2 11 236
226 Bloomington-Normal, IL 12.3 88.9 -109 117
227 Elmira, NY 12.0 38.9 -17 210
228 Wichita Falls, TX 10.3 57.7 -1 227
229 Charleston, WV 9.3 144.3 -59 170
230 Anniston-Oxford, AL 7.0 45.5 -25 205
231 Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA 6.4 126.0 2 233
232 Decatur, IL 5.6 51.3 5 237
233 Dalton, GA 5.4 63.5 8 241
234 Rocky Mount, NC 5.3 55.3 6 240
235 Carson City, NV 4.8 27.3 0 235
236 Binghamton, NY 4.3 106.1 -2 234
237 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 3.9 132.5 2 239
238 Danville, IL 3.9 28.7 -38 200
239 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 3.8 41.8 -26 213
240 Pine Bluff, AR 3.1 35.4 -32 208
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