Small Cities Rankings - 2015 Best Cities for Job Growth

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.





2015  Rank Among Small Cities Area 2015 Weighted INDEX  2014 Nonfarm Emplymt (1000s)  Rank Change 2014 Size Ranking
1 Midland, TX 100.0        98.6 5 6
2 Greeley, CO 99.8      101.5 3 5
3 Odessa, TX 99.7        81.7 12 15
4 Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 96.3      136.2 4 8
5 Columbus, IN 93.0        51.8 17 22
6 Fargo, ND-MN 91.2      140.2 13 19
7 Auburn-Opelika, AL 90.7        60.7 0 7
8 Napa, CA 90.7        69.5 10 18
9 Gainesville, GA 90.5        82.0 34 43
10 Ames, IA 90.4        53.6 17 27
11 Merced, CA 87.9        64.5 33 44
12 Bend-Redmond, OR 87.7        70.3 29 41
13 Victoria, TX 87.3        45.5 8 21
14 Lake Charles, LA 86.7      101.1 71 85
15 The Villages, FL 85.9        26.1  
16 Jonesboro, AR 85.9        54.6 -2 14
17 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 85.0      124.5 -15 2
18 St. George, UT 84.8        54.6 -14 4
19 Bismarck, ND 83.8        74.0 -18 1
20 Coeur d'Alene, ID 81.7        58.3 12 32
21 Fort Collins, CO 79.9      148.9 -4 17
22 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 79.5      148.3 11 33
23 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 79.5      111.1 25 48
24 Winchester, VA-WV 78.0        60.7 12 36
25 Tuscaloosa, AL 77.7      104.4 73 98
26 Longview, WA 77.0        39.4 104 130
27 Port St. Lucie, FL 76.6      135.3 33 60
28 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 76.5        72.0  
29 San Angelo, TX 76.4        49.3 -18 11
30 Bowling Green, KY 75.5        72.6 -2 28
31 Laredo, TX 74.9      100.2 -7 24
32 San Rafael, CA Metro Div. 74.9      113.0  
33 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 74.8        66.8  
34 Bellingham, WA 74.1        88.4 24 58
35 Clarksville, TN-KY 74.0        88.2 46 81
36 Longview, TX 74.0      105.4 38 74
37 Wenatchee, WA 72.6        41.1 25 62
38 Olympia-Tumwater, WA 72.4      108.9 16 54
39 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 72.3      102.3 47 86
40 Grants Pass, OR 71.0        24.5  
41 El Centro, CA 70.8        54.9 -31 10
42 Charlottesville, VA 69.8      112.2 51 93
43 Manchester, NH NECTA 69.8      108.6 91 134
44 Farmington, NM 69.7        53.5 139 183
45 Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 69.0        72.4  
46 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 68.9        95.7 22 68
47 Salinas, CA 68.4      132.8 91 138
48 Prescott, AZ 68.1        60.9 57 105
49 Logan, UT-ID 67.8        58.3 -14 35
50 Medford, OR 67.5        82.0 76 126
51 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 67.4        48.1 12 63
52 Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div. 67.3        45.2  
53 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div. 66.8        80.8 -11 42
54 Spartanburg, SC 66.8      140.6 -41 13
55 Wilmington, NC 66.4      117.1 -18 37
56 New Bedford, MA NECTA 65.8        66.3 -4 52
57 Athens-Clarke County, GA 65.3        93.3 35 92
58 Chico, CA 65.1        76.9 -12 46
59 Iowa City, IA 65.0        99.0 -36 23
60 Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div. 63.8        79.2  
61 Visalia-Porterville, CA 63.5      116.6 -6 55
62 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 63.4        48.4 99 161
63 Tyler, TX 63.2      100.2 -4 59
64 Danbury, CT NECTA 63.2        79.5 58 122
65 Cheyenne, WY 62.4        47.1 -27 38
66 Casper, WY 62.4        43.2 4 70
67 Sebring, FL 62.4        25.8  
68 Dubuque, IA 62.3        60.3 21 89
69 Ocala, FL 62.2        98.3 104 173
70 Cleveland, TN 62.2        46.0 -44 26
71 Janesville-Beloit, WI 61.6        66.8 23 94
72 Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div. 61.3        62.8 -47 25
73 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 61.0      124.2 42 115
74 Kennewick-Richland, WA 60.7      104.6 -9 65
75 Lubbock, TX 60.6      138.6 -59 16
76 College Station-Bryan, TX 60.5      106.1 -67 9
77 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 60.5      130.4 3 80
78 Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY 60.4        54.5 28 106
79 Yuba City, CA 59.8        40.5 34 113
80 St. Cloud, MN 59.6      107.0 -23 57
81 Houma-Thibodaux, LA 59.4      101.6 -61 20
82 Sioux Falls, SD 59.2      146.5 -48 34
83 Corvallis, OR 59.2        40.3 50 133
84 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 58.9      138.1 -55 29
85 Gettysburg, PA 58.7        34.9  
86 Pueblo, CO 57.9        60.6 -14 72
87 Columbia, MO 57.9        98.5 -84 3
88 Burlington, NC 57.5        60.9 107 195
89 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 57.3        77.0 -23 66
90 Killeen-Temple, TX 57.2      136.2 -50 40
91 Fond du Lac, WI 57.1        48.3 9 100
92 Idaho Falls, ID 56.8        60.2 -28 64
93 Madera, CA 56.7        36.5 -3 90
94 Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA 55.9        59.8  
95 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 55.4      103.4 9 104
96 Redding, CA 54.9        63.1 5 101
97 Grand Forks, ND-MN 54.8        58.0 -15 82
98 Macon, GA 54.7      102.7 81 179
99 Mankato-North Mankato, MN 54.7        56.4 -43 56
100 Panama City, FL 54.4        78.4 9 109
101 Midland, MI 54.3        37.7  
102 Williamsport, PA 54.0        56.8 6 108
103 Punta Gorda, FL 53.8        44.6 -56 47
104 Kokomo, IN 53.6        40.7 -53 51
105 Ocean City, NJ 53.3        36.6 -60 45
106 Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA 53.2        52.7  
107 Grand Junction, CO 53.1        61.9 16 123
108 Monroe, MI 52.6        41.8 -39 69
109 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div. 52.3      147.6 34 143
110 Hattiesburg, MS 52.0        62.5 21 131
111 Flagstaff, AZ 51.9        64.3 -34 77
112 Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div. 51.2        96.2 16 128
113 Morgantown, WV 51.0        70.2 -64 49
114 Rapid City, SD 50.9        65.0 18 132
115 Jacksonville, NC 50.5        50.0 -32 83
116 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 50.3        97.6 -49 67
117 Ithaca, NY 49.7        70.6 -46 71
118 Jackson, TN 49.7        65.6 -2 116
119 Gainesville, FL 49.4      135.2 27 146
120 Lewiston, ID-WA 49.0        27.4 30 150
121 Appleton, WI 48.9      122.1 30 151
122 Pocatello, ID 48.2        35.2 40 162
123 Dover, DE 47.5        68.0 -44 79
124 Sherman-Denison, TX 47.5        45.6 -49 75
125 Battle Creek, MI 47.2        58.9 -49 76
126 Hammond, LA 47.2        44.7  
127 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 47.1        37.6 31 158
128 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 47.0        88.2 -37 91
129 Manhattan, KS 46.7        43.7 37 166
130 Eau Claire, WI 46.5        85.3 -33 97
131 Billings, MT 46.1        83.1 -47 84
132 Yakima, WA 46.0        80.5 -14 118
133 Sheboygan, WI 45.3        60.9 31 164
134 Greenville, NC 45.1        78.4 -84 50
135 Dalton, GA 44.8        67.7 98 233
136 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 44.1        83.6 -97 39
137 Wausau, WI 44.0        71.6 55 192
138 Abilene, TX 43.7        69.2 -31 107
139 Eugene, OR 43.1      149.7 -10 129
140 Albany, OR 42.7        41.1  
141 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 41.9        87.1 36 177
142 Owensboro, KY 41.7        52.6 -47 95
143 Kankakee, IL 41.6        45.2 -3 140
144 Valdosta, GA 41.3        55.5 23 167
145 Muskegon, MI 40.9        63.0 3 148
146 Gadsden, AL 40.8        37.6 3 149
147 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 40.7      103.4 -36 111
148 Sumter, SC 40.4        38.9 -49 99
149 Harrisonburg, VA 39.4        65.4 -28 121
150 Grand Island, NE 38.9        43.0  
151 Lawrence, KS 38.8        52.9 -27 124
152 Florence, SC 38.4        85.6 -38 114
153 Walla Walla, WA 38.4        27.1  
154 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 38.2        50.6 0 154
155 Amarillo, TX 37.9      117.4 -30 125
156 Rome, GA 37.6        40.4 32 188
157 Flint, MI 37.4      142.3 44 201
158 Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA 37.3        50.4 24 182
159 Springfield, OH 37.2        52.3 -81 78
160 Missoula, MT 36.3        57.6 -99 61
161 Hot Springs, AR 35.8        38.0 11 172
162 Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 35.7        43.2  
163 Morristown, TN 35.5        44.2 -4 159
164 Lebanon, PA 35.4        51.4 -77 87
165 Brunswick, GA 35.1        41.7 56 221
166 Rochester, MN 34.2      114.9 -56 110
167 Waco, TX 33.9      112.4 -30 137
168 Hinesville, GA 33.6        19.9 -27 141
169 St. Joseph, MO-KS 33.2        62.9 -73 96
170 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 32.9        95.1 -50 120
171 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 32.4        92.7 -35 136
172 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 32.3      122.2 17 189
173 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 31.9        56.4 -34 139
174 Jackson, MI 31.9        55.9 22 196
175 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 31.6        77.2 -102 73
176 State College, PA 31.4        77.3 -49 127
177 Joplin, MO 31.2        81.6 -74 103
178 Columbus, GA-AL 31.2      123.2 -31 147
179 New Bern, NC 31.0        44.1  
180 Duluth, MN-WI 30.9      134.0 -63 117
181 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 30.4      137.6 22 203
182 California-Lexington Park, MD 30.1        44.3  
183 Alexandria, LA 30.1        64.3 17 200
184 Las Cruces, NM 30.1        71.1 -72 112
185 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 29.9      141.0 35 220
186 Saginaw, MI 29.6        88.7 -31 155
187 Waterbury, CT NECTA 29.0        68.4 -34 153
188 Erie, PA 29.0      130.6 -2 186
189 Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div. 28.5        58.7  
190 Topeka, KS 28.3      111.6 -20 170
191 Johnson City, TN 28.2        78.6 22 213
192 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 27.8        46.6 10 202
193 Bloomington, IN 27.1        77.0 -41 152
194 Salisbury, MD-DE 25.7      142.3 0 194
195 Kingston, NY 25.7        60.9 -14 181
196 Cedar Rapids, IA 25.2      140.5 -31 165
197 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 25.1        41.4 0 197
198 Wheeling, WV-OH 25.0        69.1 -79 119
199 Warner Robins, GA 24.9        70.5 -39 160
200 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 24.7        60.2 -26 174
201 Bangor, ME NECTA 23.3        66.4 -45 156
202 Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div. 22.8      125.4 -33 169
203 Fort Smith, AR-OK 22.6      113.4 2 205
204 Champaign-Urbana, IL 22.6      108.7 -6 198
205 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 22.6      147.2 -6 199
206 Mansfield, OH 22.4        52.9 19 225
207 Santa Fe, NM 21.8        61.8 -27 180
208 Danville, IL 21.6        29.3 30 238
209 Glens Falls, NY 21.5        53.6 3 212
210 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL 21.4        44.7 -39 171
211 Altoona, PA 21.1        61.1 -18 193
212 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV 21.1        43.2 6 218
213 Springfield, IL 20.8      111.4 -23 190
214 Racine, WI 20.6        76.0 -8 206
215 Bay City, MI 20.6        37.4 -39 176
216 Great Falls, MT 20.4        35.5 -128 88
217 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 20.4        41.6  
218 Yuma, AZ 20.0        52.7 -40 178
219 Lynchburg, VA 19.8      103.7 -5 214
220 Fayetteville, NC 19.8      128.6 -57 163
221 Cumberland, MD-WV 19.5        39.9 -46 175
222 Staunton-Waynesboro, VA 18.4        48.6  
223 Monroe, LA 18.3        78.3 -81 142
224 Lawton, OK 18.0        45.4 -79 145
225 Fairbanks, AK 17.7        37.5 -90 135
226 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 17.0      141.5 -19 207
227 Elmira, NY 16.4        39.6 0 227
228 Muncie, IN 16.3        51.0 -44 184
229 Beckley, WV 16.1        47.3  
230 Dothan, AL 16.1        57.3 -13 217
231 Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Div. 15.6      142.4  
232 Carson City, NV 15.6        27.9 3 235
233 Lima, OH 15.3        52.6 -48 185
234 Albany, GA 15.2        61.6 -25 209
235 Homosassa Springs, FL 14.9        32.5  
236 Goldsboro, NC 14.4        42.6 -68 168
237 Texarkana, TX-AR 13.9        59.1 -21 216
238 Wichita Falls, TX 13.7        58.5 -10 228
239 Decatur, AL 13.0        53.8 -35 204
240 Jefferson City, MO 12.0        76.1 -29 211
241 Utica-Rome, NY 11.9      127.8 -26 215
242 Terre Haute, IN 11.7        70.8 -34 208
243 Bloomington, IL 11.2        94.4 -17 226
244 Charleston, WV 10.5      123.3 -15 229
245 Johnstown, PA 10.0        57.8 -22 223
246 Carbondale-Marion, IL 9.8        54.4  
247 Decatur, IL 9.7        50.8 -15 232
248 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 9.4        34.7  
249 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 9.4        41.9 -10 239
250 East Stroudsburg, PA 9.4        55.4  
251 Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA 9.2      127.5 -20 231
252 Binghamton, NY 8.8      105.7 -16 236
253 Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL 8.6        46.3 -23 230
254 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 6.9        42.9 -32 222
255 Rocky Mount, NC 6.3        57.7 -21 234
256 Pine Bluff, AR 3.7        33.9 -16 240
257 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 3.6      130.6 -20 237
258 Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 3.6        56.6 -34 224
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