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 Mfg Rank - Small MSAs | Area | Weighted INDEX | 2014 Mfg Emplmt (1000s) | Total Mfg Emplmt Growth Rate 2013-2014 | Total Mfg Emplmt Cum Growth 2009-2014 |
2015 Overall Mfg Rank |
| 1 | Madera, CA | 74.4 | 4.6 | 10.3% | 59.8% | 1 |
| 2 | Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 74.0 | 3.5 | 10.5% | 40.0% | 2 |
| 3 | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 71.3 | 2.1 | 4.9% | 39.1% | 3 |
| 4 | San Rafael, CA Metro Div | 70.5 | 3.8 | 17.7% | 76.6% | 4 |
| 5 | Midland, TX | 68.9 | 4.1 | 8.8% | 72.2% | 5 |
| 6 | Grants Pass, OR | 68.6 | 2.9 | 19.2% | 26.1% | 6 |
| 7 | Pueblo, CO | 68.4 | 4.8 | 7.5% | 22.2% | 7 |
| 8 | Merced, CA | 68.3 | 10.7 | 26.8% | 35.3% | 8 |
| 9 | Lewiston, ID-WA | 67.7 | 4.1 | 2.5% | 40.9% | 9 |
| 10 | College Station-Bryan, TX | 67.2 | 6.2 | 10.7% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 11 | Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | 66.4 | 7.3 | 10.7% | 42.5% | 11 |
| 12 | Columbus, IN | 65.5 | 19.2 | 7.4% | 43.2% | 12 |
| 13 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | 65.1 | 6.6 | 5.9% | 19.3% | 13 |
| 14 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 65.0 | 6.1 | 7.6% | 26.9% | 14 |
| 15 | Idaho Falls, ID | 64.1 | 3.9 | 4.5% | 34.9% | 15 |
| 16 | Kokomo, IN | 63.3 | 11.6 | 4.8% | 42.6% | 17 |
| 17 | Odessa, TX | 63.0 | 5.8 | 7.4% | 46.2% | 18 |
| 18 | Bend-Redmond, OR | 60.9 | 4.5 | 5.4% | 24.8% | 21 |
| 19 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 60.8 | 57.8 | 3.9% | 41.9% | 22 |
| 20 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 60.5 | 6.4 | 6.0% | 23.7% | 23 |
| 21 | Monroe, MI | 60.3 | 5.6 | 8.4% | 28.5% | 24 |
| 22 | Napa, CA | 59.9 | 12.3 | 8.5% | 17.9% | 25 |
| 23 | Medford, OR | 59.6 | 7.6 | 6.1% | 24.0% | 27 |
| 24 | Jackson, MI | 59.5 | 9.6 | 4.0% | 33.8% | 28 |
| 25 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 58.9 | 11.1 | 7.4% | 16.0% | 29 |
| 26 | Prescott, AZ | 58.7 | 3.3 | 1.0% | 31.6% | 30 |
| 27 | Fort Collins, CO | 58.5 | 12.6 | 7.1% | 20.4% | 31 |
| 28 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 58.5 | 17.3 | 4.4% | 26.7% | 32 |
| 29 | Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 57.5 | 10.0 | 3.1% | 31.4% | 34 |
| 30 | St. George, UT | 57.2 | 2.8 | 3.7% | 25.4% | 36 |
| 31 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | 57.2 | 7.7 | 7.5% | 15.6% | 37 |
| 32 | Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA | 57.1 | 7.6 | 3.2% | 21.2% | 38 |
| 33 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 57.1 | 15.2 | 8.9% | 12.9% | 39 |
| 34 | Flint, MI | 56.4 | 12.5 | 4.5% | 31.2% | 42 |
| 35 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | 56.3 | 4.0 | 8.1% | 11.1% | 43 |
| 36 | Muskegon, MI | 56.2 | 13.2 | 3.9% | 33.8% | 44 |
| 37 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 55.9 | 6.0 | 2.3% | 24.3% | 45 |
| 38 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 55.2 | 6.9 | 6.2% | 19.7% | 47 |
| 39 | Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 54.1 | 13.1 | 4.3% | 17.0% | 51 |
| 40 | Ocala, FL | 53.7 | 7.4 | 6.7% | 13.8% | 53 |
| 41 | Morgantown, WV | 53.5 | 4.5 | 3.1% | 21.6% | 54 |
| 42 | Spartanburg, SC | 52.5 | 28.4 | 5.3% | 16.6% | 59 |
| 43 | Lima, OH | 52.3 | 8.8 | 5.6% | 11.9% | 61 |
| 44 | Fond du Lac, WI | 52.2 | 11.1 | 0.9% | 28.2% | 62 |
| 45 | Kankakee, IL | 52.1 | 5.8 | -0.6% | 27.7% | 63 |
| 46 | Appleton, WI | 52.1 | 24.1 | 4.8% | 17.2% | 64 |
| 47 | Greeley, CO | 52.1 | 12.0 | 4.6% | 17.2% | 65 |
| 48 | Panama City, FL | 51.8 | 3.7 | 0.9% | 16.7% | 67 |
| 49 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 51.3 | 9.3 | -3.1% | 31.8% | 70 |
| 50 | Bowling Green, KY | 51.1 | 10.5 | 3.3% | 20.7% | 71 |
| 51 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 50.6 | 20.4 | 4.3% | 11.9% | 74 |
| 52 | Gettysburg, PA | 50.5 | 6.9 | 4.0% | 12.4% | 75 |
| 53 | Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 50.4 | 1.2 | 0.0% | 20.0% | 76 |
| 54 | Yakima, WA | 49.9 | 8.4 | 4.1% | 16.7% | 79 |
| 55 | Bellingham, WA | 49.6 | 9.3 | 2.2% | 22.5% | 82 |
| 56 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | 49.0 | 9.4 | 2.9% | 17.1% | 86 |
| 57 | Danville, IL | 48.6 | 5.3 | 12.9% | 9.0% | 88 |
| 58 | Sioux Falls, SD | 48.5 | 13.9 | 3.0% | 17.2% | 90 |
| 59 | Sheboygan, WI | 48.5 | 20.5 | 2.7% | 11.2% | 92 |
| 60 | Santa Fe, NM | 47.8 | 0.9 | 4.0% | 8.3% | 94 |
| 61 | Wenatchee, WA | 47.5 | 2.5 | 1.4% | 17.5% | 97 |
| 62 | Battle Creek, MI | 47.5 | 11.5 | 3.0% | 12.1% | 98 |
| 63 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | 47.2 | 4.9 | -3.3% | 21.7% | 99 |
| 64 | Ithaca, NY | 47.0 | 3.5 | 2.0% | 16.9% | 100 |
| 65 | Visalia-Porterville, CA | 47.0 | 12.2 | 5.2% | 8.0% | 101 |
| 66 | Chico, CA | 47.0 | 3.8 | 4.5% | 15.0% | 102 |
| 67 | Yuma, AZ | 46.8 | 2.2 | 1.5% | 31.4% | 104 |
| 68 | Sumter, SC | 46.6 | 6.6 | 3.1% | 8.2% | 105 |
| 69 | Fargo, ND-MN | 45.6 | 10.3 | 1.0% | 19.8% | 109 |
| 70 | Longview, WA | 45.4 | 6.5 | 2.1% | 12.0% | 110 |
| 71 | Olympia-Tumwater, WA | 45.4 | 3.3 | 4.2% | 7.6% | 111 |
| 72 | Bismarck, ND | 45.4 | 2.0 | 5.2% | -1.6% | 112 |
| 73 | Dalton, GA | 44.8 | 23.2 | 7.2% | -1.7% | 115 |
| 74 | Wausau, WI | 44.8 | 15.6 | 3.1% | 7.3% | 116 |
| 75 | Saginaw, MI | 44.8 | 11.9 | -0.8% | 27.1% | 117 |
| 76 | Punta Gorda, FL | 44.6 | 0.7 | 0.0% | 40.0% | 119 |
| 77 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 44.5 | 4.6 | 3.7% | 8.6% | 122 |
| 78 | Springfield, OH | 44.3 | 6.7 | 2.0% | 10.5% | 124 |
| 79 | Gadsden, AL | 44.0 | 5.2 | 4.7% | 8.3% | 126 |
| 80 | Eugene, OR | 43.6 | 13.0 | 1.8% | 8.9% | 129 |
| 81 | Grand Junction, CO | 43.2 | 2.8 | 1.2% | 12.0% | 134 |
| 82 | Barnstable Town, MA NECTA | 42.6 | 3.0 | 1.1% | 9.6% | 138 |
| 83 | Lake Charles, LA | 42.1 | 9.4 | 2.9% | 5.2% | 140 |
| 84 | Greenville, NC | 41.6 | 6.8 | 3.0% | 13.4% | 142 |
| 85 | Pittsfield, MA NECTA | 41.6 | 3.9 | 6.4% | 0.0% | 143 |
| 86 | Redding, CA | 41.3 | 2.3 | 1.5% | 1.5% | 148 |
| 87 | Racine, WI | 41.2 | 18.8 | 0.7% | 16.0% | 149 |
| 88 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 40.7 | 11.5 | 3.6% | 4.9% | 152 |
| 89 | Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 40.6 | 2.1 | 0.0% | 10.5% | 153 |
| 90 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 40.4 | 10.1 | 3.1% | 9.4% | 154 |
| 91 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 40.2 | 17.1 | 3.6% | 7.6% | 157 |
| 92 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 40.2 | 2.4 | 6.0% | 0.0% | 158 |
| 93 | Columbus, GA-AL | 40.2 | 10.8 | -0.9% | 16.9% | 159 |
| 94 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA | 40.1 | 5.2 | 4.0% | 1.3% | 161 |
| 95 | Charlottesville, VA | 40.0 | 3.8 | 4.6% | 0.0% | 162 |
| 96 | Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div | 39.9 | 9.1 | 0.4% | 9.7% | 163 |
| 97 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 39.8 | 39.0 | 2.4% | 5.2% | 164 |
| 98 | Burlington, NC | 39.7 | 8.7 | 5.2% | 4.0% | 165 |
| 99 | Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA | 39.4 | 5.2 | 1.3% | 7.6% | 168 |
| 100 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 39.0 | 4.2 | 0.8% | 5.0% | 170 |
| 101 | St. Cloud, MN | 38.9 | 15.3 | 2.0% | 7.5% | 171 |
| 102 | Abilene, TX | 38.8 | 2.9 | 3.6% | -1.1% | 173 |
| 103 | Walla Walla, WA | 38.6 | 3.6 | 0.9% | 9.2% | 174 |
| 104 | Albany, OR | 38.4 | 7.0 | 1.4% | 5.0% | 176 |
| 105 | Rapid City, SD | 38.3 | 2.8 | -1.2% | 13.5% | 177 |
| 106 | Logan, UT-ID | 38.2 | 11.3 | 1.8% | 6.9% | 178 |
| 107 | Longview, TX | 38.1 | 10.5 | 6.8% | -0.6% | 180 |
| 108 | San Angelo, TX | 38.0 | 3.5 | 9.4% | 2.9% | 181 |
| 109 | Cleveland, TN | 38.0 | 8.9 | -2.9% | 18.7% | 182 |
| 110 | Mansfield, OH | 37.9 | 9.6 | 1.4% | 9.1% | 184 |
| 111 | Erie, PA | 37.8 | 22.2 | 1.1% | 14.7% | 185 |
| 112 | Morristown, TN | 37.6 | 10.3 | 1.0% | 0.0% | 187 |
| 113 | Flagstaff, AZ | 37.4 | 4.2 | 0.8% | 15.5% | 189 |
| 114 | Owensboro, KY | 36.5 | 8.5 | 1.2% | 7.2% | 194 |
| 115 | Dover, DE | 36.4 | 4.8 | 1.4% | 3.6% | 195 |
| 116 | Kingston, NY | 36.3 | 3.5 | 4.0% | -1.9% | 197 |
| 117 | Casper, WY | 36.0 | 1.8 | 0.0% | 17.0% | 201 |
| 118 | Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div | 35.6 | 6.2 | 1.1% | 1.6% | 205 |
| 119 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 35.5 | 15.2 | 1.3% | 1.3% | 206 |
| 120 | Muncie, IN | 34.4 | 4.2 | 0.8% | 9.6% | 212 |
| 121 | Killeen-Temple, TX | 34.0 | 7.4 | 0.9% | 1.8% | 216 |
| 122 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 33.8 | 2.8 | 2.4% | 0.0% | 219 |
| 123 | Sherman-Denison, TX | 33.5 | 5.4 | 1.9% | 5.9% | 221 |
| 124 | Monroe, LA | 33.4 | 6.8 | 1.0% | 3.0% | 222 |
| 125 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 32.9 | 17.3 | -1.7% | 12.1% | 224 |
| 126 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 32.9 | 5.8 | 3.0% | 0.0% | 225 |
| 127 | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 32.9 | 21.6 | 1.4% | 4.7% | 226 |
| 128 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 32.8 | 7.6 | 1.8% | 5.6% | 227 |
| 129 | Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div | 32.8 | 5.5 | 0.0% | -0.6% | 228 |
| 130 | Eau Claire, WI | 32.7 | 10.4 | 0.0% | 6.8% | 229 |
| 131 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | 32.1 | 18.2 | 2.4% | -8.5% | 235 |
| 132 | Yuba City, CA | 32.0 | 2.1 | 0.0% | 8.6% | 236 |
| 133 | Lawton, OK | 31.8 | 3.6 | 0.0% | 0.9% | 238 |
| 134 | Jackson, TN | 31.8 | 9.7 | 1.4% | -1.0% | 239 |
| 135 | Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 31.6 | 5.9 | 1.1% | -0.6% | 240 |
| 136 | Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div | 31.5 | 22.2 | 0.3% | 1.5% | 241 |
| 137 | Lubbock, TX | 31.0 | 4.9 | 2.8% | 0.7% | 243 |
| 138 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 30.8 | 8.5 | -1.2% | 5.8% | 245 |
| 139 | Salisbury, MD-DE | 30.6 | 14.2 | 1.2% | -2.1% | 248 |
| 140 | Johnson City, TN | 30.6 | 7.6 | 3.2% | -3.8% | 249 |
| 141 | New Bedford, MA NECTA | 30.5 | 7.9 | 3.5% | 0.9% | 251 |
| 142 | Bloomington, IL | 29.8 | 4.8 | -2.0% | 7.5% | 254 |
| 143 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | 29.8 | 8.1 | 1.3% | 2.1% | 256 |
| 144 | Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 29.4 | 8.3 | 0.4% | -0.4% | 259 |
| 145 | Charleston, WV | 29.1 | 3.4 | -1.0% | -1.9% | 261 |
| 146 | Topeka, KS | 28.9 | 7.1 | 0.9% | 2.9% | 264 |
| 147 | Rome, GA | 28.8 | 5.7 | 1.8% | -7.6% | 265 |
| 148 | Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div | 27.5 | 9.4 | -0.7% | 1.4% | 273 |
| 149 | Cheyenne, WY | 27.3 | 1.4 | -2.4% | -6.8% | 275 |
| 150 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 27.3 | 20.1 | 0.5% | -0.2% | 276 |
| 151 | Lynchburg, VA | 27.2 | 14.6 | 0.0% | -0.9% | 277 |
| 152 | Texarkana, TX-AR | 27.2 | 5.3 | 1.3% | -1.3% | 278 |
| 153 | Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA | 27.1 | 14.8 | -0.2% | -2.8% | 279 |
| 154 | Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div | 26.7 | 7.7 | -0.9% | -0.9% | 281 |
| 155 | Utica-Rome, NY | 26.5 | 11.1 | -0.9% | -2.1% | 282 |
| 156 | Tyler, TX | 26.5 | 5.6 | 1.8% | -17.2% | 283 |
| 157 | Altoona, PA | 26.3 | 7.5 | -1.7% | 2.3% | 284 |
| 158 | Joplin, MO | 26.3 | 12.8 | 1.1% | -5.4% | 285 |
| 159 | Duluth, MN-WI | 26.0 | 7.1 | -1.8% | 6.5% | 286 |
| 160 | Decatur, AL | 26.0 | 11.9 | -2.2% | 0.0% | 287 |
| 161 | Carson City, NV | 25.8 | 2.6 | -3.7% | 2.7% | 289 |
| 162 | Amarillo, TX | 25.0 | 13.1 | -1.8% | 1.0% | 294 |
| 163 | State College, PA | 24.9 | 3.9 | -1.7% | 3.5% | 295 |
| 164 | Bloomington, IN | 24.8 | 8.6 | 0.4% | 1.6% | 296 |
| 165 | Victoria, TX | 24.8 | 2.6 | 0.0% | 1.3% | 297 |
| 166 | Albany, GA | 24.3 | 4.3 | 0.0% | -4.4% | 298 |
| 167 | Manchester, NH NECTA | 23.8 | 7.7 | -0.9% | -3.3% | 301 |
| 168 | Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 23.8 | 5.6 | -2.9% | 0.6% | 302 |
| 169 | Waco, TX | 23.3 | 14.4 | -2.7% | 0.9% | 304 |
| 170 | Terre Haute, IN | 23.2 | 10.9 | -4.1% | 6.2% | 306 |
| 171 | Springfield, IL | 22.9 | 3.0 | 0.0% | -8.2% | 307 |
| 172 | East Stroudsburg, PA | 22.8 | 4.6 | 0.7% | -9.2% | 309 |
| 173 | Lebanon, PA | 22.6 | 8.7 | -3.7% | 2.3% | 311 |
| 174 | Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div | 22.4 | 19.7 | 0.3% | -6.6% | 314 |
| 175 | Decatur, IL | 22.3 | 10.1 | 0.0% | 0.3% | 315 |
| 176 | Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA | 21.8 | 6.1 | -0.5% | -10.7% | 318 |
| 177 | Rochester, MN | 21.4 | 10.7 | 0.0% | -2.7% | 321 |
| 178 | Rocky Mount, NC | 20.0 | 10.2 | -1.6% | -7.0% | 323 |
| 179 | Salinas, CA | 19.8 | 5.0 | -3.2% | -5.6% | 325 |
| 180 | Glens Falls, NY | 19.1 | 6.0 | -1.1% | -4.8% | 329 |
| 181 | Gainesville, FL | 19.0 | 4.2 | -0.8% | -3.8% | 330 |
| 182 | Williamsport, PA | 18.6 | 8.0 | -1.2% | -9.1% | 331 |
| 183 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 18.5 | 7.5 | -3.0% | -6.7% | 332 |
| 184 | Corvallis, OR | 18.4 | 3.0 | 0.0% | -12.7% | 333 |
| 185 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 16.9 | 2.0 | 0.0% | -10.3% | 338 |
| 186 | Wichita Falls, TX | 16.7 | 5.1 | -3.7% | -3.7% | 339 |
| 187 | Waterbury, CT NECTA | 16.3 | 7.3 | -6.0% | -3.1% | 340 |
| 188 | Bay City, MI | 16.2 | 3.8 | -3.4% | -5.0% | 342 |
| 189 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 16.1 | 0.5 | -6.3% | -11.8% | 343 |
| 190 | Hattiesburg, MS | 15.8 | 4.0 | -2.4% | -4.8% | 345 |
| 191 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA | 15.5 | 13.4 | -3.1% | -5.0% | 346 |
| 192 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 15.2 | 5.5 | -3.5% | -12.8% | 348 |
| 193 | Johnstown, PA | 14.6 | 3.8 | -1.7% | -14.3% | 350 |
| 194 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 14.2 | 22.0 | -2.4% | -7.4% | 352 |
| 195 | Elmira, NY | 13.8 | 5.1 | 0.0% | -11.0% | 354 |
| 196 | Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div | 13.4 | 4.5 | -3.6% | -7.5% | 356 |
| 197 | Fairbanks, AK | 10.6 | 0.5 | -21.1% | -11.8% | 358 |
| 198 | Wilmington, NC | 10.6 | 5.7 | -3.9% | -14.9% | 359 |
| 199 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 9.9 | 3.0 | -4.3% | -16.0% | 360 |
| 200 | Wheeling, WV-OH | 9.7 | 3.0 | -5.3% | -16.7% | 363 |
| 201 | Laredo, TX | 9.2 | 0.7 | -12.5% | -12.5% | 364 |
| 202 | Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Div | 7.8 | 10.4 | -4.3% | -19.1% | 365 |
| 203 | Bangor, ME NECTA | 7.1 | 2.4 | -4.1% | -25.3% | 366 |
| 204 | Fayetteville, NC | 6.9 | 7.9 | -5.6% | -18.5% | 367 |
| 205 | Dothan, AL | 6.9 | 4.3 | -7.9% | -23.7% | 368 |
| 206 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 6.7 | 3.5 | -8.7% | -22.8% | 369 |
| 207 | Las Cruces, NM | 6.4 | 2.5 | -7.5% | -17.8% | 370 |
| 208 | Binghamton, NY | 5.3 | 11.6 | -2.8% | -21.3% | 371 |
| 209 | Pocatello, ID | 0.2 | 1.5 | -16.4% | -28.1% | 372 |
| 210 | El Centro, CA | 0.0 | 1.0 | -56.5% | -61.5% | 373 |
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