Read about how we selected the 2016 Best Cities for Job Growth
| 2016 Mfg Ranking within Small MSAs | Area | Weighted INDEX | 2015 Mfg Emplmt (1000s) | Total Mfg Emplmt Growth Rate 2014-2015 | 2015 Mfg Ranking within Small MSAs | Overall Rank Change 2014-2015 |
| 1 | San Rafael, CA Metro Div | 99.4 | 4.2 | 13.64% | 4 | 3 |
| 2 | Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA | 95.7 | 8.2 | 9.38% | 32 | 30 |
| 3 | Lake Charles, LA | 95.6 | 10.8 | 7.64% | 83 | 80 |
| 4 | Idaho Falls, ID | 95.6 | 4.2 | 5.83% | 15 | 11 |
| 5 | Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 95.2 | 2.4 | 10.77% | 89 | 84 |
| 6 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 94.1 | 11.9 | 5.93% | 25 | 19 |
| 7 | Lewiston, ID-WA | 93.8 | 4.4 | 6.50% | 9 | 2 |
| 8 | Greeley, CO | 90.9 | 13.0 | 4.01% | 47 | 39 |
| 9 | Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | 90.1 | 8.1 | 12.56% | 11 | 2 |
| 10 | Columbus, IN | 88.4 | 19.5 | 2.27% | 12 | 2 |
| 11 | St. George, UT | 87.6 | 3.1 | 5.68% | 30 | 19 |
| 12 | Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 86.0 | 3.5 | 3.96% | 2 | (10) |
| 13 | Bowling Green, KY | 85.4 | 11.6 | 6.77% | 50 | 37 |
| 14 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 85.0 | 15.8 | 4.19% | 33 | 19 |
| 15 | Punta Gorda, FL | 84.4 | 0.8 | 13.64% | 76 | 61 |
| 16 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 84.0 | 9.7 | 4.66% | 49 | 33 |
| 17 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | 84.0 | 5.2 | 7.53% | 63 | 46 |
| 18 | Wenatchee, WA | 82.9 | 2.6 | 5.33% | 61 | 43 |
| 19 | Cleveland, TN | 82.7 | 9.8 | 9.70% | 109 | 90 |
| 20 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 82.3 | 60.5 | 2.54% | 19 | (1) |
| 21 | Muskegon, MI | 81.6 | 13.9 | 3.48% | 36 | 15 |
| 22 | Merced, CA | 81.5 | 9.8 | 13.95% | 8 | (14) |
| 23 | Bend-Redmond, OR | 81.2 | 5.0 | 6.43% | 18 | (5) |
| 24 | Kokomo, IN | 81.1 | 12.2 | 3.98% | 16 | (8) |
| 25 | Morgantown, WV | 81.0 | 4.6 | 1.47% | 41 | 16 |
| 26 | Medford, OR | 80.6 | 7.7 | 3.59% | 23 | (3) |
| 27 | Napa, CA | 79.3 | 11.9 | 4.08% | 22 | (5) |
| 28 | Flagstaff, AZ | 77.1 | 4.4 | 3.13% | 113 | 85 |
| 29 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 76.3 | 5.9 | 1.71% | 14 | (15) |
| 30 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 75.2 | 6.3 | 2.73% | 37 | 7 |
| 31 | Spartanburg, SC | 74.7 | 29.3 | 3.78% | 42 | 11 |
| 32 | Bellingham, WA | 74.4 | 9.5 | 3.65% | 55 | 23 |
| 33 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 74.3 | 7.0 | 0.48% | 38 | 5 |
| 34 | Waco, TX | 74.1 | 16.4 | 4.23% | 169 | 135 |
| 35 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 74.0 | 4.5 | 3.85% | 100 | 65 |
| 36 | Battle Creek, MI | 73.1 | 12.1 | 4.01% | 62 | 26 |
| 37 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 73.1 | 6.5 | 3.70% | 20 | (17) |
| 38 | Panama City, FL | 73.0 | 3.8 | 3.64% | 48 | 10 |
| 39 | Lima, OH | 73.0 | 9.3 | 4.51% | 43 | 4 |
| 40 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 72.9 | 17.6 | 1.54% | 28 | (12) |
| 41 | Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div | 72.8 | 9.5 | 1.78% | 96 | 55 |
| 42 | Grants Pass, OR | 72.3 | 3.0 | 2.27% | 6 | (36) |
| 43 | Visalia-Porterville, CA | 72.2 | 12.3 | 1.65% | 65 | 22 |
| 44 | Bay City, MI | 71.2 | 4.4 | 9.02% | 188 | 144 |
| 45 | Ocala, FL | 70.7 | 7.7 | 5.96% | 40 | (5) |
| 46 | Saginaw, MI | 68.9 | 12.5 | 5.04% | 75 | 29 |
| 47 | Jackson, MI | 68.8 | 9.7 | 0.69% | 24 | (23) |
| 48 | Gadsden, AL | 68.8 | 5.6 | 4.35% | 79 | 31 |
| 49 | Wausau, WI | 68.7 | 16.5 | 4.21% | 74 | 25 |
| 50 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | 67.9 | 7.4 | 2.79% | 31 | (19) |
| 51 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | 67.2 | 4.0 | 1.71% | 35 | (16) |
| 52 | Yakima, WA | 65.8 | 8.5 | 5.83% | 54 | 2 |
| 53 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | 64.6 | 6.7 | 0.00% | 13 | (40) |
| 54 | Prescott, AZ | 64.5 | 3.4 | 3.03% | 26 | (28) |
| 55 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 63.9 | 20.9 | 2.11% | 51 | (4) |
| 56 | Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA | 63.1 | 5.4 | 3.85% | 99 | 43 |
| 57 | Madera, CA | 62.4 | 3.7 | -0.89% | 1 | (56) |
| 58 | Abilene, TX | 62.2 | 2.9 | 2.33% | 102 | 44 |
| 59 | Walla Walla, WA | 62.1 | 3.6 | 1.87% | 103 | 44 |
| 60 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 62.0 | 2.5 | 2.78% | 92 | 32 |
| 61 | Appleton, WI | 61.7 | 23.8 | -0.56% | 46 | (15) |
| 62 | Barnstable Town, MA NECTA | 60.9 | 3.2 | 0.00% | 82 | 20 |
| 63 | Santa Fe, NM | 60.7 | 0.9 | 0.00% | 60 | (3) |
| 64 | Midland, TX | 60.6 | 3.6 | -11.48% | 5 | (59) |
| 65 | Topeka, KS | 59.3 | 7.4 | 2.76% | 146 | 81 |
| 66 | Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA | 58.8 | 16.0 | 6.68% | 153 | 87 |
| 67 | East Stroudsburg, PA | 58.8 | 4.9 | 4.23% | 172 | 105 |
| 68 | Grand Junction, CO | 58.6 | 2.9 | 3.61% | 81 | 13 |
| 69 | Dover, DE | 58.3 | 4.8 | 1.40% | 115 | 46 |
| 70 | Sherman-Denison, TX | 58.0 | 5.7 | 5.56% | 123 | 53 |
| 71 | College Station-Bryan, TX | 57.5 | 5.4 | 0.62% | 10 | (61) |
| 72 | Logan, UT-ID | 57.3 | 11.4 | 0.59% | 106 | 34 |
| 73 | Muncie, IN | 57.3 | 4.4 | 3.15% | 120 | 47 |
| 74 | Pittsfield, MA NECTA | 57.0 | 4.0 | 5.26% | 85 | 11 |
| 75 | Pueblo, CO | 56.5 | 4.5 | -2.86% | 7 | (68) |
| 76 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | 55.4 | 9.6 | 1.41% | 56 | (20) |
| 77 | Tyler, TX | 55.4 | 6.4 | 9.66% | 156 | 79 |
| 78 | Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 55.1 | 8.7 | 3.57% | 144 | 66 |
| 79 | San Angelo, TX | 55.0 | 3.4 | 0.99% | 108 | 29 |
| 80 | Fond du Lac, WI | 54.7 | 10.7 | -1.54% | 44 | (36) |
| 81 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 54.6 | 15.1 | -0.88% | 119 | 38 |
| 82 | Morristown, TN | 54.3 | 10.9 | 4.79% | 112 | 30 |
| 83 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 54.2 | 6.0 | 1.13% | 126 | 43 |
| 84 | Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 54.1 | 13.1 | 0.26% | 39 | (45) |
| 85 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 53.8 | 17.5 | 3.14% | 91 | 6 |
| 86 | Gainesville, FL | 53.7 | 4.5 | 5.47% | 181 | 95 |
| 87 | Gettysburg, PA | 53.5 | 6.9 | 1.48% | 52 | (35) |
| 88 | Dalton, GA | 52.7 | 23.7 | 4.10% | 73 | (15) |
| 89 | Bloomington, IN | 52.6 | 8.7 | 0.77% | 164 | 75 |
| 90 | Sheboygan, WI | 52.5 | 20.4 | 0.00% | 59 | (31) |
| 91 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 52.4 | 3.0 | 3.49% | 122 | 31 |
| 92 | Kankakee, IL | 52.3 | 5.6 | -4.02% | 45 | (47) |
| 93 | Albany, OR | 52.3 | 7.2 | 1.41% | 104 | 11 |
| 94 | Racine, WI | 51.8 | 18.6 | -2.27% | 87 | (7) |
| 95 | Olympia-Tumwater, WA | 51.6 | 3.2 | -4.90% | 71 | (24) |
| 96 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA | 51.5 | 5.3 | 1.27% | 94 | (2) |
| 97 | Jackson, TN | 51.3 | 10.1 | 3.05% | 134 | 37 |
| 98 | Monroe, MI | 51.1 | 5.5 | 1.23% | 21 | (77) |
| 99 | Rome, GA | 50.6 | 6.1 | 4.00% | 147 | 48 |
| 100 | Flint, MI | 50.3 | 12.0 | -1.90% | 34 | (66) |
| 101 | Salinas, CA | 50.1 | 5.5 | 2.50% | 179 | 78 |
| 102 | Charlottesville, VA | 49.9 | 3.9 | -0.84% | 95 | (7) |
| 103 | Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 49.7 | 9.4 | -4.10% | 29 | (74) |
| 104 | Rocky Mount, NC | 49.7 | 11.2 | 4.04% | 178 | 74 |
| 105 | Fargo, ND-MN | 49.5 | 9.9 | -3.90% | 69 | (36) |
| 106 | Altoona, PA | 49.3 | 7.7 | 1.32% | 157 | 51 |
| 107 | Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 48.8 | 1.2 | 0.00% | 53 | (54) |
| 108 | Yuba City, CA | 47.4 | 2.1 | 0.00% | 132 | 24 |
| 109 | Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div | 47.4 | 22.6 | 0.30% | 136 | 27 |
| 110 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 47.3 | 10.4 | 0.00% | 90 | (20) |
| 111 | Danville, IL | 46.7 | 5.1 | -2.53% | 57 | (54) |
| 112 | Burlington, NC | 46.6 | 9.0 | 1.51% | 98 | (14) |
| 113 | Pocatello, ID | 46.5 | 1.9 | 18.75% | 209 | 96 |
| 114 | Owensboro, KY | 46.3 | 8.4 | 0.00% | 114 | 0 |
| 115 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 46.2 | 20.3 | 0.16% | 150 | 35 |
| 116 | Mansfield, OH | 46.1 | 9.7 | 2.11% | 110 | (6) |
| 117 | Springfield, OH | 45.6 | 6.7 | -0.50% | 78 | (39) |
| 118 | Bismarck, ND | 45.3 | 2.0 | -1.67% | 72 | (46) |
| 119 | Charleston, WV | 45.3 | 3.5 | 0.00% | 145 | 26 |
| 120 | Yuma, AZ | 44.8 | 2.2 | -1.47% | 67 | (53) |
| 121 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 44.6 | 22.6 | 2.57% | 194 | 73 |
| 122 | Odessa, TX | 44.4 | 4.8 | -19.89% | 17 | (105) |
| 123 | Erie, PA | 43.9 | 22.0 | -1.64% | 111 | (12) |
| 124 | Elmira, NY | 43.7 | 5.3 | 1.91% | 195 | 71 |
| 125 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 43.1 | 39.7 | 0.51% | 97 | (28) |
| 126 | Utica-Rome, NY | 42.7 | 11.3 | 2.10% | 155 | 29 |
| 127 | Longview, WA | 42.7 | 6.4 | -1.55% | 70 | (57) |
| 128 | Eau Claire, WI | 42.3 | 10.4 | -0.63% | 130 | 2 |
| 129 | Hattiesburg, MS | 41.6 | 4.1 | 0.82% | 190 | 61 |
| 130 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 41.3 | 7.9 | 3.48% | 183 | 53 |
| 131 | Decatur, AL | 41.0 | 12.0 | 0.56% | 160 | 29 |
| 132 | Cheyenne, WY | 40.5 | 1.4 | 2.50% | 149 | 17 |
| 133 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | 40.3 | 8.2 | 0.00% | 143 | 10 |
| 134 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 39.6 | 7.7 | 0.43% | 128 | (6) |
| 135 | Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 39.4 | 5.9 | 0.00% | 135 | 0 |
| 136 | New Bedford, MA NECTA | 39.2 | 7.9 | 0.42% | 141 | 5 |
| 137 | Lubbock, TX | 39.1 | 4.9 | -2.00% | 137 | 0 |
| 138 | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 39.1 | 21.5 | -0.15% | 127 | (11) |
| 139 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 38.8 | 11.0 | -1.79% | 88 | (51) |
| 140 | Ithaca, NY | 38.8 | 3.4 | -1.94% | 64 | (76) |
| 141 | Redding, CA | 38.2 | 2.3 | 0.00% | 86 | (55) |
| 142 | Decatur, IL | 37.9 | 10.1 | -1.30% | 175 | 33 |
| 143 | Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div | 37.9 | 9.6 | 0.00% | 148 | 5 |
| 144 | Sumter, SC | 37.6 | 6.5 | -2.00% | 68 | (76) |
| 145 | St. Cloud, MN | 37.6 | 14.9 | -2.40% | 101 | (44) |
| 146 | Amarillo, TX | 36.6 | 12.8 | -2.30% | 162 | 16 |
| 147 | State College, PA | 36.2 | 4.0 | -1.64% | 163 | 16 |
| 148 | Glens Falls, NY | 36.2 | 6.0 | 0.56% | 180 | 32 |
| 149 | Joplin, MO | 35.9 | 13.0 | -0.26% | 158 | 9 |
| 150 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 35.7 | 8.4 | -1.57% | 138 | (12) |
| 151 | Killeen-Temple, TX | 35.6 | 7.3 | -1.80% | 121 | (30) |
| 152 | Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div | 34.2 | 5.5 | 0.00% | 129 | (23) |
| 153 | Chico, CA | 33.4 | 3.4 | -12.07% | 66 | (87) |
| 154 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 33.3 | 16.0 | -5.15% | 125 | (29) |
| 155 | Rapid City, SD | 32.6 | 2.8 | -6.74% | 105 | (50) |
| 156 | Lebanon, PA | 32.3 | 8.6 | -1.15% | 173 | 17 |
| 157 | Rochester, MN | 31.8 | 10.8 | 0.31% | 177 | 20 |
| 158 | Johnson City, TN | 31.2 | 7.6 | 0.88% | 140 | (18) |
| 159 | Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA | 31.1 | 6.3 | 0.53% | 176 | 17 |
| 160 | Terre Haute, IN | 31.0 | 10.8 | -2.40% | 170 | 10 |
| 161 | Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div | 30.9 | 4.6 | 0.00% | 196 | 35 |
| 162 | Greenville, NC | 30.6 | 6.1 | -3.17% | 84 | (78) |
| 163 | Fairbanks, AK | 30.6 | 0.6 | -5.56% | 197 | 34 |
| 164 | Lynchburg, VA | 30.2 | 14.5 | 0.93% | 151 | (13) |
| 165 | Albany, GA | 29.5 | 4.3 | 0.00% | 166 | 1 |
| 166 | Texarkana, TX-AR | 29.1 | 5.3 | -0.63% | 152 | (14) |
| 167 | Waterbury, CT NECTA | 28.5 | 7.6 | 0.00% | 187 | 20 |
| 168 | Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div | 28.3 | 19.6 | -0.34% | 174 | 6 |
| 169 | Johnstown, PA | 28.2 | 3.9 | -0.84% | 193 | 24 |
| 170 | Carson City, NV | 28.0 | 2.6 | -3.70% | 161 | (9) |
| 171 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 27.1 | 2.1 | 0.00% | 185 | 14 |
| 172 | Kingston, NY | 27.1 | 3.4 | 0.00% | 116 | (56) |
| 173 | Bangor, ME NECTA | 27.0 | 2.4 | 0.00% | 203 | 30 |
| 174 | Victoria, TX | 26.5 | 2.5 | -5.13% | 165 | (9) |
| 175 | Springfield, IL | 26.2 | 2.9 | -4.35% | 171 | (4) |
| 176 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA | 25.7 | 13.2 | -2.46% | 191 | 15 |
| 177 | Lawton, OK | 24.9 | 3.5 | -3.64% | 133 | (44) |
| 178 | Columbus, GA-AL | 24.6 | 10.2 | -5.85% | 93 | (85) |
| 179 | Wilmington, NC | 24.1 | 5.7 | -1.72% | 198 | 19 |
| 180 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 23.5 | 0.5 | 0.00% | 189 | 9 |
| 181 | Casper, WY | 23.4 | 1.6 | -11.11% | 117 | (64) |
| 182 | Williamsport, PA | 22.9 | 7.9 | 0.42% | 182 | 0 |
| 183 | Monroe, LA | 22.5 | 6.6 | -2.96% | 124 | (59) |
| 184 | Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Div | 22.4 | 10.7 | 1.26% | 202 | 18 |
| 185 | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 21.8 | 1.8 | -16.92% | 3 | (182) |
| 186 | Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div | 21.3 | 5.8 | -5.46% | 118 | (68) |
| 187 | Duluth, MN-WI | 21.0 | 6.7 | -9.87% | 159 | (28) |
| 188 | Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 19.4 | 5.4 | -4.68% | 168 | (20) |
| 189 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | 19.1 | 17.7 | -2.74% | 131 | (58) |
| 190 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 17.9 | 5.4 | 0.00% | 192 | 2 |
| 191 | Wichita Falls, TX | 17.1 | 5.0 | -4.46% | 186 | (5) |
| 192 | Longview, TX | 17.0 | 9.6 | -10.87% | 107 | (85) |
| 193 | Wheeling, WV-OH | 15.8 | 3.0 | -2.15% | 200 | 7 |
| 194 | Manchester, NH NECTA | 15.7 | 7.5 | -3.86% | 167 | (27) |
| 195 | Corvallis, OR | 15.5 | 2.9 | -3.33% | 184 | (11) |
| 196 | Bloomington, IL | 14.8 | 4.3 | -10.42% | 142 | (54) |
| 197 | Binghamton, NY | 13.0 | 11.4 | -1.16% | 208 | 11 |
| 198 | Fayetteville, NC | 12.3 | 7.7 | -2.53% | 204 | 6 |
| 199 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 12.0 | 3.5 | 0.00% | 206 | 7 |
| 200 | Dothan, AL | 11.0 | 4.3 | -3.03% | 205 | 5 |
| 201 | Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div | 10.3 | 7.1 | -8.19% | 154 | (47) |
| 202 | Laredo, TX | 8.2 | 0.7 | -8.70% | 201 | (1) |
| 203 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 8.0 | 2.7 | -8.99% | 199 | (4) |
| 204 | El Centro, CA | 7.6 | 1.0 | -3.23% | 210 | 6 |
| 205 | Las Cruces, NM | 7.0 | 2.3 | -6.67% | 207 | 2 |
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