2008 Best-Performing Cities
Smallest Metros
2008 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities  
The 2008 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index ranks U.S. metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. The components include job, wage and salary, and technology growth. In most years, these give a good indication of the underlying structural performance of regional economics.

Click on any of the links across the top to re-rank the metros by that category.
MSA = metropolitan statistical area
MD = metropolitan division
Footnotes  *1 | *2 | *3 | *4 | *5 | *6 | *7 | *8 | *9       

   
Biggest Gainers
Spots Climbed 2008 Rank 2007 Rank Smallest Metros
87  43  130  Pueblo, CO MSA  
83  57  140  Burlington, NC MSA  
80  97  177  Niles-Benton Harbor, MI MSA  
77  75  152  Janesville, WI MSA  
75  51  126  Florence, SC MSA  
71  79  150  Decatur, AL MSA  
67  82  149  Bangor, ME MSA  
67  14  81  Santa Fe, NM MSA  
65  69  134  Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA MSA  
64  45  109  Pascagoula, MS MSA  
Biggest Decliners
Spots Declined 2008 Rank 2007 Rank Smallest Metros
-42  63  21  Flagstaff, AZ MSA  
-22  62  40  Missoula, MT MSA  
-20  36  16  Harrisonburg, VA MSA  
-18  41  23  Salisbury, MD MSA  
-17  30  13  Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL MSA  
-16  21  Winchester, VA-WV MSA  
-16  44  28  Laredo, TX MSA  
-15  54  39  Dubuque, IA MSA  
-13  39  26  Medford, OR MSA  
-12  32  20  Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL MSA  
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