Best-Performing Cities 1 - 25
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
1
14
San Antonio, TX MSA
2
9
El Paso, TX MSA
3
50
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA
4
2
Austin-Round Rock, TX MSA
5
1
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX MSA
6
49
Salt Lake City, UT MSA
7
8
Anchorage, AK MSA
8
3
Huntsville, AL MSA
9
25
Provo-Orem, UT MSA
10
5
Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA MSA
11
19
Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA
12
22
Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA MD
13
28
Cedar Rapids, IA MSA
14
7
Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA
15
53
Ogden-Clearfield, UT MSA
16
10
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX MSA
17
6
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MD
18
4
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA
19
93
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR MSA
20
17
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX MD
21
20
Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, MD MD
22
46
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA MSA
23
31
Madison, WI MSA
24
23
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MD
25
24
Lubbock, TX MSA
Best-Performing Cities 26 - 50
26
43
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO MSA
27
37
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA MD
28
13
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA
29
45
Columbus, GA-AL MSA
30
39
Clarksville, TN-KY MSA
31
30
Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA
32
94
York-Hanover, PA MSA
33
15
Durham, NC MSA
34
59
Mobile, AL MSA
35
54
Lincoln, NE MSA
36
18
Fayetteville, NC MSA
37
32
Pittsburgh, PA MSA
38
34
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA
39
12
Trenton-Ewing, NJ MSA
40
75
Peabody, MA MD
41
129
Worcester, MA MSA
42
84
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN MSA
43
55
Honolulu, HI MSA
44
63
Denver-Aurora, CO MSA
45
100
Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA
46
29
Corpus Christi, TX MSA
47
27
Bakersfield, CA MSA
48
61
Charleston, WV MSA
49
83
Philadelphia, PA MD
50
21
Oklahoma City, OK MSA
Best-Performing Cities 51 - 75
51
132
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA
52
103
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA MD
53
42
Boston-Quincy, MA MD
54
35
Lynchburg, VA MSA
55
108
Columbus, OH MSA
56
57
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA
57
127
Springfield, MA MSA
58
92
Knoxville, TN MSA
59
56
Boulder, CO MSA
60
67
Springfield, MO MSA
61
58
Utica-Rome, NY MSA
62
101
Greeley, CO MSA
63
168
Merced, CA MSA
64
47
Tacoma, WA MD
65
107
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA MSA
66
95
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ MSA
67
16
Amarillo, TX MSA
68
87
Peoria, IL MSA
69
76
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA MSA
70
40
Savannah, GA MSA
71
89
Rochester, NY MSA
72
69
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA
73
116
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA
74
140
Evansville, IN-KY MSA
75
48
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ MD
Best-Performing Cities 76 - 100
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
76
51
Wilmington, NC MSA
77
71
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA
78
137
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME MSA
79
144
Reading, PA MSA
80
74
Spokane, WA MSA
81
99
Colorado Springs, CO MSA
82
81
Rockingham County-Strafford County, NH MD
83
33
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA
84
52
Nassau-Suffolk, NY MD
85
106
Asheville, NC MSA
86
38
Tulsa, OK MSA
87
82
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY MSA
88
73
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH MSA
89
26
Baton Rouge, LA MSA
90
44
St. Louis, MO-IL MSA
91
68
Salem, OR MSA
92
80
Syracuse, NY MSA
93
11
Lafayette, LA MSA
94
64
Albuquerque, NM MSA
95
96
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA
96
98
Orlando-Kissimmee, FL MSA
97
85
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA
98
66
Jackson, MS MSA
99
138
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA MSA
100
86
Gainesville, FL MSA
Best-Performing Cities 101 - 125
101
123
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA MSA
102
115
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA MSA
103
114
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA
104
72
Wichita, KS MSA
105
36
Olympia, WA MSA
106
41
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA
107
104
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA
108
78
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA
109
131
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA MSA
110
175
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA MSA
111
121
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA
112
77
Tucson, AZ MSA
113
136
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC MSA
114
62
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC MSA
115
65
Columbia, SC MSA
116
113
Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA
117
133
Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA
118
122
Duluth, MN-WI MSA
119
79
Richmond, VA MSA
120
97
Montgomery, AL MSA
121
112
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN MSA
122
91
Norwich-New London, CT MSA
123
139
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI MSA
124
180
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA
125
134
Edison, NJ MD
Best-Performing Cities 126 - 150
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
126
88
Tallahassee, FL MSA
127
143
Fort Wayne, IN MSA
128
125
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC MSA
129
105
Roanoke, VA MSA
130
154
Boise City-Nampa, ID MSA
131
135
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA
132
161
Ann Arbor, MI MSA
133
147
Erie, PA MSA
134
120
Jacksonville, FL MSA
135
158
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA MD
136
117
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ MSA
137
60
Kansas City, MO-KS MSA
138
141
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN MSA
139
109
Camden, NJ MD
140
149
Port St. Lucie, FL MSA
141
151
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL MD
142
128
Salinas, CA MSA
143
118
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA
144
142
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA MSA
145
126
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA MSA
146
124
Fresno, CA MSA
147
171
Akron, OH MSA
148
199
Holland-Grand Haven, MI MSA
149
145
Lancaster, PA MSA
150
157
Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA
Best-Performing Cities 151 - 175
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
151
70
Visalia-Porterville, CA MSA
152
152
Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI MD
153
155
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA
154
163
Newark-Union, NJ-PA MD
155
176
Greensboro-High Point, NC MSA
156
148
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL MD
157
102
Green Bay, WI MSA
158
90
Manchester-Nashua, NH MSA
159
179
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI MSA
160
150
Fort Smith, AR-OK MSA
161
185
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA
162
146
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA
163
198
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI MD
164
119
Winston-Salem, NC MSA
165
172
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA MD
166
169
Dayton, OH MSA
167
188
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA
168
178
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA MD
169
111
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT MSA
170
153
New Haven-Milford, CT MSA
171
195
Toledo, OH MSA
172
156
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL MD
173
170
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI MSA
174
193
Modesto, CA MSA
175
110
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV MSA
Best-Performing Cities 176 - 175
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
176
183
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH MSA
177
190
Rockford, IL MSA
178
192
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA MSA
179
182
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL MD
180
174
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL MSA
181
162
Spartanburg, SC MSA
182
177
Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA
183
159
Ocala, FL MSA
184
160
Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA
185
165
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ MD
186
167
Lakeland, FL MSA
187
186
Stockton, CA MSA
188
181
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI MSA
189
197
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA
190
191
Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL MSA
191
166
Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA
192
194
Canton-Massillon, OH MSA
193
189
Naples-Marco Island, FL MSA
194
200
Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI MD
195
130
Gary, IN MD
196
184
Flint, MI MSA
197
164
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA
198
173
Atlantic City, NJ MSA
199
196
Reno-Sparks, NV MSA
200
187
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA
The 2011 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. The full report can be downloaded here .
2011 Best-Performing Cities
FusionMaps.
Click here for a printable view
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
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
105
63
168
Merced, CA MSA
88
41
129
Worcester, MA MSA
81
51
132
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA
74
19
93
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR MSA
70
57
127
Springfield, MA MSA
66
74
140
Evansville, IN-KY MSA
65
79
144
Reading, PA MSA
65
110
175
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA MSA
62
32
94
York-Hanover, PA MSA
59
78
137
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME MSA
56
124
180
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA
55
45
100
Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA
53
55
108
Columbus, OH MSA
51
148
199
Holland-Grand Haven, MI MSA
51
52
103
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA MD
47
3
50
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA
43
6
49
Salt Lake City, UT MSA
43
73
116
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA
42
65
107
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA MSA
42
42
84
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN MSA
39
99
138
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA MSA
39
62
101
Greeley, CO MSA
38
15
53
Ogden-Clearfield, UT MSA
35
163
198
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI MD
35
40
75
Peabody, MA MD
Biggest Decliners
Spots Declined
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
Metropolitan Area
-82
93
11
Lafayette, LA MSA
-81
151
70
Visalia-Porterville, CA MSA
-77
137
60
Kansas City, MO-KS MSA
-69
105
36
Olympia, WA MSA
-68
158
90
Manchester-Nashua, NH MSA
-65
106
41
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA
-65
195
130
Gary, IN MD
-65
175
110
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV MSA
-63
89
26
Baton Rouge, LA MSA
-58
169
111
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT MSA
-55
157
102
Green Bay, WI MSA
-52
114
62
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC MSA
-51
67
16
Amarillo, TX MSA
-50
83
33
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA
-50
115
65
Columbia, SC MSA
-48
86
38
Tulsa, OK MSA
-46
90
44
St. Louis, MO-IL MSA
-45
164
119
Winston-Salem, NC MSA
-40
119
79
Richmond, VA MSA
-38
126
88
Tallahassee, FL MSA
-35
112
77
Tucson, AZ MSA
-33
197
164
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA
-32
84
52
Nassau-Suffolk, NY MD
-32
98
66
Jackson, MS MSA
-32
104
72
Wichita, KS MSA