Most Americans live in cities and towns in the U.S. These are also the places where most work and wages are found across the country. But since the Great Recession, different cities have done better than others.
Heartland Forward, an Arkansas-based think tank that just released the Most Dynamic Metropolitan Index, says that the growth of the high-tech and manufacturing industries, a strong culture of entrepreneurship, and a thriving tourism sector are some of the main things that have helped some cities move forward.
The index ranks 375 metropolitan areas based on factors such as job growth, gross domestic product, and the level of schooling of workers at new businesses. It is a way to measure the “economic vibrancy” of metropolitan areas. The measure did well for metro areas in the West, but cities in the “Heartland,” which is made up of 20 states in the middle of the country, didn’t do as well. Only a few of those cities were in the top 30.
The Most Dynamic Metro Areas in United States
Midland, Texas
The Midland, Texas, local area’s economy is based on oil production. It is in the Permian Basin, an area in the southwestern United States that makes one of every five barrels of oil in the country. Before 2018, the area’s real GDP growth over the previous five years was higher than that of any other major city in the country. The city is the most active on this list, according to Heartland Forward. It has the highest per-capita personal income and the fastest short- and medium-term GDP growth.
Provo-Orem, Utah
In the last twenty years, the tech industry in the Provo-Orem city area has grown quickly. Brigham Young University is a big part of the area’s growth, and its STEM grads help the educated population grow. There are a lot of great things about this list. The metro area is number one for medium-sized areas and number two for both long-term job growth and average yearly pay growth.
Boulder, Colorado
The Boulder, Colorado, metropolitan area gets top marks as a center for research and technology, and it also has a lot of great business possibilities. The study says that the University of Colorado Boulder is closely linked to the economic success of the area. It employs thousands of people and trains technical workers through its engineering, physics, and geology programs. There is No. 1 average annual pay growth in this area over the next few years, and No. 3 average annual pay growth over the next few years.
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Austin-Round Rock, Texas
The Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area has been praised as a model for economic growth. It has lower prices and a more business-friendly environment than other tech hubs. In terms of short- and medium-term job growth, the area was the best in a big metropolitan area.
Greeley, Colorado
The Greeley, Colorado, metropolitan area has had a history of being an agriculture hub for the state. However, its oil and gas deposits have recently led to rapid economic growth. From 2013 to 2018, the area’s economy grew by 55.4% thanks to this new, growing business and the agriculture industry. It’s the third best small city in the country and the fourth best for short- and medium-term GDP growth.
St. George, Utah
Between 2010 and 2019, the population of the St. George, Utah, urban area grew the fifth fastest. Zion National Park is in this area. The area has a strong tourism industry, and its startup ecosystem is also worth mentioning; it ranks No. 8 in the country for young firm job share.