A charming Southern capital has been named America’s “best-performing city,” according to a new study. The Milken Institute’s annual Best-Performing Cities Index has just come out, revealing Raleigh, North Carolina, earns the top spot for large metro areas.
- The think tank ranks cities across the country by analyzing 13 metrics in categories including labor market conditions, high-tech growth and access to economic opportunities.
- Raleigh comes in first thanks to its “excellent performance in a range of aspects,” according to the Milken Institute.
- Known as the “City of Oaks,” it gets high scores with a thriving tech sector, strong labor market and affordable housing, and is home to companies including IBM and Red Hat.
- The Index also ranks small cities, and this year’s best-performing small metro area is Gainesville, Georgia.
- St. George, Utah, is number two for small cities, followed by Idaho Falls, Idaho.
The Top 10 Best-Performing Large U.S. Cities
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Ogden-Clearfield, Utah
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Austin-Round Rock, Texas
- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas-Missouri
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida
- Boise, Idaho
- Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina
- Myrtle Beach- Conway-North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina-North Carolina
Source: Milken Institute
Scott's Thoughts:
- Have you ever been to Raleigh? What did you think of it?
- They also have great concerts in the area.
- Hey Myrtle Beach made number 11! Awesome!