WESTBURY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Area Development, the premier publication covering the site location and facility planning process, recently ranked 394 MSAs across 21 economic and work force indicators, which were pulled from seven (7) data sets originating with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census American Community Survey, and Emsi. Based on these rankings, the publication has announced its Leading Metro Locations for 2018.
Eight of the top-10 metros are in the Pacific and Mountain regions: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) ranked first overall, followed in the remaining top-10 spots by San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco (CA), Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley (CA), Reno (NV), Napa (CA), Columbus (IN), Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (OR-WA), Elkhart-Goshen (IN), Carson City (NV), and Denver-Aurora-Lakewood (CO).
Based on overall results, MSAs were ranked across nine (9) regions, as well as according to size in three city categories, large (population >600,000), mid-size (population 160,000–600,000), and small (population <160,000). They were also ranked within the “Prime Workforce,” “Economic Strength,” “Five-Year Growth,” and “Year-Over-Year Growth” categories, each based on selected indicators.
The overall leader in the “Economic Strength” category was Elkhart-Goshen (IN). Kankakee (IL) led in “Year-Over-Year Growth.” Napa (CA) led in the “Five-Year Economic Growth” category and was also first among small metros. San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco (CA) ranked first for “Prime Workforce” and was also the overall leader among large metros. Reno (NV) ranked first among mid-size metros.
The regional leaders were Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford (CT) — New England; New York-Jersey City-White Plains (NY-NJ) — Mid-Atlantic; Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin (TN) — South; Charleston-North Charleston (SC) — South Atlantic; Columbus (IN) — Midwest; Dallas-Plano-Irving (TX) — Southwest; Omaha-Council Bluffs (NE-IA) — Plains; Reno (NV) — Mountain; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) — Pacific.
“The 2018 Leading Metros reflect the nation’s overall economic growth, as the country enjoys — what is to date — the second-longest economic expansion on record,” said Geraldine Gambale, editor of Area Development. “These MSAs have exhibited year-over-year and longer-term growth, as well as ability to supply industry with the necessary prime workforce.”
The full report on the Leading Locations was published in the Q2/2018 issue of Area Development and posted online at http://www.areadevelopment.com/LeadingLocations2018.
Area Development is published quarterly and also maintains several highly visited websites, which can be reached through www.areadevelopment.com.
