Read about how we selected the 2012 Best Cities for Job Growth
2012 New Geography Rankings - SMALL (< 150k employment)
2012 Rank Among Small Cities | Area | 2012 Weighted INDEX | 2011 Nonfarm Employment (1000s) | 2011 Size Ranking | Size Movement |
1 | Odessa, TX | 99.4 | 68.3 | 8 | 7 |
2 | Midland, TX | 99.0 | 75.3 | 4 | 2 |
3 | Columbus, IN | 95.6 | 47.7 | 143 | 140 |
4 | Lafayette, LA | 92.5 | 156.3 | 111 | 107 |
5 | San Angelo, TX | 89.2 | 46.7 | 23 | 18 |
6 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 87.8 | 73.9 | 168 | 162 |
7 | Casper, WY | 84.8 | 40.9 | 119 | 112 |
8 | Williamsport, PA | 83.7 | 55.4 | 55 | 47 |
9 | Glens Falls, NY | 83.0 | 55.6 | 59 | 50 |
10 | Lubbock, TX | 82.6 | 131.4 | 74 | 64 |
11 | Laredo, TX | 82.1 | 95.0 | 56 | 45 |
12 | Columbia, MO | 82.1 | 96.7 | 20 | 8 |
13 | Cumberland, MD-WV | 82.0 | 41.7 | 32 | 19 |
14 | Gainesville, GA | 81.9 | 75.8 | 52 | 38 |
15 | Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA | 81.7 | 56.0 | 34 | 19 |
16 | Holland-Grand Haven, MI | 80.9 | 113.1 | 138 | 122 |
17 | Bismarck, ND | 79.2 | 65.7 | 2 | -15 |
18 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 78.8 | 95.1 | 65 | 47 |
19 | State College, PA | 78.5 | 76.4 | 49 | 30 |
20 | Fargo, ND-MN | 78.4 | 127.3 | 29 | 9 |
21 | Ocean City, NJ | 78.0 | 36.8 | 61 | 40 |
22 | Owensboro, KY | 77.6 | 51.8 | 66 | 44 |
23 | Charlottesville, VA | 77.0 | 102.3 | 78 | 55 |
24 | Tyler, TX | 76.9 | 96.0 | 64 | 40 |
25 | Cheyenne, WY | 76.8 | 44.7 | 99 | 74 |
26 | Barnstable Town, MA NECTA | 76.2 | 94.4 | 70 | 44 |
27 | Longview, TX | 76.1 | 98.0 | 15 | -12 |
28 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 76.0 | 36.6 | 135 | 107 |
29 | Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA | 75.8 | 99.0 | 17 | -12 |
30 | Victoria, TX | 75.6 | 50.6 | 96 | 66 |
31 | Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX | 74.6 | 129.0 | 1 | -30 |
32 | Grand Junction, CO | 73.8 | 60.5 | 142 | 110 |
33 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | 72.8 | 60.6 | 105 | 72 |
34 | Lafayette, IN | 72.4 | 95.6 | 104 | 70 |
35 | Pueblo, CO | 72.4 | 58.7 | 73 | 38 |
36 | Sherman-Denison, TX | 72.2 | 43.6 | 117 | 81 |
37 | Erie, PA | 72.1 | 131.2 | 87 | 50 |
38 | Fayetteville, NC | 71.7 | 132.0 | 98 | 60 |
39 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 71.6 | 135.9 | 38 | -1 |
40 | Morgantown, WV | 71.0 | 66.5 | 24 | -16 |
41 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 70.8 | 81.0 | 191 | 150 |
42 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 70.7 | 90.9 | 84 | 42 |
43 | Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR | 70.6 | 58.1 | 45 | 2 |
44 | Utica-Rome, NY | 69.8 | 133.1 | 114 | 70 |
45 | Amarillo, TX | 69.7 | 113.1 | 67 | 22 |
46 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 69.6 | 129.5 | 19 | -27 |
47 | Palm Coast, FL | 69.6 | 19.0 | 90 | 43 |
48 | Rapid City, SD | 69.5 | 60.5 | 72 | 24 |
49 | Columbus, GA-AL | 69.1 | 120.6 | 125 | 76 |
50 | Winchester, VA-WV | 69.0 | 56.4 | 95 | 45 |
51 | Greeley, CO | 68.7 | 80.3 | 123 | 72 |
52 | Mankato-North Mankato, MN | 68.7 | 53.5 | 110 | 58 |
53 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 68.5 | 94.3 | 33 | -20 |
54 | Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH NECTA Division | 68.3 | 78.1 | 42 | -12 |
55 | Sioux Falls, SD | 67.4 | 135.6 | 71 | 16 |
56 | Ames, IA | 66.0 | 48.2 | 77 | 21 |
57 | Johnson City, TN | 65.9 | 79.9 | 102 | 45 |
58 | Dubuque, IA | 65.8 | 56.6 | 5 | -53 |
59 | Logan, UT-ID | 65.6 | 54.4 | 9 | -50 |
60 | Danbury, CT NECTA | 65.6 | 67.8 | 159 | 99 |
61 | Altoona, PA | 65.4 | 61.5 | 69 | 8 |
62 | Peabody, MA NECTA Division | 65.3 | 101.4 | 149 | 87 |
63 | Jacksonville, NC | 65.3 | 47.8 | 12 | -51 |
64 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | 65.1 | 53.6 | 21 | -43 |
65 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 64.7 | 38.4 | 36 | -29 |
66 | Harrisonburg, VA | 64.4 | 63.7 | 40 | -26 |
67 | Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division | 64.0 | 117.5 | 122 | 55 |
68 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA | 62.6 | 114.2 | 53 | -15 |
69 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | 62.5 | 53.0 | 101 | 32 |
70 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 61.9 | 84.2 | 22 | -48 |
71 | Joplin, MO | 61.4 | 80.0 | 16 | -55 |
72 | Rochester-Dover, NH-ME NECTA | 61.3 | 56.3 | 94 | 22 |
73 | Danville, VA | 60.5 | 40.0 | 186 | 113 |
74 | Iowa City, IA | 60.5 | 91.4 | 41 | -33 |
75 | Olympia, WA | 60.4 | 99.4 | 158 | 83 |
76 | Sandusky, OH | 60.2 | 35.2 | 60 | -16 |
77 | St. Cloud, MN | 60.2 | 99.6 | 54 | -23 |
78 | Bay City, MI | 59.3 | 36.9 | 205 | 127 |
79 | Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA | 59.3 | 19.8 | 51 | -28 |
80 | Las Cruces, NM | 59.2 | 69.8 | 43 | -37 |
81 | Springfield, IL | 59.0 | 111.8 | 28 | -53 |
82 | Napa, CA | 59.0 | 60.7 | 209 | 127 |
83 | Salinas, CA | 59.0 | 123.0 | 206 | 123 |
84 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA | 58.8 | 48.7 | 109 | 25 |
85 | Burlington, NC | 58.8 | 58.0 | 157 | 72 |
86 | Jonesboro, AR | 58.3 | 49.2 | 27 | -59 |
87 | Kankakee-Bradley, IL | 58.1 | 43.3 | 85 | -2 |
88 | Greenville, NC | 58.0 | 75.9 | 83 | -5 |
89 | Manchester, NH NECTA | 57.8 | 98.7 | 115 | 26 |
90 | Decatur, IL | 57.1 | 52.7 | 121 | 31 |
91 | Appleton, WI | 57.0 | 116.7 | 79 | -12 |
92 | Bellingham, WA | 56.5 | 80.4 | 204 | 112 |
93 | Bowling Green, KY | 56.4 | 59.8 | 47 | -46 |
94 | Goldsboro, NC | 56.1 | 43.2 | 178 | 84 |
95 | Lebanon, PA | 56.0 | 49.8 | 14 | -81 |
96 | Fairbanks, AK | 56.0 | 37.4 | 10 | -86 |
97 | College Station-Bryan, TX | 55.8 | 95.9 | 3 | -94 |
98 | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 55.5 | 45.8 | 228 | 130 |
99 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 55.0 | 99.3 | 150 | 51 |
100 | Merced, CA | 54.9 | 56.4 | 103 | 3 |
101 | Warner Robins, GA | 54.9 | 59.2 | 35 | -66 |
102 | Dover, DE | 54.8 | 64.3 | 75 | -27 |
103 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 54.8 | 107.9 | 155 | 52 |
104 | Kingston, NY | 54.7 | 61.6 | 120 | 16 |
105 | Charleston, WV | 54.7 | 148.1 | 124 | -12 |
106 | Springfield, OH | 54.7 | 49.9 | 86 | -20 |
107 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 54.3 | 105.9 | 18 | -89 |
108 | Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | 54.2 | 109.7 | 39 | -69 |
109 | Farmington, NM | 54.1 | 48.8 | 167 | 58 |
110 | Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 54.0 | 59.3 | 82 | -28 |
111 | Elizabethtown, KY | 54.0 | 47.0 | 11 | -100 |
112 | El Centro, CA | 54.0 | 45.3 | 151 | 39 |
113 | La Crosse, WI-MN | 53.2 | 73.9 | 108 | -5 |
114 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | 53.2 | 117.5 | 224 | 110 |
115 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | 53.1 | 54.0 | 30 | -85 |
116 | Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ | 51.6 | 59.3 | 203 | 87 |
117 | Decatur, AL | 51.3 | 54.4 | 161 | 44 |
118 | Yakima, WA | 51.1 | 75.9 | 50 | -68 |
119 | Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL | 51.1 | 71.4 | 107 | -12 |
120 | Monroe, LA | 51.1 | 76.7 | 179 | 59 |
121 | Corvallis, OR | 50.9 | 37.8 | 31 | -90 |
122 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 50.2 | 120.1 | 198 | 76 |
123 | Santa Fe, NM | 50.1 | 61.0 | 139 | 16 |
124 | Punta Gorda, FL | 50.0 | 42.4 | 145 | 21 |
125 | Salisbury, MD | 49.9 | 52.9 | 170 | 45 |
126 | Florence, SC | 49.6 | 82.7 | 173 | 47 |
127 | Binghamton, NY | 49.4 | 109.9 | 140 | 13 |
128 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 49.4 | 87.8 | 211 | 83 |
129 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 49.2 | 73.3 | 129 | 0 |
130 | Jefferson City, MO | 49.2 | 76.9 | 80 | -50 |
131 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | 48.8 | 60.2 | 239 | 108 |
132 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 48.6 | 135.7 | 210 | 78 |
133 | Bangor, ME NECTA | 48.1 | 64.6 | 166 | 33 |
134 | Kokomo, IN | 47.8 | 41.6 | 133 | -1 |
135 | Waco, TX | 47.6 | 104.4 | 37 | -98 |
136 | Yuba City, CA | 47.3 | 37.5 | 218 | 82 |
137 | Jackson, MI | 47.2 | 54.6 | 238 | 101 |
138 | Wheeling, WV-OH | 46.0 | 66.7 | 25 | -113 |
139 | Macon, GA | 45.9 | 96.6 | 171 | 32 |
140 | Idaho Falls, ID | 45.6 | 48.7 | 134 | -6 |
141 | Lewiston, ID-WA | 45.5 | 26.0 | 189 | 48 |
142 | Johnstown, PA | 45.4 | 60.0 | 44 | -98 |
143 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | 45.4 | 84.1 | 89 | -54 |
144 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 45.1 | 136.2 | 63 | -81 |
145 | St. George, UT | 44.9 | 46.3 | 199 | 54 |
146 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 44.8 | 55.1 | 88 | -58 |
147 | Rockford, IL | 44.2 | 146.8 | 190 | 20 |
148 | Pascagoula, MS | 44.1 | 56.1 | 7 | -141 |
149 | Bloomington-Normal, IL | 43.9 | 89.8 | 97 | -52 |
150 | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 43.7 | 117.5 | 160 | 10 |
151 | New Bedford, MA NECTA | 42.8 | 64.8 | 57 | -94 |
152 | Topeka, KS | 42.5 | 106.9 | 118 | -34 |
153 | Abilene, TX | 42.5 | 64.7 | 106 | -47 |
154 | Battle Creek, MI | 42.1 | 56.0 | 128 | -26 |
155 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 42.0 | 114.3 | 181 | 26 |
156 | Manhattan, KS | 41.9 | 54.5 | 6 | |
157 | Hot Springs, AR | 41.7 | 36.9 | 100 | -57 |
158 | Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division | 41.6 | 87.2 | 58 | -100 |
159 | Lawton, OK | 41.2 | 42.4 | 13 | -146 |
160 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 40.9 | 43.6 | 131 | -29 |
161 | Anderson, IN | 40.6 | 39.7 | 175 | 14 |
162 | Eau Claire, WI | 40.1 | 79.3 | 46 | -116 |
163 | Redding, CA | 40.1 | 58.1 | 216 | 53 |
164 | Billings, MT | 39.3 | 76.6 | 93 | -71 |
165 | Fond du Lac, WI | 39.2 | 45.2 | 188 | 23 |
166 | Rochester, MN | 39.0 | 101.0 | 127 | -39 |
167 | Lima, OH | 38.8 | 52.5 | 201 | 34 |
168 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 38.7 | 93.2 | 91 | -77 |
169 | Hattiesburg, MS | 37.9 | 58.6 | 62 | -107 |
170 | Alexandria, LA | 37.9 | 62.6 | 113 | -57 |
171 | Pocatello, ID | 37.6 | 36.2 | 208 | 37 |
172 | Spartanburg, SC | 37.4 | 118.0 | 141 | -31 |
173 | Savannah, GA | 37.3 | 149.6 | 126 | -8 |
174 | Muncie, IN | 37.2 | 50.1 | 193 | 19 |
175 | Great Falls, MT | 36.9 | 34.2 | 48 | -127 |
176 | Ithaca, NY | 36.7 | 62.7 | 26 | -150 |
177 | Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI | 36.3 | 85.0 | 174 | -3 |
178 | Bloomington, IN | 36.1 | 81.2 | 92 | -86 |
179 | Wilmington, NC | 35.5 | 134.3 | 132 | -47 |
180 | Flint, MI | 35.3 | 136.6 | 237 | 57 |
181 | Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 35.3 | 81.8 | 177 | -4 |
182 | Lawrence, KS | 34.5 | 50.3 | 165 | -17 |
183 | Elmira, NY | 34.4 | 39.0 | 68 | -115 |
184 | Salem, OR | 34.2 | 141.0 | 164 | -43 |
185 | Danville, IL | 33.7 | 29.2 | 225 | 40 |
186 | Valdosta, GA | 33.1 | 52.1 | 183 | -3 |
187 | Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH | 33.1 | 69.2 | 194 | 7 |
188 | Lake Charles, LA | 32.6 | 88.2 | 162 | -26 |
189 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 32.1 | 96.0 | 195 | 6 |
190 | Dothan, AL | 31.7 | 57.7 | 242 | 52 |
191 | Pittsfield, MA NECTA | 31.6 | 34.9 | 81 | -110 |
192 | Missoula, MT | 31.4 | 53.8 | 152 | -40 |
193 | Mansfield, OH | 31.2 | 52.5 | 232 | 39 |
194 | Gainesville, FL | 30.8 | 125.9 | 154 | -40 |
195 | Visalia-Porterville, CA | 29.5 | 104.5 | 196 | 1 |
196 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 29.4 | 135.2 | 213 | 17 |
197 | Bend, OR | 29.1 | 60.1 | 220 | 23 |
198 | Jackson, TN | 28.9 | 58.3 | 185 | -13 |
199 | Medford, OR | 28.6 | 75.1 | 197 | -2 |
200 | Gadsden, AL | 28.6 | 35.6 | 180 | -20 |
201 | Lynchburg, VA | 27.8 | 102.1 | 144 | -57 |
202 | Ocala, FL | 27.2 | 90.9 | 227 | 25 |
203 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 26.9 | 120.5 | 182 | -21 |
204 | Racine, WI | 26.5 | 74.8 | 184 | -20 |
205 | Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division | 26.4 | 124.0 | 192 | -13 |
206 | Madera-Chowchilla, CA | 26.4 | 31.8 | 172 | -34 |
207 | Norwich-New London, CT-RI NECTA | 26.3 | 125.7 | 163 | -44 |
208 | Flagstaff, AZ | 26.2 | 59.0 | 76 | -132 |
209 | Modesto, CA | 25.9 | 142.5 | 148 | 20 |
210 | Wausau, WI | 25.8 | 66.5 | 217 | 7 |
211 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 25.4 | 42.3 | 214 | 3 |
212 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 24.5 | 45.6 | 226 | 14 |
213 | Duluth, MN-WI | 24.1 | 125.9 | 112 | -101 |
214 | Chico, CA | 23.3 | 67.8 | 146 | -68 |
215 | Waterbury, CT NECTA | 23.3 | 62.5 | 202 | -13 |
216 | Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL | 22.7 | 43.3 | 147 | -69 |
217 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 21.7 | 142.9 | 235 | -1 |
218 | Wichita Falls, TX | 20.7 | 57.8 | 169 | -49 |
219 | Terre Haute, IN | 20.6 | 69.7 | 137 | -82 |
220 | Prescott, AZ | 20.5 | 53.3 | 229 | 9 |
221 | Cleveland, TN | 20.3 | 38.5 | 176 | -45 |
222 | Sumter, SC | 20.0 | 36.7 | 156 | -66 |
223 | Longview, WA | 19.2 | 35.0 | 212 | -11 |
224 | Yuma, AZ | 19.1 | 49.1 | 221 | -3 |
225 | Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA NECTA | 18.3 | 47.2 | 116 | -109 |
226 | Anderson, SC | 18.1 | 58.2 | 130 | -96 |
227 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | 17.8 | 138.7 | 230 | -11 |
228 | Pine Bluff, AR | 17.3 | 36.6 | 243 | 15 |
229 | Brunswick, GA | 17.2 | 39.2 | 223 | -6 |
230 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | 15.8 | 47.7 | 215 | -15 |
231 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | 13.6 | 110.2 | 153 | -78 |
232 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 13.3 | 133.7 | 187 | -45 |
233 | Rome, GA | 13.2 | 37.1 | 231 | -2 |
234 | Rocky Mount, NC | 12.4 | 59.6 | 200 | -34 |
235 | Sheboygan, WI | 11.1 | 57.2 | 219 | -16 |
236 | Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV | 10.3 | 43.1 | 233 | -3 |
237 | Monroe, MI | 9.3 | 37.0 | 234 | -3 |
238 | Albany, GA | 7.0 | 59.3 | 207 | -31 |
239 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | 6.0 | 103.4 | 136 | -103 |
240 | Carson City, NV | 5.1 | 27.7 | 222 | -18 |
241 | Janesville, WI | 4.4 | 60.0 | 241 | 0 |
242 | Morristown, TN | 2.8 | 43.6 | 236 | -6 |
243 | Dalton, GA | 0.5 | 62.8 | 240 | -3 |