Small Business Services Jobs - 2015 Best Cities Rankings

Read about how we selected the 2015 Best Cities for Job Growth

We used five measures of growth to rank MSAs over the past 10 years. “Large” areas include those with a current nonfarm employment base of at least 450,000 jobs. “Midsize” areas range from 150,000 to 450,000 jobs. “Small” areas have as many as 150,000 jobs. This year’s rankings reflect the new Office of Management and Budget definitions of MSAs for all series released after March 2015. As a result, the MSA listed in this year’s rankings do not necessary correspond directly to those listed in prior years. In some instances, MSAs were consolidated with others — for example Pascagoula, MS, was combined with the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, MSA to form the new Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS, MSA. Others were separated from previously consolidated MSAs and in still other instances individual counties were shifted from one MSA to another. The bottom line is that this year’s rankings are based on good time series for the newly defined MSAs but may not be precisely comparable to those listed in prior years. The total number of MSAs included in this year’s rankings has risen from 398 to 421. This year’s rankings reflect the current size of each MSA’s employment.







2015 MSA Prof & Bus Svcs Small MSA Ranking Area 2015 Prof & Bus Svcs Weighted INDEX 2014 Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt (1000s) Total Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt Growth Rate 2013-2014 Total Prof & Bus Svcs Emplmt Cum Growth

2009-2014		 2015 MSA Prof & Bus Svcs Overall Ranking
1 Auburn-Opelika, AL 74.3         7.7 13.3% 66.7% 1
2 Tuscaloosa, AL 71.8      10.9 19.9% 68.0% 2
3 Grants Pass, OR 71.7         2.2 8.3% 54.8% 3
4 Jackson, TN 70.9         6.6 9.4% 58.4% 4
5 New Bedford, MA NECTA 69.6         5.7 12.5% 43.7% 5
6 Port St. Lucie, FL 69.0      17.0 15.7% 38.3% 6
7 Janesville-Beloit, WI 68.0         6.0 13.9% 46.3% 7
8 Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Div 67.6         3.1 9.4% 31.0% 8
9 Waco, TX 67.0      11.3 12.6% 30.4% 10
10 Burlington, NC 66.8         6.0 22.6% 45.5% 11
11 Monroe, MI 66.1         4.5 7.1% 51.7% 12
12 Sherman-Denison, TX 65.8         3.3 6.5% 46.3% 14
13 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 65.0         8.4 8.1% 61.1% 16
14 Greeley, CO 64.6         9.7 6.2% 49.7% 18
15 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 63.7      10.1 6.7% 43.4% 19
16 Columbus, IN 63.2         5.5 5.7% 48.2% 20
17 Springfield, OH 62.3         4.8 9.9% 28.6% 23
18 Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 62.2      15.2 7.8% 44.9% 24
19 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 61.9         4.1 10.9% 29.8% 25
20 Gadsden, AL 61.2         4.4 3.9% 50.0% 28
21 Salinas, CA 61.1      13.0 12.4% 19.7% 29
22 Morgantown, WV 60.8         6.5 9.0% 24.4% 30
23 Redding, CA 60.2         6.1 10.2% 19.6% 31
24 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 60.1      14.6 7.4% 30.8% 32
25 Cleveland, TN 60.0         6.2 -34.5% 97.9% 33
26 Gainesville, FL 59.9      12.9 10.6% 27.0% 34
27 Yuba City, CA 59.8         3.1 9.4% 24.0% 37
28 Kankakee, IL 58.6         4.1 -1.6% 42.5% 39
29 Flagstaff, AZ 58.5         3.1 13.3% 23.7% 42
30 Odessa, TX 57.6         5.0 11.2% 25.2% 43
31 Manchester, NH NECTA 57.0      16.2 8.3% 23.1% 46
32 Bend-Redmond, OR 56.8         7.9 10.2% 20.9% 47
33 Topeka, KS 56.8      13.0 2.9% 37.0% 48
34 Macon, GA 54.6      12.4 6.9% 22.4% 52
35 College Station-Bryan, TX 54.0         7.7 4.5% 27.6% 53
36 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 53.5         3.1 10.8% 24.3% 56
37 Wausau, WI 53.1         5.2 6.8% 21.9% 58
38 Iowa City, IA 53.1         7.1 4.9% 37.4% 59
39 Bay City, MI 52.7         3.6 6.9% 18.7% 60
40 Saginaw, MI 52.5      11.5 3.9% 21.8% 61
41 Ocala, FL 52.4         9.8 6.9% 21.4% 63
42 Victoria, TX 52.4         2.7 15.7% 14.1% 64
43 Laredo, TX 51.6         8.3 6.0% 40.9% 66
44 Prescott, AZ 51.0         3.7 12.1% 11.0% 71
45 Fond du Lac, WI 50.9         2.6 5.3% 19.7% 72
46 Corvallis, OR 50.8         4.3 10.3% 21.9% 73
47 Lawrence, KS 50.8         5.6 7.1% 12.1% 74
48 Ithaca, NY 50.8         3.4 6.3% 18.8% 75
49 Charlottesville, VA 50.5      14.5 6.4% 21.9% 76
50 Bismarck, ND 49.8         8.1 6.1% 26.4% 82
51 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 49.7      16.5 6.0% 18.8% 84
52 Bangor, ME NECTA 49.2         6.6 7.1% 14.5% 87
53 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 49.2         7.5 3.2% 24.3% 88
54 Muskegon, MI 48.9         3.6 2.9% 22.7% 90
55 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 48.8      12.7 5.2% 15.4% 91
56 Napa, CA 48.6         6.6 5.9% 20.7% 94
57 Barnstable Town, MA NECTA 48.4         8.9 10.3% 14.1% 95
58 Panama City, FL 48.4         9.1 -3.5% 21.9% 96
59 Lake Charles, LA 48.2         8.6 3.6% 27.2% 99
60 Midland, TX 47.9         9.8 3.9% 40.2% 101
61 Pueblo, CO 47.3         6.8 5.7% 20.7% 104
62 Battle Creek, MI 47.1         6.6 10.7% 10.7% 106
63 Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA 47.1      13.9 3.5% 29.1% 107
64 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 46.9      12.2 4.3% 28.3% 108
65 Greenville, NC 46.5         7.4 0.9% 29.1% 110
66 Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY 46.4         5.7 4.9% 25.0% 111
67 Waterbury, CT NECTA 45.3         5.5 5.8% 12.2% 115
68 Punta Gorda, FL 44.7         4.5 -1.4% 37.4% 118
69 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 44.5      13.3 5.5% 14.3% 119
70 Chico, CA 44.2         6.1 3.4% 30.7% 122
71 Elmira, NY 44.1         2.7 5.3% 14.3% 123
72 Danbury, CT NECTA 44.1         9.2 5.3% 19.4% 124
73 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 43.6         9.9 1.7% 21.6% 127
74 Salisbury, MD-DE 43.6      11.7 3.5% 18.1% 128
75 Olympia-Tumwater, WA 43.4      10.0 0.3% 30.0% 129
76 Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Div 42.9         7.9 1.3% 19.8% 130
77 Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA 42.7         5.2 8.3% 3.3% 132
78 Pocatello, ID 42.7         3.9 0.0% 21.9% 133
79 Flint, MI 42.6      15.1 4.6% 24.5% 134
80 Cheyenne, WY 42.5         3.5 6.1% 10.5% 135
81 Wilmington, NC 42.3      14.8 3.5% 15.3% 137
82 Fargo, ND-MN 41.9      16.1 3.6% 25.4% 139
83 Medford, OR 40.9         7.2 10.7% 5.9% 148
84 Clarksville, TN-KY 40.4         9.1 7.5% 10.5% 150
85 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 39.8      11.7 -3.6% 29.5% 153
86 Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 39.7         7.1 3.9% 16.9% 156
87 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 39.7      11.5 2.1% 20.3% 157
88 Appleton, WI 39.7      13.3 5.0% 14.4% 158
89 Bellingham, WA 39.4         7.8 5.0% 7.9% 159
90 Spartanburg, SC 39.1      15.5 3.1% 14.5% 163
91 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 39.1      12.2 8.3% 4.6% 164
92 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 38.7         5.1 6.9% 10.0% 166
93 State College, PA 38.6         6.1 5.2% 9.6% 167
94 Abilene, TX 38.3         5.6 2.4% 9.1% 170
95 Tyler, TX 38.3         9.0 5.9% 4.7% 171
96 Altoona, PA 37.8         5.7 2.4% 18.1% 175
97 Dothan, AL 37.7         4.7 10.9% 8.4% 176
98 Morristown, TN 37.7         3.4 0.0% 14.8% 178
99 St. George, UT 37.3         4.2 2.4% 23.5% 183
100 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 37.3         9.6 4.0% 17.6% 184
101 Dalton, GA 37.1         6.2 9.4% -7.0% 185
102 Mansfield, OH 37.1         5.3 -1.3% 15.3% 187
103 Johnson City, TN 36.6         8.4 5.4% 11.9% 189
104 Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA 36.1         3.9 4.5% 11.4% 193
105 Longview, TX 35.8         9.4 4.5% 11.5% 197
106 Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 35.8         4.5 -3.5% 27.1% 198
107 Erie, PA 35.2      10.1 6.7% -1.0% 201
108 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA 35.1         6.8 0.0% 15.2% 203
109 Coeur d'Alene, ID 35.0         6.4 2.1% 6.7% 206
110 Grand Forks, ND-MN 35.0         3.1 9.4% 4.5% 207
111 Athens-Clarke County, GA 34.8         7.2 -0.9% 13.7% 208
112 Binghamton, NY 34.7         9.9 4.6% 12.1% 210
113 Bowling Green, KY 34.6         8.6 1.6% 16.1% 211
114 Glens Falls, NY 34.3         5.6 -0.6% 16.8% 212
115 Fort Smith, AR-OK 34.2      12.2 4.0% 10.6% 214
116 Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA 33.6         3.6 1.9% 12.5% 216
117 Carson City, NV 33.3         2.1 6.9% 10.7% 217
118 Monroe, LA 32.7         8.2 2.1% 10.4% 221
119 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 32.4         9.6 5.1% 2.9% 223
120 Rochester, MN 32.1         5.8 -0.6% 21.8% 224
121 Kingston, NY 32.0         4.4 -3.0% 11.0% 225
122 Madera, CA 32.0         2.9 0.0% 17.8% 226
123 Casper, WY 31.9         3.0 0.0% 15.4% 227
124 Albany, OR 31.5         3.4 1.0% 11.0% 230
125 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 31.1         1.4 7.5% -12.2% 233
126 Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Div 30.7      14.4 -0.2% 13.9% 235
127 Fort Collins, CO 30.4      19.0 -0.7% 15.2% 238
128 San Angelo, TX 30.2         3.9 -0.9% 12.6% 239
129 Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Div 29.3      21.5 6.3% 2.2% 240
130 Lubbock, TX 29.2      11.0 0.3% 16.6% 241
131 Lima, OH 29.2         4.7 -2.8% 21.6% 243
132 Duluth, MN-WI 28.8         8.4 2.9% 7.2% 248
133 Sioux Falls, SD 28.1      13.1 -4.1% 22.7% 250
134 Grand Junction, CO 27.9         5.5 1.9% 5.8% 251
135 Johnstown, PA 27.5         5.7 3.6% 4.9% 253
136 Missoula, MT 27.3         7.0 3.5% 3.5% 255
137 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 26.6         1.9 5.6% 1.8% 261
138 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 26.0      13.3 0.8% 7.0% 265
139 Champaign-Urbana, IL 26.0         8.2 1.7% 10.3% 266
140 Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Div 25.8         5.7 1.2% 11.0% 268
141 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 25.6         5.5 7.8% 3.1% 271
142 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 25.6         9.7 3.9% -10.7% 272
143 Rapid City, SD 24.9         5.1 1.3% 10.1% 276
144 Sheboygan, WI 24.8         4.5 -2.2% 9.8% 277
145 Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Div 24.5         5.2 -0.6% 10.6% 278
146 Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA 24.4         9.2 3.4% 0.0% 279
147 Amarillo, TX 24.1         8.9 1.9% 5.5% 281
148 Eau Claire, WI 23.8         9.0 0.0% 5.9% 282
149 Decatur, AL 23.7         5.3 -5.3% 16.8% 284
150 Racine, WI 23.4         6.3 0.0% 12.5% 287
151 Lawton, OK 23.3         3.8 4.6% 9.6% 288
152 Logan, UT-ID 22.9         5.6 -0.6% 5.7% 291
153 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 22.6         4.6 7.9% -25.9% 293
154 Lynchburg, VA 22.5      12.4 1.1% -4.4% 295
155 Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Div 22.4         9.9 0.7% 8.4% 296
156 Idaho Falls, ID 22.3      12.1 2.3% -5.2% 297
157 Fairbanks, AK 21.6         2.3 3.0% 4.5% 298
158 Charleston, WV 21.2      14.6 -0.2% 7.6% 302
159 Eugene, OR 20.7      15.3 -1.5% 7.0% 303
160 Owensboro, KY 20.4         3.8 -5.0% 16.5% 304
161 Danville, IL 20.1         1.9 1.8% -10.8% 305
162 Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA 19.9      10.6 0.3% -0.9% 307
163 Dover, DE 19.4         4.2 -2.3% 1.6% 310
164 Walla Walla, WA 19.2         0.9 -6.7% 3.7% 313
165 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 19.0         6.5 -1.5% 7.7% 314
166 Las Cruces, NM 18.8         7.3 -0.9% -4.3% 315
167 Pittsfield, MA NECTA 18.7         3.7 0.9% 0.9% 317
168 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 18.3         9.4 0.4% 5.6% 318
169 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 17.8         7.1 0.0% -2.3% 321
170 Wichita Falls, TX 17.3         3.5 -2.8% 9.5% 326
171 Billings, MT 17.2         8.6 1.2% -6.5% 327
172 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 17.2         4.0 4.4% -12.5% 328
173 East Stroudsburg, PA 17.1         3.3 4.3% -12.5% 329
174 Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Div 16.6      10.1 0.0% 5.9% 331
175 Kennewick-Richland, WA 16.3      20.8 2.6% -9.3% 333
176 Rocky Mount, NC 16.2         5.5 1.2% -1.2% 334
177 Yuma, AZ 14.9         6.1 -2.7% 4.6% 337
178 Visalia-Porterville, CA 13.9         9.1 -6.8% 6.6% 338
179 Yakima, WA 13.7         3.7 0.0% -2.7% 339
180 San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Div 13.5      18.3 -1.8% -0.4% 341
181 Columbus, GA-AL 13.2      12.6 -3.1% -3.3% 342
182 Terre Haute, IN 13.0         5.4 -2.4% -4.7% 343
183 St. Cloud, MN 12.6         8.3 -9.5% 2.9% 344
184 Jackson, MI 12.5         3.8 -6.6% 4.6% 345
185 Killeen-Temple, TX 12.2         9.0 -0.7% -7.5% 346
186 Great Falls, MT 11.7         3.1 -1.1% -3.2% 347
187 Santa Fe, NM 11.3         4.3 -2.3% -2.3% 348
188 Fayetteville, NC 10.7      12.4 -0.8% -4.8% 349
189 Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metropolitan Div 10.7      11.5 -2.3% -4.4% 350
190 Springfield, IL 9.9      10.3 -0.6% -7.5% 352
191 Cedar Rapids, IA 9.5      12.9 -6.3% -1.5% 353
192 Merced, CA 9.4         3.9 -2.5% -3.3% 354
193 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 9.1         8.6 -7.2% -1.5% 355
194 El Centro, CA 9.1         2.5 -18.5% 1.4% 356
195 Bloomington, IL 8.8      17.1 -4.3% -4.5% 357
196 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 8.3         2.1 -9.9% -12.3% 358
197 Lewiston, ID-WA 7.1         1.2 -2.7% -16.3% 360
198 Decatur, IL 7.1         3.0 -4.2% -9.9% 361
199 Texarkana, TX-AR 6.9         3.7 -7.6% -6.0% 362
200 Utica-Rome, NY 6.5         7.9 -4.8% -9.5% 363
201 Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 5.6         3.3 -20.6% -7.4% 364
202 Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL 5.3         4.3 -7.9% -14.6% 365
203 Bloomington, IN 5.2         4.1 -8.1% -34.4% 366
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