The Top 5 U.S. Cities That Are Driving the Future
(a third of the top 12 are from Texas…..)
Original article from Business Insider 01/07/2014
The American economy is being reshaped by the booming industries of technology and energy, according to new rankings by the Milken Institute. In the 2013 rankings of America’s best performing cities, 13 cities defined by Milken as tech hubs made it into the top 25, while nine could attribute their impressive growth to the energy industry, notably the shale and natural gas renaissance. Milken’s ranking is based on data from both long- and short-term growth in jobs, wages, salaries, and technological output.
1. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas
2. Provo–Orem, Utah
3. San Francisco–San Mateo–Redwood City, California
4. San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, California
5. Salt Lake City, Utah
6. Seattle–Bellevue–Everett, Washington
7. Dallas–Plano–Irving, Texas
8. Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, Texas
9. Boulder, Colorado
10. Greeley, Colorado
11. Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville, South Carolina
12. San Antonio–New Braunfels, Texas
13. Raleigh–Cary, North Carolina
14. Nashville–Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, Tennessee
15. Denver–Aurora–Broomfield, Colorado
1. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas
The top spot goes to the metro area of Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, a rising tech center. Austin came in second with job growth over the last five years, due in large part to a diversified technology base. Homegrown tech companies like Dell, National Instruments, and Flextronics complement incoming companies like Apple and IBM (which both now have large bases in Austin), as well as startups coming out of the University of Texas.
The city is extremely business-friendly with a low tax, low regulation environment that makes it attractive to out-of-state firms. All of the tech hustle and bustle has led to an influx of young professionals, which has led to a boom in construction.
Austin looks to maintain its high-flying output over the next five years as it focuses on clean technology, data centers, digital media, biosciences, and other industries.
7. Dallas–Plano–Irving, Texas
Dallas has one of the most diverse economies in the U.S., with strong establishments in tech, aerospace, telecoms, and financial services. Population growth is strong, housing sales are rising, financial services added 5,000 jobs from 2011-12, and employment at corporate headquarters increased by more than 4,000 works over the last five years. Look for Dallas’s job growth to get even stronger as American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Lockheed Martin look to expand their presence.
8. Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, Texas
Houston’s growth has been fueled by the boom in oil and gas exploration. Shale gas exploration in particular is creating jobs in multiple areas. It’s led to 10,500 jobs in professional and scientific services, while administrative, machinery, and manufacturing industries have also seen job gains.
Job growth is the seventh strongest in the country over the last five years, largely because Houston’s energy infrastructure is only getting more developed. Multiple companies are building export terminals, fractionaters, and ethane crackers. Expect a huge increase in engineering and construction jobs as a result.
12. San Antonio–New Braunfels, Texas
Home to one of the largest medical facilities in the nation, San Antonio has seen strong job growth from military medical operations. Ambulatory health-care services created more than 12,000 jobs over the last five years.
Medical isn’t the only thing driving development. San Antonio is also home to the largest oil and gas development in the world in the Eagle Ford Shale. Record drilling levels and high-yield wells are pumping new jobs into energy and related sectors.
The city was ninth in job growth over the last five years. A nationwide restructuring of military bases could lead to many new jobs.
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