Several Smaller Cities Lead Nation In Job Growth

Major cities are booming because many adults see them as job hubs. But, Forbes found that a bunch of smaller and medium-size cities offer solid employment opportunities as well.

Of the 10 cities with the strongest job growth, seven have populations of 150,000 or less. Saint George, a town of 78,000 in the southwest corner of Utah, ranked third, with recent expansions in health and education jobs. Employment in those sectors has risen 32 percent since 2011.

Other small and medium cities in the top 10 include Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark., Charleston-North Charleston, S.C., and Fort Collins, Colo.

Most of the fastest-growing metro areas tend to be in what some have called “amenity regions.” This is certainly the case for Ft. Collins, No. 9 Gainesville, Ga., No. 10 The Villages, Fla., and No. 17 Boise, Idaho. Many of these places, notably the Villages, are attractive to retirees and downshifting boomers while others may also lure young families.

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