Greenville, NC MSA Ranks in Top 10% Leading Locations
GREENVILLE, NC (May 29, 2014) – The Greenville, NC MSA has been ranked number 36 on Area Development’s list of Leading Locations for 2014: U.S. Metros Ranked for Economic and Job Growth. Out of 379 U.S. metros ranked, this puts us in the top 10% of all metros, large and small, nationwide. Greenville was the highest ranking MSA in North Carolina.
To create the list, Area Development analyzed economic and workforce data to discover the cities across America that are poised to capitalize on the new potential for economic growth as the United States pulls out of the recession. A diversified economic base tops the most desirable traits.
For this year’s Leading Locations study, Area Development analyzed data for all 379 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) — both for 2012–2013 and, in some categories, as far back as 2008. The goal was to identify which cities across America are emerging as front-runners in the new era of economic development.
The report includes an overall ranking that is based on 21 economic indicators and created category rankings that are based on sub-groups of indicators. The Greenville, NC MSA earned the most impressive rankings in the “economic strength” and “recession busting cities” sub-groups, which assessed factors such as change in unemployment rate, manufacturing employment , and per capita real GDP.
According to Area Development, the top MSAs on the list demonstrate a combination of drivers that have enhanced their attractiveness as a business location. Chief among those that bolstered this year’s ranking for the Greenville, NC MSA is the resurgence of domestic manufacturing after the recession. Area Development also noted that the locations that best create and sustain a healthy economy not only are best at landing new companies but also excel at supporting local companies and helping them hone their competitiveness.
“We knew that our MSA had been the first in North Carolina to recover manufacturing employment to pre-recession levels, but this ranking validates that we are a strong economy and well-poised for growth.” says Kelly Andrews, Associate Director of the Pitt County Development Commission.
To see the Area Development article and full list of metros ranked, visit the link below:
