4. San Antonio Largely unnoticed amidst the mega-hype surrounding media favorite Austin, this more affordable Texas city has benefited from steady population growth, a diversifying economy, and a strong military presence.
5. West Palm Beach This part of Florida is getting crowded, so relatively low prices could soon be a thing of the past. Right now, the perceived high quality of life and reasonable housing prices make this area an almost irresistible lure.
6. Southern New Jersey, New Jersey
7. Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood-Pompano Beach, Florida
8. Jacksonville, Florida
9. Newark, New Jersey
10. Suburban Maryland-D.C., Maryland
11. Orlando, Florida
12. Phoenix, Arizona
13. Washington MSA, District of Columbia
14. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
15. San Diego, California
16. Nassau-Suffolk, New York
17. Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia
18. New Orleans, Louisiana
19. Austin, Texas
20. Northern Virginia, Virginia
21. Middlesex-Somerset- Hunterdon, New Jersey
22. Miami-Hialeah, Florida
23. Orange County, California
24. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
25. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York
With job bases from 150,000 to 450,000, the midsize cities include a strong showing from the Inland Empire, driven by escapees from the California coast
1. Green Bay The Packers may provide name recognition to this Wisconsin city, but locals swear to the quality of life, a diversified economy, and a hardworking, skilled labor force.
It lacks the population-driven growth of Sunbelt cities such as Las Vegas or Atlanta, but it is an excellent place to start and expand a business.
2. Madison Cold weather didn't stop Wisconsin from packing a one-two punch among midsize cities. Madison is peculiarly well suited for the service-driven economic expansion. As state capital and locale of one of the region's top universities, its population is exceptionally well educated.
3. Sarasota This may well be Florida's "next big thing," an affordable coastal region that attracts many skilled, middle-class emigrants from the north. A sizable tech work force has made this among the fastest-growing areas for information-based industries. And there's always the beach.
4. Fresno California's economy is driven by real estate affordability and population growth, but here it's particularly spurred on by Latino and Asian immigration. A key issue, as in other growth centers, will be creating a bigger high-end service, manufacturing, and information sector.
5. Bakersfield Like Fresno, but with perhaps stronger prospects. Sprawl has made the old Merle Haggard Okie capital a distant suburb of pricey Los Angeles, and people actually commute over the mountains. A good choice for firms seeking to expand close to southern California, without the price tag.
6. Reno, Nevada
7. Albuquerque, New Mexico
8. Tucson, Arizona
9. Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, California
10. Modesto, California
11. Stockton, California
12. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Florida
13. Corpus Christi, Texas
14. Syracuse, New York
15. Springfield, Missouri
16. Monmouth-Ocean, New Jersey
17. Westchester County, New York
18. Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, Pennsylvania
19. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
20. Daytona Beach, Florida
21. Jackson, Mississippi
22. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
23. Portland, Maine
24. Boise City, Idaho
25. Akron, Ohio
Small cities (job bases up to 150,000) have suffered from years of dwindling population. Their affordability is reversing the trend
1. Montpelier With classic Yankee humility, George Malek, executive vice president of the Central Vermont Chamber, could not bring himself to boast about his region's top ranking. He cited instead his city's burgeoning insurance industry and the advantages of being a state capital and home to several small colleges.
2. Missoula Montana's nice scenery and the local university go a long way in a small place. Missoula's population has almost doubled in the past 30 years, and many newcomers have started businesses. Financial and professional business services, as well as information, have all made solid gains.
3. Casper With 66,000 people in this Wyoming region, Casper is small even by small-town standards. But its business services industries--in particular, financial services--made strong showings. Another sign that professional service sectors are declustering from traditional urban centers.
4. Rockland County Although not cheap by midwestern or southern standards, its housing prices are bargain basement compared with areas closer to New York City. Population growth has been three times the New York average since 2000, while information and business services have shown solid growth.
