Boomtowns '06: Hottest Large Cities

Employment Base of 450,000 or more.

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1Las Vegas
The Vegas boom now extends well into the suburbs. The number of entertainment and tourism jobs has surged 14.2 percent since 2002, and growth is even more impressive in financial and professional services. Construction is up almost 50 percent.

Overall Rank 9 | 1-Year Job Growth 7.5% | 5-Year Job Growth 25.3% | Index Score 94.3

2Fort Lauderdale, Florida
A number of high-tech businesses, such as Internet solutions provider Hostopia, have recently relocated to the warm, low-tax surroundings of Broward County. Technology, biomed, and health services top the list of growth industries.

Overall Rank 24 | 1-Year Job Growth 4.2% | 5-Year Job Growth 12.1% | Index Score 84.5

3Orlando
Orlando is outgrowing the Mouse. The city's technology industry now boasts collective annual revenue of some $10 billion. Other high-end gains are in professional business and financial services, which have enjoyed double-digit growth since 2002.

Overall Rank 28 | 1-Year Job Growth 4.5% | 5-Year Job Growth 11.7% | Index Score 84.0

4West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida
Business and professional services, up 20 percent since 2002, are driving the region's economy. The area is also a life-sciences hub, home to drug and medical instrument makers, such as Nabi Biopharmaceuticals.

Overall Rank 31 | 1-Year Job Growth 3.4% | 5-Year Job Growth 13.6% | Index Score 83.5

5San Bernardino-Riverside, California
Housing prices in the sprawling inland suburbs of southern California may be rising, but they're still half those along the coast. As a result, people have continued to flock to the area, where warehouses and factories are being replaced by white-collar service firms.

Overall Rank 35 | 1-Year Job Growth 1.9% | 5-Year Job Growth 18.7% | Index Score 82.4

6Phoenix
The Valley of the Sun is posting robust growth in financial services, with banks, customer-service centers, insurers, and brokerage firms popping up across the region.

Overall Rank 36 | 1-Year Job Growth 4.4% | 5-Year Job Growth 10.8% | Index Score 81.7

7Northern Virginia
Entrepreneurs in Fairfax County netted $297 million in venture capital last year, up 52 percent from 2004. IT and business services are hot, as are biotech, engineering, and telecommunications. Excellent public schools and cultural amenities make it an appealing place to live--if you can afford the real estate.

Overall Rank 42 | 1-Year Job Growth 3.1% | 5-Year Job Growth 9.9% | Index Score 78.4

8Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria
No surprise that an expanding federal government is the main economic force here, providing jobs at its many agencies and at the private companies that do business with them. Professional services are on the rise, and the retail sector is flourishing.

Overall Rank 52 | 1-Year Job Growth 3.2% | 5-Year Job Growth 10.4% | Index Score 75.9

9Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida
Affordable business and living costs, terrific weather, and plentiful jobs keep attracting people to Tampa Bay. Wholesale trade, transportation, and warehousing are strong, thanks to the Port of Tampa, the state's largest port, which handles 50 million tons of cargo a year. More cruise ships are docking as well, and professional and technical services are expanding.

Overall Rank 64 | 1-Year Job Growth 2.6% | 5-Year Job Growth 8.0% | Index Score 72.1

10Camden-Burlington Counties, New Jersey
The Philadelphia suburbs are thriving, with strong growth in banking, insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Access to the Northeast's major cities also is a plus.

Overall Rank 65 | 1-Year Job Growth 2.6% | 5-Year Job Growth 9.1% | Index Score 71.7

11Jacksonville, Florida
Banks, medical-device makers, call centers, insurance firms, manufacturers, and software developers have all relocated to the region in recent years. Good infrastructure and affordable costs appeal to newcomers.

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