Boomtowns '06: Hottest Small Cities

Employment Base of Less Than 150,000.

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1 Yuma, Arizona
Once a small farming community, this border town is one of the nation's fastest-growing areas, with a burgeoning Latino population and a steady stream of Californians in search of a lower cost of living. Surging trade with Mexico has sparked strong growth in services and transportation.

Overall Rank 1 | 1-Year Job Growth 8.3% | 5-Year Job Growth 32.0% | Index Score 100.0

2 St. George, Utah
Located in the state's scenic southwest corner, St. George is a magnet for both retirees and young families. That's sparked businesses in a range of industries--from IT and business services to manufacturing and retail and wholesale trade.

Overall Rank 2 | 1-Year Job Growth 7.9% | 5-Year Job Growth 38.2% | Index Score 98.8

3 Fort Walton Beach-Crestview, Florida
Growth in this panhandle community is driven by low taxes and good weather. It's also home to an estimated 350 technology firms, which do brisk business with contractors at Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

Overall Rank 4 | 1-Year Job Growth 4.4% | 5-Year Job Growth 21.1% | Index Score 96.4

4 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
With its picturesque lakes and stunning vistas, Coeur d'Alene has long been a top vacation spot. Now it's drawing refugees from pricey, high-regulation places like California (see "The Buck Stopped Here"), spurring growth in services and manufacturing.

Overall Rank 5 | 1-Year Job Growth 7.9% | 5-Year Job Growth 23.6% | Index Score 96.3

5 Bellingham, Washington
With the San Juan Islands to the west and Mount Baker looming to the east, Bellingham attracts urban refugees, who have launched hundreds of small service firms, manufacturers, and consultancies.

Overall Rank 6 | 1-Year Job Growth 6.0% | 5-Year Job Growth 18.7% | Index Score 95.7

6 Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, Florida
Tourism remains a major force on Florida's Atlantic coast but recent action is in the sciences, spurred by facilities like a U.S. Department of Agriculture research lab and the Smithsonian's marine research station.

Overall Rank 7 | 1-Year Job Growth 4.7% | 5-Year Job Growth 22.6% | Index Score 94.8

7 Naples-Marco Island, Florida
Collier County's population has jumped more than 55,000, to 307,000, since 2000, making the region the nation's leading destination for young, single, and educated people in terms of net migration. That's sparked major growth in industries like health care and financial services, drawing newcomers like M&I Bank, which recently opened a local facility.

Overall Rank 8 | 1-Year Job Growth 4.8% | 5-Year Job Growth 26.1% | Index Score 94.4

8 Idaho Falls, Idaho
With a revitalized downtown district, Idaho Falls is big on small-town charm. But it also boasts a diverse band of high-tech companies primarily revolving around the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory.

Overall Rank 10 | 1-Year Job Growth 5.0% | 5-Year Job Growth 19.7% | Index Score 94.2

9 Casper, Wyoming
A bona fide energy boomtown, Casper has benefited from an influx of construction and manufacturing companies serving the state's oil and natural gas industries. Labor is in such short supply that the city is recruiting laid-off Detroit autoworkers.

Overall Rank 11 | 1-Year Job Growth 3.4% | 5-Year Job Growth 18.6% | Index Score 94.0

10 Bremerton-Silverdale, Washington
For years, Bremerton's waterfront was nothing more than a parking lot for the city's top employer, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Boarded-up buildings have been replaced with retail stores thanks to a harborside development program that includes a $47 million conference center, hotel, and condo complexes.

Overall Rank 13 | 1-Year Job Growth 3.6% | 5-Year Job Growth 17.0% | Index Score 93.1

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