Rarin’ to Go
Moody’s Economy.com has devised a Business Vitality Index that rates the overall economic vitality of a metro area by looking at a range of factors rather than just one measure. The index takes into account current economic conditions such as household income growth, factors that affect prospective conditions including labor availability and regional cost structure, and potentials risks such as employment volatility. Here are the top 50 (out of 379) metros.
Rank Metro Area Rank Metro Area
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1. Austin, Texas |
26. Dover, Del. |
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2. Fort Walton Beach, Fla. |
27. Dallas, Texas |
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3. Corvallis, Ore. |
28. Naples, Fla. |
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4. Raleigh, N.C. |
29. Charlotte, N.C. |
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5. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
30. Fort Worth, Texas |
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6. Boise City, Idaho |
31. Charlottesville, Va. |
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7. Orlando, Fla. |
32. Houston, Texas |
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8. Huntsville, Ala. |
33. Bend, Ore. |
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9. Sioux Falls, S.D. |
34. Bismarck, N.D. |
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10. Fargo, N.D. |
35. Tallahassee, Fla. |
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11. Jacksonville, Fla. |
36. Panama City, Fla. |
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12. Portland, Ore. |
37. Fayetteville, Ark. |
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13. Phoenix, Ariz. |
38. Minneapolis, Minn. |
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14. Idaho Falls, Idaho |
39. Salt Lake City, Utah |
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15. Tampa, Fla. |
40. Cape Coral, Fla. |
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16. Fort Collins, Colo. |
41. Columbia, Mo. |
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17. Bethesda, Md |
42. Rapid City, S.D. |
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18. Billings, Mont. |
43. Missoula, Mont. |
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19. Albuquerque, N.M. |
44. West Palm Beach, Fla. |
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20. Nashville, Tenn. |
45. Longview, Texas |
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21. Las Vegas, Nev. |
46. Port St. Lucie, Fla |
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22. Santa Ana, Calif. |
47. Colorado Springs, Colo. |
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23. Washington, D.C. |
48. Logan, Utah |
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24. Denver, Colo. |
49. Manchester, N.H. |
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25. Atlanta, Ga. |
50. Ocala, Fla. |