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METRO
Economic
Strength

Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Economic Strength Ranking
2008

For an explanation of the methodology used to create these rankings, please go to Economic Strength.  For the 2008 rankings, data from 1987 to 2006 was utilized.  Previous years rankings are provided to identify trends.

 
If you do not know the name of a metropolitan area, go to Metropolitan Area Definitions.

To download a PDF version of all rankings and the methodology, click here.

There are 363 Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

363 METROPOLITAN AREAS 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004   363 METROPOLITAN AREAS 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
                         
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC (MSA) 1 2 1 3 1   Abilene, TX (MSA) 359 352 322 324 351
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (MSA) 2 1 3 1 3   Akron, OH (MSA) 95 108 90 104 120
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA (MSA) 3 6 21 21 5   Albany, GA (MSA) 333 321 279 270 257
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN (MSA) 4 4 2 4 7   Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY (MSA) 75 65 54 82 110
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA (MSA) 5 10 19 35 40   Albuquerque, NM (MSA) 111 100 88 74 61
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (MSA) 6 7 8 11 14   Alexandria, LA (MSA) 282 289 275 307 280
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (MSA) 7 22 16 13 12   Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (MSA) 71 76 96 99 130
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX (MSA) 8 26 29 32 24   Altoona, PA (MSA) 260 260 237 265 267
Salt Lake City, UT (MSA) 9 28 18 6 17   Amarillo, TX (MSA) 253 247 259 285 310
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV (MSA) 10 3 10 23 46   Ames, IA (MSA) 128 147 177 164 179
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (MSA) 11 23 51 34 11   Anchorage, AK (MSA) 217 226 223 276 328
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (MSA) 12 11 13 15 28   Anderson, IN (MSA) 351 334 335 321 323
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI (MSA) 13 21 30 27 39   Anderson, SC (MSA) 286 254 222 195 156
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA (MSA) 14 9 6 2 2   Ann Arbor, MI (MSA) 114 110 97 84 106
Madison, WI (MSA) 15 8 20 7 13   Anniston-Oxford, AL (MSA) 332 346 347 358 358
Birmingham-Hoover, AL (MSA) 16 5 4 5 6   Appleton, WI (MSA) 91 109 99 73 91
Denver-Aurora, CO (MSA) 17 19 14 9 4   Asheville, NC (MSA) 195 163 151 137 108
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN (MSA) 18 14 9 14 20   Athens-Clarke County, GA (MSA) 235 238 228 182 176
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI (MSA) 19 12 5 8 8   Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA (MSA) 14 9 6 2 2
Kansas City, MO-KS (MSA) 20 16 11 10 10   Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ (MSA) 237 213 225 256 274
Orlando-Kissimmee, FL (MSA) 21 13 24 26 21   Auburn-Opelika, AL (MSA) 297 320 296 263 228
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (MSA) 22 15 22 24 31   Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC (MSA) 197 186 156 177 220
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA (MSA) 23 32 38