The Milken Institute released its annual report  entitled “Best-Performing Cities: Where America’s Jobs are Created and Sustained.” Researchers analyzed economic data like jobs growth, wages and technology output, across nearly 400 metropolitan areas. They found that growing competition for talent is pushing companies to expand into new regions. So what makes the difference for cities that are booming?

Top 10 Best-Performing Large Cities/Metropolitan areas

 1) Provo-Orem, Utah

2) San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

3) Austin-Round Rock, Texas

4) San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco

5) Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas

6) Raleigh, North Carolina

7) Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida

8) Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington

9) Fort Collins, Colorado

10) Salt Lake City, Utah 

Top 10 Best-Performing Small Cities 

1) Bend-Redmond, Oregon

2) St. George, Utah

3) Gainesville, Georgia

4) Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana

5) Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

6) San Rafael, California

7) Medford, Oregon

8) Athens-Clarke County, Georgia

9) Albany, Oregon

10) Logan, Utah

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