by Think Currituck, on 2/6/19 10:59 AM
A new national report on economic expansion, jobs and prosperity offers further proof that North Carolina is the place to be if you’re looking to advance yourself personally and professionally. The economy is positively booming right now and jobs for professionals and skilled workers are on the rise.
So how do we know how well North Carolina is doing?
The Milken Institute conducted a study examining underlying factors and unique characteristics of underlying growth in successful regions. Their annual Best Performing Cities Index uses an “index of outcomes-based set of metrics such as job creation, wage gains, and technological developments to evaluate the relative growth of metropolitan areas.”
Milken states that its goal is to “help businesses, investors, industry associations,
development agencies, government officials, academics, and public-policy groups monitor and evaluate how well their metro is promoting economic vitality relative to the rest of the country.”
The index also provides a benchmark of data to see how metro areas can improve over time.
[ VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT PDF ]
Tech continues to grow the economy
High-tech industries continue to fuel growth in many of the best-performing cities, creating opportunities for highly skilled workers. In 2018, it’s no surprise that our own Raleigh ranked in at number 6, leveraging educated workforces and competitive business climates to generate growth.
The study states that “skilled service workers were much in demand; the healthcare, education, professional, and business services created just under one million jobs in 2017 across the US.”
North Carolina is booming
Another North Carolina metropolitan area to make considerable gains is Durham-Chapel Hill, up 29 spots from 2017. And the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA moved up 7 spots from last year, as well.
Here’s how other North Carolina metros fared:
• Wilmington, No. 55, DOWN ↓ 20 spots
• Asheville, No. 60, UP ↑ 5 spots
• Durham-Chapel Hill, No. 77, UP ↑ 29 spots
• Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, No. 90, UP ↑ 13 spots
• Greensboro-High Point, No. 156, DOWN ↓ 14 spots
• Winston-Salem, No. 160, DOWN ↓ 39 spots
• Fayetteville, No. 194, DOWN ↓ 9 spots
In a separate index of small cities, Greenville ranked highest in the state at No. 64, climbing 23 spots.
Because of our educated workforce and competitive business climate, North Carolina,
has made considerable and exciting gains in creating opportunities for highly skilled workers. Congratulations to Raleigh and all of the other Tar Heel metros that made the list!
Currituck County benefits when our sister cities prosper, and as our regional business community thrives, it becomes even clearer that there's never been a better time to "Think Currituck."
Click the banner below to download our latest guide for a closer look at the advantages of doing business in Currituck County:
