by Jessica Ambrose, on 11/6/19 10:31 AM
Tar Heel State Earns Five Spots in the Top 30
Forbes is a long trusted source for rankings of businesses, schools, cities, and more. Many hope to see their name on a Forbes list one day. With the recent Forbes annual list of best places for businesses and careers, the hope of seeing one’s name on the list is now a reality for a few lucky North Carolina cities. These cities have worked hard in becoming a place of prosperity and growth for those who live there, a feat that can take years. For these North Carolina cities, that work has paid off.
The magazine's annual Best Places for Business & Careers list is a ranking of 200 major metropolitan areas in the United States. They judge based on the criteria of a 14-metric system related to cost, income over five years, education availability, and projected economic growth through 2021.
The data provided was by Moody’s Analytics, Sperling’s Best Places, U.S. Census, Cushman & Wakefield and the Movement Advancement Project.
Here are the top five North Carolina Cities that made the cut:
#3 Raleigh, NC
The capital of North Carolina comes in strong at number 3 on the list. As part of North Carolina’s research triangle, Raleigh leads in the fields of high-tech and bio-tech research. Additionally, the area surrounding it is home of many high-ranking colleges such as Duke University. Raleigh is also a great preserver of art as they contain one of the most premier art collections at The North Carolina Museum of Art.
#22 in Job Growth
#13 in Education
Population: 1,362,500
Major Industries: Technology, Health care, Education
Gross Metro Product: $81.7 B
Median Household Income: $74,177
Median Home Price: $283,000
#7 Charlotte, NC
The city of Charlotte is considered a major banking center second only to New York City. It is home to major league teams (the Panthers and the Hornets). It's also home to a few big schools such as UNC Charlotte and Johnson & Wales University.
#20 in Job Growth
#61 in Education
Population: 2,569,200
Major Industries: Financial services, Motorsports, Energy
Gross Metro Product: $156.7 B
Median Household Income: $62,765
Median Home Price: $250,000
#14 Asheville, NC
Asheville is a city that thrives on tourism. One of the biggest attractions is the live music scene. From nightclubs and concerts to seasonal festivals; this city has a wide variety for all music lovers to enjoy. Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is home to many satellite campuses for major universities. The city is also a major hub for white water rafting, so much so that many white water rafting manufactures are based in the area.
#65 in Job Growth
#45 in Education
Population: 459,600
Major Industries: Tourism, Health care
Gross Metro Product: $21.8 B
Median Household Income: $50,785
Median Home Price: $265,000
#17 Durham, NC
Durham is a part of the Research Triangle Park, which is one of the most prominent research centers in the United States. The city thrives in the fields of technology and health care. But the arts are just as important. Additionally located in Durham is the Nasher Museum of Art, which is nationally recognized for its traveling exhibitions of global and contemporary art.
#75 in Job Growth
#11 in Education
Population: 575,400
Major Industries: Technology, Health care, Education
Gross Metro Product: $41.5 B
Median Household Income: $63,520
Median Home Price: $296,000
#30 Wilmington, NC
This city has a great summer vacation location as it sit minutes away from the ocean and three beaches. The city itself contains a bustling downtown and historic districts. History is a major attraction for this city as it holds the World War II memorial battleship the USS North Carolina and Cape Fear Museum. The University of North Carolina Wilmington brings the city a variety of cultural and sports events.
#48 in Job Growth
#38 in Education
Population: 294,400
Major Industries: Telecommunications, Education
Gross Metro Product: $15.2 B
Median Household Income: $53,022
Median Home Price: $259,000
