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Austin, TX, Arlington, VA, and San Francisco, CA Top 20th Annual Metro Rankings Report

Detroit, MI, Orlando, FL, and the Reno/Sparks, NV region are also leaders In Business Climate, Tech Talent, Corporate Headquarters, and Industrial Parks.

metro rankings

RED BANK, NJ — June 27, 2024 — Business Facilities has revealed the top cities and metro regions for a select number of categories in its 20th Annual Rankings Report. Focused on more than 60 factors pertinent to site selection teams for business relocation and expansion investments, these rankings serve as a valuable resource for corporate site selectors and site selection consultants. Comprised of State, Metro, and Global rankings, the 20th Annual Rankings Report will be published in the July/August 2024 issue of Business Facilities.

“The annual Metro Rankings Report recognizes the strengths of metros and cities across North America, and our evaluations take into account a broad range of site selection factors. As companies seek the ideal location for their relocation and expansion projects, the 2024 rankings will provide valuable insight for site selection teams,” says Business Facilities Editorial Director Anne Cosgrove.

Desirable Locations: Best Business Climate

For the annual Best Business Climate rankings, Business Facilities considers the appeal of large, mid-sized, and small cities as part of relocation and expansion decisions.

The top 3 large metros ranked for Best Business Climate are Austin/Round Rock, TX; Raleigh-Cary, NC; and Boise City, ID.

Also ranked in the Top 10: Salt Lake City, UT; Nashville/Davidson/Murfreesboro/Franklin, TN; Provo/Orem, UT; Dallas/Plano/Irving, TX; Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, AR; Lexington, KY; and Charlotte/Concord/Gastonia, NC-SC.

Leading the mid-sized metros with Best Business Climate: Arlington, VA; Fort Lauderdale, FL; and Grand Rapids, MI. Also ranked in the top 10: Henderson, NV; Lubbock, TX; Madison, WI; Cincinnati, OH; Rochester, NY; Des Moines, IA; and Olympia/Tumwater, WA.

Leading the small metros for Best Business Climate are: Idaho Falls, ID; Coeur d’Alene, ID; and Gainesville, GA. Rounding out the list: St. George, UT; Twin Falls, ID; Bend-Redmond, OR; Pocatello, ID; Wenatchee, WA; Jacksonville, NC; and The Villages, FL.

The Right Stuff: Tech Talent Leaders

The Business Facilities Tech Talent Leaders rankings showcase the availability of a tech-centric workforce in cities and metro areas across the United States. In this category, size and growth of the talent pool were primary factors, which led to three rankings, divided by size of labor pool.

The top 5 Tech Talent Leaders with large labor tech pools (100,000 and more) are: San Francisco Bay Area, CA; New York Metro, NY; Washington, DC; Los Angeles/Orange County, CA; and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. Also ranked in the top 10 are: Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Atlanta, GA; and Denver, CO.

The Tech Talent Leaders in the mid-sized labor pool (50,000 to 100,000) is topped by: Detroit, MI; Austin, TX; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; San Diego, CA; and Baltimore, MD. Rounding out the list are: Raleigh-Durham, NC; Portland, OR; Charlotte, NC; Salt Lake City, UT; St. Louis, MO; and Tampa, FL.

The Tech Talent Leaders with small labor pool (less than 50,000) includes 15 cities this year, led by Top 5: Orlando, FL; Sacramento, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Cincinnati, OH; and Nashville, TN. The other leaders in this category are (in descending order): Cleveland, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Milwaukee, WI; San Antonio, TX; Virginia Beach, VA; Richmond, VA; Hartford, CT; Inland Empire, CA; Jacksonville, FL; and Madison, WI.

Home Base Wins & Space To Make: Corporate Headquarters, Industrial Parks

Based on the number of Corporate Headquarters gains and total number along with the factors that business leaders take into account for a home base, the 10 locations ranked this year represent a wide swath across the U.S.

Taking the top spot in the magazine’s latest ranking is Austin/Round Rock, TX with 66 new headquarters between 2018-23. The Top 5 ranked also include San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, CA; New York City/Jersey City, NJ/White Plains, NY; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX; and Houston/The Woodlands/Sugar Land, TX.

Rounding out the Corporate Headquarters category: Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Alpharetta, GA; Chicago/Naperville/Evanston, IL; Minneapolis/St. Paul/Bloomington, MN; Nashville/Davidson/Murfreesboro, TN; and Denver/Aurora/Lakewood, CO.

Read more from  Business Facilities 20th Annual Rankings Report

This year’s Business Facilities’ Industrial Parks ranking focused on size in terms of acreage, then honed in on locations that excel in strategic location, transportation and infrastructure, and amenities. Ranging from 100,000+ acres to close to 2,000, the top ranked parks this year showcase the breadth of options for companies of all sizes. The Top 3 are: Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (Reno/Sparks, NV); AllianceTexas (Fort Worth, TX); and TexAmericas Center (Bowie County, TX).

The Top 10 Industrial Parks also include: TGS Cedar Port Industrial Park (Baytown, TX); MidAmerica Industrial Park (Pryor, OK); Camp Hall Commerce Park (Charleston, SC); CenterPoint Intermodal Center (Joliet/Elwood, IL); Elk Grove Business Park (Elk Grove Village, IL); Quonset Business Park (North Kingston, RI); and Savannah River International Trade Park & NorthPort Industrial Park (Savannah, GA).

For more information about the Business Facilities 20th Annual Rankings, please contact Anne Cosgrove, Editorial Director at acosgrove@groupc.com.


Business Facilities, Site Selection, Site Selectors Business Facilities is a leading full-service media brand specializing in the site selection marketplace. Through a bi-monthly magazine, e-mail newsletters, a news portal, and its LiveXchange event, Business Facilities has created a dynamic community for C-level executives and economic development organizations. The Business Facilities brand consistently focuses on innovative, strategic ideas that help C-Level executives make the best location choices.

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2024 Metro Rankings, 2024 Rankings Report, 20th Annual State Rankings, Arlington, Atlanta, Austin, best business climate, Business Facilities rankings, Corporate Headquarters, Detroit, Economic Development, Idaho Falls, Industrial Parks, Orlando, San Francisco Bay Area, Site Selection, Tech Talent Leaders

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