Madison, WI is the top-ranked metro for Quality of Life in Business Facilities’ 14th Annual Rankings Report, released this month.
“Quality of life has become a prerequisite for attracting talented Millennials who want to work in a place they really want to live,” said Editor in Chief Jack Rogers. “The Greater Madison area offers the best of everything: a great place to work and live in a unique urban community surrounded by scenic beauty.”
Madison is a top college town—home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison—with an historic Capital Square surrounded by popular shops and restaurants (the city has developed a reputation as a leading music and “foodie” destination). World-class healthcare is available from three major medical complexes; overall, the Madison region has nearly 1,500 companies providing direct healthcare services.
The Madison Region is home to 12 of Wisconsin’s 98 state parks. Part of the 1,000-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail winds through the region, providing access to spectacular scenic vistas.
Madison’s high percentage of college-educated workers, coupled with a business-friendly development strategy, is a magnet for companies in a diversified group of industry sectors. The city is not just livable, it’s affordable, Rogers noted.
“While other urban areas are gentrifying to the point that the middle class is all but disappearing, Madison has seen a surge in new affordable housing in the heart of downtown,” Rogers said.
The Orlando, FL MSA notched the fastest Job Growth rate among large metropolitan areas in the country for 2017. While not the largest increase in terms of total jobs, 3.8 percent employment growth means Orlando is outpacing every other large MSA in America in terms of the number of jobs added this past year compared to December 2016. Orlando’s fastest growing industries have been manufacturing, construction and financial services, growing at 13.1, 7.5 and 6.3 percent, respectively.
Business Facilities is a national publication that has been the leading location source for corporate site selectors and economic development professionals for more than 50 years.
The Economic Growth Potential ranking is part of BF‘s 14th Annual Rankings Report. The complete 2018 Report, including state, metro and global rankings results, is now available online.
