Best Cities

Where Are the Best Cities to Do Business?

Joel Kotkin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:57:57 -0400

Our comprehensive annual guide to which places are thriving -- even in an economy many consider in recession.

What a difference a year and a deflated housing bubble makes. Inc.com's 2008 list of the Best Cities for Doing Business, created in conjunction with Newgeography.com, uncovered some of the most dramatic changes since we started this ranking back in 2004. Five major trends were immediately revealed; trends that are shaping the business environment right now across the country and will continue to over the next several years. read more »

How We Pick the Best Cities

Michael Shires — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:57:27 -0400

By Michael Shires

This year's rankings continue the methodology used last year, which emphasizes the robustness of a region's growth and allows the rankings to include all of the metropolitan statistical areas for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports monthly employment data. They are derived from three-month rolling averages of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics "state and area" unadjusted employment data reported from November 1996 to January 2008. read more »

Euroburbia: A Personal View

KirkRogers — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:00:38 -0500

The image of the European city as a tourist’s paradise of charming inner-city neighborhoods interconnected by high-speed rail networks is not entirely false, but it does not give the full picture of how most Europeans live. Contrary to the mythology embraced by romantics among planners and ‘green’ politicians, urban areas of Europe sprawl just as much as any American or Western city. read more »

Charlotte’s Expanding Financial Web

Joel Kotkin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:04:44 -0400

The takeover of Merrill Lynch by Charlotte-based Bank of America represents another step in the emergence of a true full-tilt competitor to New York as a financial capital. Already dominant in commercial banking, the acquisition places the North Carolina metropolis into the first ranks of cities in wealth management. read more »

Which Cities Will the High Cost of Energy Hurt (and Help) the Most?

Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:45:01 -0400

A high cost energy future will profoundly impact the cost of doing business and create new opportunities, but not necessarily in the way most people expect.

By Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires

The New York Times, the Atlantic Monthly and the rest of the establishment press have their answer: big cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco will win out. Our assessment is: not so fast. There’s a lot about the unfolding energy economy that is more complex than commonly believed, and could have consequences that are somewhat unanticipated. read more »

The New Boom Towns

Joel Kotkin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:26:05 -0400

The steep hike in gas and energy prices has created a national debate about the future of American metropolitan areas -- mostly about the reputed decline of suburbs and edge cities dependent on cars. But with all this focus on the troubles of traditional suburbs, one big story is overlooked: the rapid rise of America’s energy-producing metropolitan areas. read more »

Why Small Cities Rock

Delore Zimmerman — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:56:38 -0400

Forget New York and San Francisco. With beautiful scenery, skilled workers, and affordable housing, smaller cities are luring companies in droves.

They may not make a big splash nationally, but small metro areas continue to dominate the top ranks of Inc.com's Best Cities rankings. This year, for example, 18 of the top 25 cities are small metros. read more »

Is Manufacturing Weighing Down the U.S. Economy?

Joel Kotkin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:55:47 -0400

The answer may surprise you.

Ever since we started ranking the Best Cities for Doing Business in 2004, the bottom rung of the rankings has been largely dominated by older industrial cities where factories have long been abandoned and once booming economies have dried up. The 2008 list bears this sobering fact; read more »