Read how we pick the best cities.
| 
 2009  
Size Rank  | 
Area | 
 2009 
Weighted INDEX  | 
 2008 Nonfarm Emplymt (1000s) 
 | 
 Size 2009 
 | 
 Size  
Movement  | 
 Overall Rank 2009 
 | 
| 1 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 87.6 | 
 221.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 3 
 | 
 7 
 | 
| 2 | Tulsa, OK | 85.1 | 
 436.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 36 
 | 
 10 
 | 
| 3 | Lafayette, LA | 84.1 | 
 151.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 7 
 | 
 14 
 | 
| 4 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 82.3 | 
 291.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 7 
 | 
 19 
 | 
| 5 | Kansas City, KS | 81.1 | 
 446.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 11 
 | 
 22 
 | 
| 6 | Corpus Christi, TX | 80.8 | 
 182.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 28 
 | 
 23 
 | 
| 7 | Baton Rouge, LA | 79.2 | 
 377.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 10 
 | 
 27 
 | 
| 8 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 77.6 | 
 180.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 14 
 | 
 33 
 | 
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | 76.7 | 
 169.7 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 43 
 | 
 35 
 | 
| 10 | Mobile, AL | 74.7 | 
 183.3 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 34 
 | 
 37 
 | 
| 11 | El Paso, TX | 74.6 | 
 278.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 15 
 | 
 39 
 | 
| 12 | Huntsville, AL | 74.6 | 
 211.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -7 
 | 
 40 
 | 
| 13 | Bakersfield, CA | 71.1 | 
 237.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -4 
 | 
 50 
 | 
| 14 | Provo-Orem, UT | 70.1 | 
 188.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -13 
 | 
 54 
 | 
| 15 | Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC | 69.4 | 
 295.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -9 
 | 
 58 
 | 
| 16 | Framingham, MA NECTA Division | 68.7 | 
 159.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 34 
 | 
 62 
 | 
| 17 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 68.2 | 
 321.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -2 
 | 
 65 
 | 
| 18 | Peoria, IL | 67.6 | 
 189.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 3 
 | 
 69 
 | 
| 19 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 67.1 | 
 207.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 1 
 | 
 71 
 | 
| 20 | Savannah, GA | 66.8 | 
 157.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -17 
 | 
 73 
 | 
| 21 | Boulder, CO | 65.9 | 
 166.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 11 
 | 
 79 
 | 
| 22 | Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division | 65.8 | 
 277.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -20 
 | 
 81 
 | 
| 23 | Wichita, KS | 63.8 | 
 311.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 1 
 | 
 88 
 | 
| 24 | Spokane, WA | 63.7 | 
 215.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -10 
 | 
 91 
 | 
| 25 | York-Hanover, PA | 63.7 | 
 182.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -2 
 | 
 92 
 | 
| 26 | Albuquerque, NM | 63.0 | 
 393.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 9 
 | 
 94 
 | 
| 27 | Salem, OR | 61.4 | 
 150.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -2 
 | 
 100 
 | 
| 28 | Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 61.1 | 
 198.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -20 
 | 
 101 
 | 
| 29 | Springfield, MO | 60.9 | 
 197.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -16 
 | 
 102 
 | 
| 30 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 60.0 | 
 189.3 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 40 
 | 
 105 
 | 
| 31 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 59.7 | 
 344.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -3 
 | 
 106 
 | 
| 32 | Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC | 59.4 | 
 314.7 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -14 
 | 
 107 
 | 
| 33 | Lincoln, NE | 58.9 | 
 172.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 15 
 | 
 109 
 | 
| 34 | Charleston, WV | 57.5 | 
 151.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 106 
 | 
 114 
 | 
| 35 | Columbia, SC | 56.6 | 
 362.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -16 
 | 
 116 
 | 
| 36 | Montgomery, AL | 55.6 | 
 176.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -5 
 | 
 123 
 | 
| 37 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 55.2 | 
 163.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 3 
 | 
 127 
 | 
| 38 | Syracuse, NY | 54.6 | 
 325.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 39 
 | 
 129 
 | 
| 39 | Trenton-Ewing, NJ | 54.4 | 
 238.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 19 
 | 
 130 
 | 
| 40 | Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division | 51.1 | 
 394.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 29 
 | 
 148 
 | 
| 41 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 50.5 | 
 340.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 20 
 | 
 151 
 | 
| 42 | Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA | 50.1 | 
 171.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 14 
 | 
 152 
 | 
| 43 | Madison, WI | 49.2 | 
 343.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 24 
 | 
 158 
 | 
| 44 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 48.7 | 
 327.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 30 
 | 
 159 
 | 
| 45 | Fresno, CA | 48.4 | 
 297.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 0 
 | 
 161 
 | 
| 46 | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY | 48.4 | 
 254.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 37 
 | 
 162 
 | 
| 47 | New Haven, CT NECTA | 48.0 | 
 277.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 32 
 | 
 166 
 | 
| 48 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 47.9 | 
 214.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 15 
 | 
 167 
 | 
| 49 | Asheville, NC | 47.6 | 
 172.3 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -42 
 | 
 168 
 | 
| 50 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 46.5 | 
 446.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 31 
 | 
 177 
 | 
| 51 | Lancaster, PA | 46.1 | 
 235.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 6 
 | 
 182 
 | 
| 52 | Jackson, MS | 45.7 | 
 258.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -3 
 | 
 184 
 | 
| 53 | Gary, IN Metropolitan Division | 45.4 | 
 279.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 19 
 | 
 186 
 | 
| 54 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | 45.3 | 
 244.3 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 5 
 | 
 188 
 | 
| 55 | Colorado Springs, CO | 45.1 | 
 254.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -14 
 | 
 190 
 | 
| 56 | Boise City-Nampa, ID | 44.8 | 
 261.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -44 
 | 
 191 
 | 
| 57 | Winston-Salem, NC | 44.8 | 
 214.7 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -24 
 | 
 192 
 | 
| 58 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 44.8 | 
 253.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -16 
 | 
 194 
 | 
| 59 | Knoxville, TN | 44.6 | 
 330.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -20 
 | 
 195 
 | 
| 60 | Roanoke, VA | 44.5 | 
 160.9 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 20 
 | 
 196 
 | 
| 61 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 44.1 | 
 205.7 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -10 
 | 
 200 
 | 
| 62 | Tallahassee, FL | 42.9 | 
 175.3 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -25 
 | 
 202 
 | 
| 63 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 42.8 | 
 259.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 15 
 | 
 203 
 | 
| 64 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | 42.6 | 
 151.7 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -28 
 | 
 206 
 | 
| 65 | Green Bay, WI | 42.0 | 
 166.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 11 
 | 
 212 
 | 
| 66 | Reading, PA | 41.5 | 
 171.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 7 
 | 
 219 
 | 
| 67 | Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME NECTA | 41.4 | 
 192.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -1 
 | 
 221 
 | 
| 68 | Tucson, AZ | 41.4 | 
 374.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -22 
 | 
 222 
 | 
| 69 | Akron, OH | 41.2 | 
 334.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -5 
 | 
 225 
 | 
| 70 | Worcester, MA-CT NECTA | 40.7 | 
 245.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 12 
 | 
 228 
 | 
| 71 | Stockton, CA | 39.6 | 
 204.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -41 
 | 
 233 
 | 
| 72 | Fort Wayne, IN | 39.5 | 
 213.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 13 
 | 
 235 
 | 
| 73 | Calvert-Charles-Prince George's, MD | 39.5 | 
 388.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -20 
 | 
 236 
 | 
| 74 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA | 39.0 | 
 412.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -12 
 | 
 240 
 | 
| 75 | Springfield, MA-CT NECTA | 37.9 | 
 293.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 13 
 | 
 245 
 | 
| 76 | Baltimore City, MD | 36.8 | 
 364.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 16 
 | 
 256 
 | 
| 77 | Rockford, IL | 36.1 | 
 156.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -30 
 | 
 262 
 | 
| 78 | Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division | 34.3 | 
 345.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -13 
 | 
 272 
 | 
| 79 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 34.2 | 
 223.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 11 
 | 
 273 
 | 
| 80 | Modesto, CA | 34.1 | 
 153.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -5 
 | 
 274 
 | 
| 81 | Evansville, IN-KY | 32.5 | 
 174.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 3 
 | 
 280 
 | 
| 82 | Canton-Massillon, OH | 31.3 | 
 169.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 9 
 | 
 284 
 | 
| 83 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 29.8 | 
 208.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -40 
 | 
 291 
 | 
| 84 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | 28.9 | 
 358.0 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -29 
 | 
 296 
 | 
| 85 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 27.3 | 
 164.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -58 
 | 
 302 
 | 
| 86 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 24.3 | 
 376.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 0 
 | 
 310 
 | 
| 87 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 23.9 | 
 283.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 0 
 | 
 311 
 | 
| 88 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 23.9 | 
 182.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -28 
 | 
 312 
 | 
| 89 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 23.4 | 
 162.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -35 
 | 
 313 
 | 
| 90 | Reno-Sparks, NV | 23.4 | 
 206.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -61 
 | 
 314 
 | 
| 91 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 21.4 | 
 202.2 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -20 
 | 
 319 
 | 
| 92 | Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 20.7 | 
 230.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 2 
 | 
 321 
 | 
| 93 | Ann Arbor, MI | 20.5 | 
 193.1 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 2 
 | 
 322 
 | 
| 94 | Dayton, OH | 20.1 | 
 388.8 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 2 
 | 
 323 
 | 
| 95 | Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL | 19.6 | 
 262.4 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -27 
 | 
 325 
 | 
| 96 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 17.0 | 
 154.6 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -7 
 | 
 327 
 | 
| 97 | Toledo, OH | 11.8 | 
 309.5 
 | 
 M 
 | 
 -4 
 | 
 332 
 | 











