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Based on 2021 data, the Milken Institute’s annual Best-Performing Cities (BPC) rankings, released in May, ranked Provo-Orem, Utah, No. 1 among large cities for the third year in a row, followed by Austin-Round Rock, Texas, and Raleigh, North Carolina. “I am proud to see that the world is taking note of this remarkable place, where the majesty of nature surrounds a thriving hub of tech activity and educational opportunity, creating unparalleled quality of life,” said Provo native and Mayor Michelle Kaufusi. The organization’s small cities list was dominated by one corner of the country, as Idaho Falls, Idaho, finished No. 1, followed by Logan, Utah-Idaho, and St. George, Utah. The rankings offer “an assessment of cities' performance amidst the rapidly changing social, demographic, and economic landscape following the initial year of the pandemic,” the Institute says, noting three trends:
- “Cities' performance is closely linked to job and wage growth, which is primarily driven by the expansion of high-tech industries.”
- “While large cities tend to have a stronger presence of high-tech industries, the fastest growth in this sector was observed in the top-ranked small cities.”
- “With the resumption of travel and tourism throughout 2021, the leisure and hospitality industry played a crucial role in driving the highest improvements in this year's rankings.”
Use the interactive tools at the Milken Institute’s home page for its BPC rankings to custom sort results and to compare and contrast the geographical footprint of the report’s Large Cities and Small Cities lists.
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