There is little debate that Nashville and Tennessee consistently rank atop many economic ranking lists and studies. The last 2 months of 2009 provide no exception with Nashville again being named to several prestigious “best in the United States” lists:
December 2009 – MarketWatch
Nashville Ranked as One of the Best Cities for Business
Nashville ranked 15th as one of the best U.S. metro for business in the MarketWatch’s 3rd annual survey.
Notable cities ranked ahead of Nashville: Des Moines (1), Boston (5), Denver (7), Dallas (9), Houston (11)
Notable cities ranked behind Nashville: Austin (17), Pittsburgh (23), Memphis (30), Atlanta (35), Chattanooga (38)
December 2009 – Forbes Magazine
Nashville One of America’s Fastest Recovering Cities
Nashville ranked 19th as one of America’s Fastest Recovering Cities based on diversified industries and relatively stable housing that give residents a measure of economic security.
Notable cities ranked ahead of Nashville: Raleigh (1), Lincoln (5), Des Moines (7), Austin (8), Huntsville (15)
Notable cities ranked behind Nashville: Charlotte (20), Atlanta (24), Houston (28), Dallas (32), Mobile (60), Birmingham (66)
November – Black Enterprise
10 Best Cities for African Americans
Nashville ranked 6th as one of the Best Cities for African Americans based on high-paying jobs, affordable homes, a vibrant social life and short commutes. The 2009 ranking offers some major changes and repositioning in comparison to their 2001 and 2004 lists. Five cities found on both lists remain: Atlanta; Charlotte; Dallas; Houston; and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Nashville, Tennessee, and Columbus, represent returnees from their 2004 roster. Three cities failed to make the cut this time around: Birmingham which received a low response from its residents, and Baltimore and Memphis, which were knocked out of contention because of residents’ great dissatisfaction with several key living standards.
Notable cities ranked ahead of Nashville: Jacksonville (1), Charlotte (4), Dallas (5)
Notable cities ranked behind Nashville: Houston (7), Atlanta (9), Washington DC (10)
November 2009 – Site Selection Magazine
Tennessee Ranks #5 for Business Climate
Tennessee ranked as the fifth-best state in the country to do business, according to an annual listing by Site Selection magazine. Tennessee has been ranked in the top five for five of the past seven years. The annual business climate rankings are determined by two factors: 50% by the state’s economic performance in Conway Data’s New Plant Database, which tracks new and expanded business facility activity, and 50% from surveys of corporate site selectors nationwide.
States ranked ahead of Tennessee: North Carolina (1), Texas (2), Virginia (3), Ohio (4)
States ranked behind Tennessee: South Carolina (6), Alabama (7), Georgia (8), Kentucky (10), Mississippi (17)
