CRI

FORT WAYNE AREA RANKINGS AND RATINGS

There are a variety of studies that rank cities or areas and few of those are summarized below. In many cases, we have included the Fort Wayne area's rank with that of 14 other communities which have some similarities with this area.

Included below are the
Milken Institute's Best Performing Cities
Forbes' Best Place to do Business
Policom's MSA Economic Strength Ranking
Per Capita Income (BEA)
Metropolitan GDP (BEA)
Average Annual Wage (BLS)
Cost of Living (ACCRA)


MILKEN INSTITUTE 2009 BEST PERFORMING CITIES

Milken Best Performing Cities 2009: Where America's Jobs Are Created and Sustained
MSA
2009 Rank
2008 Rank
2007 Rank
Change in Rank from 2007-2009
2009 Overall Index
           
Peoria, IL
33
43
68
35
620.95
Des Moines, IA
53
25
58
5
759.53
Madison, WI
63
90
95
32
799.81
Nashville, TN
98
22
61
-37
972.92
Indianapolis, IN
125
81
120
-5
1,091.43
Fort Wayne, IN
152
169
165
13
1,213.19
Lexington, KY
161
122
129
-31
1,241.85
Evansville, IN-KY
170
142
173
3
1,302.07
Chattanooga, TN-GA
172
110
111
-61
1,310.92
Rockford, IL
174
155
132
-42
1,317.64
Dayton, OH
183
189
190
7
1,430.34
South Bend, IN-MI
188
186
185
-3
1,509.25
Kalamazoo, MI
189
185
188
-1
1,550.05
Grand Rapids, MI
194
190
192
-2
1,628.95
Toledo, OH
198
194
196
-2
1,673.72
There were 200 MSAs in this study.

In 2009, Austin-Roung Rock, TX was ranked #1 with an overall index of 100. Flint Michigan was the lowest at rank 200 with a 1,737.63 index.
The names of the MSAs have been abbreviated. For a complete list of the areas involved, contact CRI.
This list is available at the Milken Best Cities web site.
Milken Institute Best Performing Cities Rankings

Information about this study: Two hundred of the largest metro areas are ranked on the basis of the following factors:
  • 5-yr job growth
  • 1-yr job growth
  • 5-yr wages & salary growth
  • 1-yr wages & salary growth
  • 5-yr relative high tech GDP growth
  • 1-yr relative high tech GDP growth in high tech GDP location quotient (LQ)
  • the number of high tech GDP LQs over 1

Forbes Best Places For Business And Careers

FORBES BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS AND CAREERS 2010
MSA
Overall Rank
Cost of Doing Business1.
Job Growth2.
Educational Attainment3.
Des Moines, IA
1
49
10
46
Lexington, KY
9
25
32
39
Nashville, TN
31
50
67
78
Indianapolis, IN
47
53
128
55
Madison, WI
60
122
187
15
Peoria, IL
69
74
130
122
Fort Wayne, IN
103
20
118
133
Grand Rapids, MI
107
72
119
115
Chattanooga, TN
132
16
74
148
Dayton, OH
164
89
121
135
Kalamazoo, MI
166
116
192
72
Toledo, OH
169
67
81
153
Evansville, IN
173
56
135
178
South Bend, IN
176
26
166
130
Rockford, IL
188
57
106
175
There were 200 MSAs in this study. Rank #1 went to Des Moines, IA and the lowest ranking was held by Merced, CA.
1. Cost of Doing Business based on cost of labor, energy, taxes, and office space.
2. Job Growth is a 5-year annualized figure.
3. Educational Attainment is based on the share of population over age 25 with a bachelor's degree or better.

The full 2010 list is available at Forbes.com.

Forbes Best Places for Business and Career Rankings

Policom MSA Economic Strength Ranking

MSA
2010
2009
2008
2007
Des Moines, IA
7
13
12
11
Madison, WI
9
6
15
8
Nashville, TN
13
5
4
4
Indianapolis, IN
26
17
18
14
Lexington, KY
67
37
49
62
Grand Rapids, MI
97
53
54
35
Chattanooga, TN-GA
99
108
93
75
Peoria, IL
116
140
163
193
Evansville, IN-KY
168
124
102
88
South Bend, IN-MI
189
143
147
124
Fort Wayne, IN
221
155
155
145
Toledo, OH
249
195
190
203
Rockford, IL
261
233
226
253
Dayton, OH
265
199
175
168
Kalamazoo, MI
279
243
207
198

There were 366 MSAs in this study. Seattle, WA was ranked number one and the lowest ranking was held by Danville, IL.

The names of the MSAs have been abbreviated. For a complete list of the areas involved visit Policom.com.

Policom MSA Economic Strength Rankings

Per Capita Income

PER CAPITA INCOME
MSA 2005 2006 2007 2008
Madison, WI
$39,423
$41,991
$43,455
$44,172
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
$38,339
$40,357
$41,769
$42,506
Peoria, IL
$34,347
$37,171
$39,345
$40,787
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN
$36,052
$38,173
$39,378
$39,768
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
$36,485
$38,283
$38,633
$39,297
Lexington-Fayette, KY
$33,277
$35,337
$36,250
$36,413
Evansville, IN-KY
$32,628
$34,465
$34,899
$36,329
Dayton, OH
$32,089
$33,834
$34,908
$35,526
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
$31,504
$33,330
$34,215
$34,986
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$31,155
$32,933
$34,225
$34,784
Fort Wayne, IN
$31,257
$32,967
$33,858
$34,176
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
$30,298
$31,528
$32,746
$33,685
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
$31,412
$32,670
$33,038
$33,582
Toledo, OH
$30,589
$32,063
$32,993
$33,505
Rockford, IL
$29,345
$31,170
$32,486
$32,955
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Per Capita Income and Change

Metropolitan GDP

Metropolitan GDP
MSA
2001
2008
2001-08 Change in Metro GDP
Peoria, IL
$11,226
$14,433
28.6%
Nashville, TN
$53,663
$68,063
26.8%
Des Moines, IA
$22,912
$28,345
23.7%
Madison, WI
$22,883
$27,738
21.2%
South Bend, IN-MI
$8,759
$10,690
20.7%
Lexington, KY
$16,808
$20,182
20.1%
U.S. Metropolitan Portion
$9,046,139
$10,622,056
17.4%
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$15,423
$17,485
13.4%
Indianapolis, IN
$71,062
$79,684
12.1%
Rockford, IL
$9,633
$10,690
11.0%
Kalamazoo, MI
$9,142
$9,996
9.3%
Fort Wayne, IN
$13,738
$14,718
7.1%
Grand Rapids, MI
$26,953
$28,429
5.5%
Evansville, IN-KY
$12,003
$12,587
4.9%
Toledo, OH
$21,671
$22,087
1.9%
Dayton, OH
$28,550
$29,096
1.9% 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real GDP by Metropolitan Area (millions of chained 2001 dollars)

2001-2008 Change in Metro GDP


Metropolitan GDP
MSA
2007
2008
2007-08 Change in Metro GDP
Peoria, IL
$14,130
$14,433
2.1%
Kalamazoo, MI
$9,813
$9,996
1.9%
Nashville, TN
$67,058
$68,063
1.5%
Madison, WI
$27,335
$27,738
1.5%
Des Moines, IA
$28,036
$28,345
1.1%
Lexington, KY
$20,010
$20,182
0.9%
U.S. Metropolitan Portion
$10,542,473
$10,622,056
0.8%
Indianapolis, IN
$79,266
$79,684
0.5%
Rockford, IL
$10,686
$10,690
0.0%
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$17,547
$17,485
-0.4%
South Bend, IN-MI
$10,621
$10,569
-0.5%
Evansville, IN
$12,731
$12,587
-1.1%
Grand Rapids, MI
$28,865
$28,429
-1.5%
Fort Wayne, IN
$14,974
$14,718
-1.7%
Dayton, OH
$29,688
$29,096
-2.0%
Toledo, OH
$22,539
$22,087
-2.0% 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real GDP by Metropolitan Area (millions of chained 2001 dollars)

2007-2008 Change in Metro GDP


Metropolitan Manufacturing GDP
MSA
2001
2008
2001-08 Change in Manufacturing Metro GDP
Peoria, IL
$2,950
$5,093
72.6%
South Bend, IN-MI
$1,881
$3,193
69.8%
Indianapolis, IN
$13,323
$19,251
44.5%
Des Moines, IA
$1,801
$2,395
33.0%
Madison, WI
$2,614
$3,465
32.6%
Evansville, IN-KY
$3,475
$4,425
27.3%
U.S. Metropolitan Portion
$1,128,161
$1,383,911
22.7%
Lexington, KY
$3,449
$4,039
17.1%
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$2,895
$3,312
14.4%
Rockford, IL
$3,097
$3,446
11.3%
Grand Rapids, MI
$6,392
$6,943
8.6%
Fort Wayne, IN
$3,003
$3,236
7.8%
Toledo, OH
$4,925
$5,235
6.3%
Dayton, OH
$5,826
$5,100
-12.5%
Kalamazoo, MI
$1,941
$1,597
-17.7%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real GDP by Metropolitan Area (millions of chained 2001 dollars)

Note: Manfacturing GDP was not disclosed for 2006-2008 for Nashville, TN.

2001-2008 Change in Manufacturing Metro GDP


Metropolitan Manufacturing GDP
MSA
2007
2008
2007-08 Change in Manufacturing Metro GDP
Des Moines, IA
$2,224
$2,395
7.7%
Indianapolis, IN
$18,246
$19,251
5.5%
Peoria, IL
$4,994
$5,093
2.0%
Evansville, IN-KY
$4,358
$4,425
1.5%
U.S. Metropolitan Portion
$1,365,563
$1,383,911
1.3%
Lexington, KY
$4,016
$4,039
0.6%
Grand Rapids, MI
$6,917
$6,943
0.4%
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$3,300
$3,312
0.4%
South Bend, IN-MI
$3,184
$3,193
0.3%
Rockford, IL
$3,440
$3,446
0.2%
Madison, WI
$3,473
$3,465
-0.2%
Fort Wayne, IN
$3,330
$3,236
-2.8%
Toledo, OH
$5,413
$5,235
-3.3%
Dayton, OH
$5,527
$5,100
-7.7%
Kalamazoo, MI
$1,989
$1,597
-19.7%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real GDP by Metropolitan Area (millions of chained 2001 dollars)

Note: Manfacturing GDP was not disclosed for 2006-2008 for Nashville, TN.

2007-2008 Change in Manufacturing Metro GDP


Metropolitan Manufacturing GDP as a Percentage of Total GDP
MSA
2006
2007
2008
Peoria, IL
34.6%
35.3%
35.3%
Evansville, IN-KY
35.6%
34.2%
35.2%
Rockford, IL
31.6%
32.2%
32.2%
South Bend, IN-MI
29.6%
30.0%
30.2%
Grand Rapids, MI
23.4%
24.0%
24.4%
Indianapolis, IN
23.3%
23.0%
24.2%
Toledo, OH
23.6%
24.0%
23.7%
Fort Wayne, IN
22.5%
22.2%
22.0%
Lexington, KY
20.0%
20.1%
20.0%
Chattanooga, TN-GA
18.6%
18.8%
18.9%
Dayton, OH
19.7%
18.6%
17.5%
Kalamazoo, MI
19.4%
20.3%
16.0%
U.S. Metropolitan Portion
12.9%
13.0%
13.0%
Madison, WI
12.2%
12.7%
12.5%
Des Moines, IA
(D)
7.9%
8.4%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real GDP by Metropolitan Area (millions of chained 2001 dollars)

Note: Manfacturing GDP was not disclosed for 2006 for Des Moines, IA and for 2006-2008 for Nashville, TN

Manufacturing GDP as a Percentage of Total GDP, 2008

Average Annual Wage

AVERAGE ANNUAL Wage (BLS)
MSA
2005
2006
2007
2008
Peoria, IL
$39,871
$42,283
$43,470
$44,562
Nashville, TN
$38,753
$41,003
$42,728
$43,964
Des Moines, IA
$39,760
$41,358
$42,895
$43,918
Indianapolis, IN
$39,830
$41,307
$42,227
$43,128
Madison, WI
$38,210
$40,007
$41,201
$42,623
Dayton, OH
$37,922
$39,387
$40,223
$40,824
Kalamazoo, MI
$36,042
$37,099
$38,402
$40,333
Lexington, KY
$36,683
$37,926
$39,290
$40,034
Grand Rapids, MI
$36,941
$38,056
$38,953
$39,868
Toledo, OH
$35,848
$37,039
$38,538
$39,686
Rockford, IL
$35,652
$37,424
$38,304
$39,210
Evansville, IN-KY 
$35,302
$36,858
$37,182
$38,304
South Bend, IN-MI
$34,086
$35,089
$36,266
$37,654
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$33,743
$35,358
$36,522
$37,258
Fort Wayne, IN
$34,717
$35,641
$36,542
$36,806
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, QCEW Program

Average Annual Wage

Cost of Living


Note: There were four MSAs that did not participate in the Cost of Living Index for the 1st Quarter of 2010: Indianapolis, IN MSA, Toledo, OH MSA, Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI MSA, and Madison, WI MSA.

The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER)'s Cost of Living Index is based on the prices of more than 60 goods and services, updated quarterly. Also known as the ACCRA COLI, this index is highly regarded as the most accurate and reliable source of data comparing costs from city to city.


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