Top 10 Midsize U.S. Metro Areas

Big metropolitan areas get most of the media’s attention, but smaller spots deserve some special consideration. Sure, they may not have all the hustle and bustle of their counterparts, yet smaller locales provide their own unique attributes. Portfolio.com/bizjournals looked at 109 markets with populations of between 250,000 and 750,000 and came up with the following list of which ones offered the best quality of life. Click through for the top 10.

Boulder, (population: 300,452), is a hub for high-tech industries and the home of the University of Colorado. Plus, it’s among the 10 medium markets with the highest home values, lowest unemployment rates, and largest percentages of self-employed workers.

Provo (population: 539,754), is the fastest-growing midsize market in America. Its population has ballooned 43 percent since 2000. Unemployment is low, and the housing stock is young. Almost half of all homes have been built since 1990.

Fort Collins (population: 292,889), is about an hour’s drive north of Boulder. The two have several qualities in common. Fort Collins also has a sizable pool of bright, young workers. Nearly 42 percent of its adults have college degrees.

Madison (population: 562,065), is the sole non-Western market in the top five. Its economic pillars are the University of Wisconsin and the state government. The local unemployment and poverty rates are among the smallest in the nation.

Ogden (population: 530,998), is 80 miles north of Provo. It has low unemployment and an impressive stock of large, new houses, just as Provo does. The population of the Ogden area has shot up by 20 percent since 2000.

Holland (population: 260,891), holds homeownership in high esteem: 82 percent of families own their dwellings. That’s the highest percentage in the study group. The Holland area also has the lowest poverty rate of any midsize metro.

Colorado Springs, (population: 616,975), offers the same Western staples as other markets in the top 10—impressive growth, big houses, well-educated workers, and a substantial number of young adults.

Ann Arbor, (population: 344,767), is a well-known college town, the home of the University of Michigan. It leads the study group in the share of management and professional jobs (50.6 percent of local workers) and ranks second in bachelor’s degrees.

Des Moines (population: 554,101), does not deserve its image as a sleepy Midwestern town. Des Moines has grown 15 percent since 2000, and its economy has weathered the recession fairly well. Unemployment and poverty are relatively small.

Manchester, (population: 404,074), has benefited from soaring income levels—the median household income has hit $70,000. Only two midsize markets are higher. Manchester is 10th in bachelor’s degrees and 11th in management and professional jobs.