Gainesville, a long-time contender for the honor, is the country’s best-performing small metropolitan area, according to the 2025 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities (BPC) report.
It has been featured among the BPC’s top teh small metropolitan areas every year since 2016. It and the best-performing large metro area, Raleigh, N.C., “were fostered by strong job and wage growth and a robust high-tech presence,” according to the report.
“(They) both experienced remarkable employment and wage growth, coupled with robust performance in their access to economic opportunities indicators. These metro areas prove that strong economic performance is possible in an environment that provides residents with the opportunities necessary to thrive”
The top position is due to the Gainsville metro’s “strong performance across all components of the index, signaling that growth has been sustainable and inclusive.”
“It’s an incredible honor and privilege to have the Milken Institute select the city of Gainesville as the best-performing small metropolitan area in the United States,” said Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon. “It’s recognitions such as these that reaffirm the city’s meticulous actions and make every difficult decision made on behalf of the taxpayers worthwhile while also helping us identify areas of improvement. I think I speak on behalf of the Gainesville City Council, city management, and staff when I say this distinction will further motivate us to keep these trends, and this community, moving forward.”
“We are grateful to be in the conversation of top performing Metros in the Nation, and this year’s #1 ranking affirms our long-term efforts to invest in infrastructure, support workforce development and maintain a business-friendly environment,” said Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Chairman Glennis Barnes of Georgia Power. “Working together, we can achieve consistent economic development success that has made the Gainesville-Hall County Metro Area a top performer for quality jobs, technology investment and small business growth.”
The index ranks cities into five tiers, allowing stakeholders such as policymakers, business leaders, and residents to compare their economic performance more easily to their peers. Notably, this year’s ranking illustrates a key trend among U.S. large metros that reflects the rising performance of relatively less populous big metropolitan areas, such as Olympia–Tumwater, Wash., Huntsville, Ala., and Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, Arkansas-Missouri.
You can download the full report here:
Best-Performing Cities 2025: Ranking US Metropolitan Economic Growth