Sumter moves up in “Best Cities for Job Growth” rankings

May 19, 2013

The Sumter Metropolitan Statistical Area jumped a remarkable 101 spots in the 2013 “Best Cities for Job Growth” study.

The study by New Geography magazine listed Sumter at #120 among the country’s smallest MSAs, up dramatically from 2012’s placement at #221 among the country’s 241 small MSAs. When judged against all MSAs (small, medium and large) Sumter’s ascension was even more remarkable, jumping 164 slots from #373 in 2012 to #209 this year.

“The middle of the pack isn’t such a bad place to be when you were at the bottom of the pack,” said Jay Schwedler, president of Sumter Economic Development. “But I think this shows we’re moving in the right direction and our job outlook is bright.”

The Spartanburg MSA topped South Carolina’s smaller MSAs, coming in at #47 in the country. Myrtle Beach ranked #86, followed by Sumter at #120. Rounding out the Palmetto State’s smaller MSAs were Florence at #175 and Anderson at #187. The only South Carolina small MSA to drop from its 2012 ranking was Florence, which dropped 50 spots. The New Geography study used four measures of growth to rank all 398 metro areas in the country.

A large MSA has in excess of 450,000 jobs, while a medium has between 150,000 and 450,000 jobs. A small MSA is defined as any MSA with less than 150,000 jobs in the area.

To see the New geography report, click here: http://www.newgeography.com/best-cities-jobs-2013

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