{"id":114882,"date":"2021-02-18T11:15:37","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T19:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.46.6.243\/?p=114882"},"modified":"2021-02-18T11:16:57","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T19:16:57","slug":"provo-orem-utah-leads-the-way-as-all-california-cities-drop-from-milken-best-performing-2021-index","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=114882","title":{"rendered":"Provo-Orem, Utah Leads the Way as All California Cities Drop from Milken Best Performing 2021 Index"},"content":{"rendered":"

Los Angeles, CA…Provo-Orem, Utah has demonstrated the best economic performance among large cities according to the 2021 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index<\/a>. Idaho Falls, Idaho moves up six spots to top the list among small cities. The Index, published annually since 1999, offers a first look at how the pandemic has impacted regional economies across the country.<\/p>\n

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Provo-Orem, which ranked second in 2020, has been a recipient of the tech sector\u2019s out-migration from the more expensive coastal cities of California. A relatively new innovation center with significantly lower costs than Silicon Valley or Silicon Beach, Provo-Orem has attracted tech giants including Qualtrics, Vivint, and SmartCitizen, among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly heartened by the resilience and economic strength we\u2019re seeing in many Utah cities and towns as the Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index shows,\u201d said Gov.\u00a0Spencer Cox\u00a0of Utah. \u201cWe\u2019re optimistic that this trend will continue and expand to all areas of our state.\u201d<\/p>\n

New this year, the Milken Institute added housing affordability and broadband access as rankings variables in an effort to more effectively reflect the inclusiveness of local economies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pandemic has had an outsized impact on cities where the economic effects of the current recession are exacerbated by high housing costs,\u201d said\u00a0Kevin Klowden, executive director of the Milken Institute Center for Regional Economics and California Center. \u201cBy measuring for factors such as jobs, wages, and high-tech growth, the Best-Performing Cities Index offers analysis of how metro areas have fared based on the resilience of their local economy. And by incorporating data designed to gauge inclusivity, it provides important insights into how cities will be prepared to meet challenges and opportunities for future growth post-pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also new this year, cities have been grouped into five tiers, offering policymakers, business leaders, and residents the ability to more easily compare their economic performance to their peers.<\/p>\n

Key findings from the 2021 Best-Performing Cities Index include:<\/p>\n