The Madera Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes most of Madera County, has been highlighted again, this time by Milken Institute’s 2015 Best-Performing Cities.
Milken is a nonprofit, nonpartisan economic think tank. The best performing cities index was designed to measure objectively which U.S. metropolitan areas are promoting economic vitality based on job creation and retention, the quality of new jobs, and other criteria. The index shows where employment is stable and expanding, wages and salaries are increasing and economies and businesses are thriving. Madera ranked 32 this year climbing 37 spots from 69th in 2014. The report also noted that Madera ranked number 9 in wage growth from (2012-2013) and number 16 in job growth from (2013-2014). Only six other California small cities were mentioned in the report which included: Napa (16), Chico (21), Yuba City (26), El Centro (39), Redding (71) and Hanford (147).
The ranking is another great indication that Madera is doing well balancing jobs and economic growth. Earlier this year New Geography published a report that ranked Madera number one for best place for manufacturing jobs and Forbes ranked Madera number one for the top region in America for farming and agribusiness “With the addition of new industries coming into Madera County over the past few years coupled with the growth and expansion of several local companies, there has been hundreds of new jobs created,” said Bobby Kahn, Executive Director of the Madera County Economic Development Commission (MCEDC). This is verified by the fact that for nearly two years Madera County has maintained a 1% or less vacancy rate for industrial space.
Click here to view the Milken report.
