America's Job Boomtowns

Presents...

Kate Lorenz, Editor of Career Builder.com says "Florida's Hot, Midwest is Not." According to her article, for the second year in a row, the Florida metropolitan areas dominate the Milken Institute Best Performing Cities Index, a measurement of where jobs are being created in America.

The index ranks U.S. metros based on their ability to create and sustain jobs. it includes both long-term (5+ years) and short term (1 year or less) measurements of job, wage and salary, and technology growth.

The 2005 Index's top three metro areas adding jobs at rapid pace are in Florida, led by this year's top-ranked metro, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, followed by last year's top scorer, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, and Naples-Marco Island in third place.

The 2005 winners have similar characteristics: strong and growing service sectors, a robust recovery in tourism, growing populations and an increase in the number of retirees.

Six metros in the top 20 come from the Southwest, including three in California (Riverside, Santa Barbara and Santa Ana) and two in Arizona (Tucson and Phoenix), and Las Vegas, Nevada. By comparison, the Midwest has none. The top rated Midwest metro is Madison, Wisconson at 35th place.

Paradise is the place to be...