Region Has 3 in Nation’s Top 100 Economic Strength Ratings

A new national study ranks Columbus 10th, Oxford 17th and Tupelo 71st in economic strength among towns under 50,000 population.

Policom Corporation moved Columbus up one spot from last year into the nation’s top 10. A decade ago, Columbus was 256th. Oxford was as high as 11th two years ago and Tupelo slipped from 32nd last year.

Meridian was one of the state’s biggest movers, jumping 57 spots to 118th. Starkville fell out of the top 200 and West Point dropped from the list although that is expected to change next year once Yokohama Tire starts production.

“It’s good to see Columbus holding on in that top two percent of communities,” said Joe Max Higgins, Jr., CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK. “We’re working hard to reverse the trend in Starkville and anticipate that West Point will return to Micropolitan range soon with the continued growth to the area brought by Yokohama Tire. Our goal would be to have all three of our communities in the top 100 nationally.”

To see the complete rankings, go to this link: http://www.policom.com/2014%20MicroRank.htm

Approximately 23 factors are used to measure the economic strength of an area. These factors are selected to measure overall growth in size and quality, economic behavior and monetary flow, and negative elements that negate growth. The factors used are:

All Workers – Earnings

All Workers – Jobs

All Workers – Wages

Per Capita Total Worker Earnings

Per Capita Personal Income

Earnings by Place of Residence

Per Capita Earnings by Residence

Wage & Salaried Workers – Earnings

Wage & Salaried Workers – Jobs

Wage & Salaried Workers – Wages

Non-Farm Proprietors – Earnings

Non-Farm Proprietors – Jobs

Non-Farm Proprietors – Wages

Construction – Worker Earnings

Construction – Jobs

Construction – Wages

Retail – Worker Earnings

Retail – Jobs

Retail – Wages

Per Capita Income Maintenance (Welfare)

Actual Per Capita Income Maintenance (Welfare)

Per Capita Medical Assistance for the Poor – (Medicaid)

Actual Per Capita Medical Assistance for the Poor – (Medicaid)