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North Carolina cities score

The Milken Institute annually puts out a report ranking major metropolitan areas in terms of job growth and salaries.  In the 2010 report, several North Carolina cities ranked well. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden hits the highlights.

“Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville all did very well in the latest Milken Institute report. In fact they all ranked in the Top 20 of the 200 metropolitan areas that were studied. Raleigh ranked number seven, primarily due to being number three in five-year job growth from 2004 to 2009. Durham ranked number 15 for the same reason — good job growth over the last five years.  Fayetteville ranked number 18 due to being number three in the country in terms of one-year job growth from 2008 to 2009 and also being number 10 in five-year growth in terms of wages and salaries.

“So this is something for those cities to crow about. I think it does tell us that there is a lot of good things going in North Carolina and particularly in terms of rating us compared to other areas. We do look very good. And I think that gives us cause to think that although national economic growth will be slow we may get a bigger chunk of that growth.”