Region Ranked Number 1
It is official! The Fort Walton Beach—Destin—Crestview area was ranked number 1 in the Milken Institute’s 2005 ranking of Best Performing Cities Index released in February 2006.
The region jumped to number 1 from number 16 in 2004, for the 179 smallest metros.
“The Best Performing Cities ranking depicts those U.S. metropolitan areas that are recording the top economic performance and creating the most jobs in the nation. The components include job, wage and salary, and technology growth,” according to the Milken Institute’s Web site located at www.milkeninstitute.org. The ranking considers long-term and short-term growth and stability.
“This is just unbelievable that we could get this kind of press for our area. This shows that the people are coming to our area, and we need to be ready for them,” said Tim Fulmer, Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC, and Immediate Past Chairman of the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce.
Six other Florida cities took spots in the top 10 performers of the 200 largest metros. The Panama City – Lynn Haven, Fla., region, which placed number four, was the only other Florida region to appear in the top 10 performers for the smallest metros with the Ft. Walton Beach – Crestview – Destin, Fla., region.
To send suggestions to EmeraldCoast.com, e-mail editorial@link.freedom.com.