By Caitlyn Finnegan
There’s no denying that Gainesville has been experiencing a bit of a growth spurt the past several months, but would you believe it’s the second fastest-growing city in the nation? That’s the word according to NerdWallet, a financial advice website for consumers.
Among the 475 cities ranked by three growth indicators — population growth, growth in the percentage of employed residents and growth in median income — Gainesville finished first in growth in median income and second in growth of employment rate.
According to the study, Gainesville’s population growth from 2007 to 2011 was 14.2 percent, its growth in employment was 6.6 percent and its growth in median income was 18.7 percent. Its overall growth score was 75.8.
Researchers of the study credited the city’s growth to a healthy startup community and access to business resources such as the Gainesville Technology Enterprise Center. It also praised Gainesville for its dedication to training the next wave of entrepreneurs with the University of Florida’s outreach and youth programs, such as the Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership and Sustainability Program.
The top growing city is New Orleans, with an overall growth score of 82.9, and the third fastest-growing city is Fargo, N.D., with an overall growth score of 67.8. For a full list of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, or to test out NerdWallet’s cost of living calculator to compare the cost of living in one city over another, visit NerdWallet.com.
