— Forbes released its list of “Best Small Places for Business and Careers,” ranking Mankato 11th best.
The ranking was among Metropolitan Statistical Areas with a population less than 250,000.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA, which includes all of Blue Earth and Nicollet counties, has a population of approximately 97,000.
Last year the Mankato area was 25th on the list.
“Continued rankings like this reaffirm Greater Mankato’s continued focus and presence as a place where businesses and employees can thrive,” said Greater Mankato Growth President & CEO Jonathan Zierdt.
The Forbes list included 147 MSAs. Forbes considers 12 metrics relating to job growth (past and projected), costs (business and living), income growth over the past five years, educational attainment and projected economic growth through 2014. They also factor in quality of life issues like crime rates, cultural and recreational opportunities. Business costs and educational attainment are given the most weighting in the overall ranking.
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