RankingStar

Midsize metros are occupying prime real estate in an annual analysis of America's 'best-performing' cities. Why?

Press pause on those big-city dreams. Maybe skip small-town living for now.

One way to determine whether a community is thriving is to look at its labor market. A surge in employment and earnings in a city, for example, can lead to improved financial well-being for residents, whose money can circle back to fuel continued community success through shopping, paying for living expenses and taxes.