Fort Worth is gaining national recognition once again for its growing economy. The Milken Institute, a nonprofit think tank, has included the Fort Worth-Arlington area in its 2024 Best-Performing Cities list . The list ranks 400+ US cities based on 13 economic factors, dividing the list by city size and ranking tiers.
So, how did Cowtown fare on this year’s list? Short answer: very well. Fort Worth-Arlington ranked No. 32 out of 200 large cities, outranking places like San Antonio and Las Vegas. The region rose 12 spots after ranking No. 44 last year . Let’s break down a few of the economic indicators that contributed to the ranking, by the numbers.
Employment
The report considers wage and job increases as part of a city’s labor market performance. Fort Worth-Arlington ranked No. 25 for medium-term job growth this year, up from No. 61 in the 2020-2021 report.
- Job growth, 2017-2022: No. 25
- Wage growth, 2017-2022: No. 20
High-tech impact
When it comes to economic growth, the high-tech sector can’t be underestimated. The Milken Institute measured high-tech concentration and gross domestic product (GDP), which is the total of goods + services produced by a local high-tech industry.
- High-tech GDP growth, 2017-2022: No. 177
- High-tech GDP growth, 2021-2022: No. 143
Economic opportunity
This category looked at the economic well-being of community members, including how factors like housing and income inequality impact their access to economic opportunities.
- Households with affordable housing: No. 146
- Households with broadband internet: No. 63
Learn more about how rankings were decided , and see the results of 400+ more cities on this interactive map .