Fayetteville Ranks Fairly Well on Econ List

Policom Corp., an independent economics research firm based in Jupiter, Fla., recently released its seventh annual study that rates the economic strength of the 318 metropolitan statistical areas in the nation. For the third-straight year, the Austin, Texas, MSA ranked No. 1.

Denver, Colo., and Atlanta, Ga., followed at No. 2 and No. 3 in the study, which evaluates 18 economic factors over a 25-year period. The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA did rather well for its size, checking in at No. 56.

Little Rock-North Little Rock was No. 65, and Pine Bluff was among the 10 worst cities on the list at No. 310.

“The weakest areas have extremely inconsistent economies or have been in rapid decline,” said William H. Fruth, Policom’s president. “This is often a result of being dependent upon one industry, which has faltered.”

Policom’s method of measuring “economic strength” identifies how consistently the economy has grown in size and quality over an extended period of time.

“By including multiple economic factors and considering an extended period of time, economic trends of the areas can be determined,” Fruth said. “This is not a ‘quality of life’ or ‘best places to live’ study. Nor does it try to identify the latest economic ‘hot spot.’ The study measures the economic soundness of an area.”

Policom conducts its annual study so it can analyze the characteristics of strong and weak local economies. The 2001 study was based upon data from 1975 through 1999.