Rankings

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McAllen MSA was ranked as the best housing market in the nation
- Market Watch – The Wall Street Journal, 2012
29% of McAllen’s general population with a bachelor’s degree or higher outperformed state and national averages of 26% and 28% respectively
- U.S. Census Bureau – American Community Survey, 2012
McAllen MSA was named the fastest growing metro area in the nation
- The Fiscal Times, 2012
Texas / Mexico corridor was named a Top Region to Watch in 2012 for automotive manufacturing revival
- Forbes, 2012

McAllen ranked No. 1 mid-market cities for the top emerging restaurant markets in the U.S.
- QSR magazine, 2011
McAllen MSA was ranked “Least Toxic” city in America
- Forbes, 2011
McAllen MSA increased 2,000 jobs from February 2011 to March 2011
- TWC Labor Force Estimates March, 2011
McAllen MSA Ranked #1 Mid size market city for restaurant Expansions
- QSR magazine, 2011
McAllen MSA ranked #4 for Best Mid-Sized Cities For Jobs by Forbes Magazine
- Forbes, 2011
McAllen MSA ranked one of the top 100 Leading Locations for doing Business in 2011
- Area Development Magazine, 2011
McAllen MSA ranked 4th Cheapest city in the United States to live in
- Bloomberg/Businessweek, 2011

McAllen top metro in U.S. for job growth, 2009-2010
- Brookings Institute, 2010
Reynosa ranked as one of Mexico's top competitive cities
- CNN/General Index of Urban Competitiveness, 2010
McAllen ranked one of the top 10 Mid-Markets of the past decade
- Southern Business & Development, 2010
Ranked as one of the most competitive cities for industry in the U.S. and Canada
- KPMG, 2010
McAllen ranked as one of the least expensive cities to live and work
- Kiplinger, 2010
Ranked as the No. 4 top performing city
- Milken Institute, 2010
McAllen ranked as one of the top-performing metros post-recession
- Brookings Institute, 2010
McAllen recognized as a top location for logistics
- Expansion Solutions, 2010
McAllen ranks No. 14 for most secure metros in the United States
- Farmers Insurance Group, 2010
McAllen was among the nation’s 100 largest metros
- Brookings Institute, 2010
McAllen was one in six metros in Texas with the largest population in 2010
- Brookings Institute, 2010
McAllen posts highest annual job growth in Texas during 2009
- Texas Workforce Commission, 2010
McAllen only U.S. metro to surpass pre-recession peak employment
- Brookings Institute, 2010
McAllen MSA ranked #6 for Best Mid-Sized Cities For Jobs by Forbes Magazine
- Forbes, 2010
McAllen MSA ranked Top 10 Recovery Cities for 2010 by Relocate America
- Relocate America, 2010
McAllen MSA ranked Top 10 Most Affordable Cities for 2010 by Relocate America
- Relocate America, 2010

McAllen MSA ranks No. 12 metro for safety & security
- Farmers Insurance Group, 2009
McAllen ranked nationally as a top "Bang-for-your-buck" metros
- Forbes, 2009
McAllen metro is top location for job growth in 2010
- BusinessWeek, 2009
For recovering job markets in 2010, McAllen ranks No. 3
- BusinessWeek, 2009
McAllen recognized as a top performing city in 2009
- Milken Institute, 2009
McAllen recognized as a top location for logistics
- Expansion Solutions, 2009
BusinessWeek indicates McAllen as one of the strongest economies in the U.S.
- BusinessWeek, 2009
McAllen one of first U.S. cities to emerge from recession to recovery
- MoodysEconomy.com, 2009
McAllen ranked one of the best places to launch a small business
- CNN Money, 2009
McAllen recognized as top community in Texas
- TX American Planning Association, 2009
McAllen one of the best cities for jobs in the U.S.
- Forbes, 2009

McAllen, TX was ranked #1 in job growth and #2 in Income Growth in a survey of Best Cities For Jobs in 2008
- Forbes.com, 2008
Ranked No. 1 in the southwest for entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneur Magazine, 2008
The McAllen MSA reported the highest percentage of annual job growth in total nonagricultural wage and salary employment primarily in retail trade employment.
- Texas Labor Market Review January, 2008
The McAllen MSA has the highest annual growth rate in employment in education and health services.
- Texas Labor Market Review January, 2008
McAllen, TX MSA was one of the only metros in the nation to show a rise of 2.9% in housing prices for 2009
- Forbes, 2008
McAllen MSA has stronger economic growth than all major TX cities
- Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 2008
Ranked #7 by the Milken Institute in the Top Performing Cities in the nation, ranked by job growth, wages and salary growth, short-term job growth and high-tech job growth. (2008)
- Milken Institute, 2008
Job Growth in McAllen MSA is projected to grow at a rate of 28.5% between 2002 and 2012 which is higher than the job growth of the state of Texas
- Texas State Comptroller’s Office, 2008
McAllen, TX ranked as #1 Fastest Growing Real Estate Market
- CNNMoney.com, 2008

Ranked #7 by the Milken Institute in the Top Performing Cities in the nation, ranked by job growth, wages and salary growth, short-term job growth and high-tech job growth.
- Milken Institute, 2007
Ranked #1 Mid-Market areas in the south over the last 15 years
- Southern Business & Development, 2007
McAllen, TX ranked 3rd for least expensive cities in the Nation
- ACCRA, 2007
McAllen MSA was ranked 5th in the Nation as hottest city for entrepreneurs, and 2nd among midsize MSA’s
- Inc. Magazine, 2007
Ranked #1 in the Southwest by Entrepreneur Magazine as the best place for entrepreneurship.
- Entrepreneur Magazine, 2007

McAllen MSA ranked as the 8th fastest growing city in the U.S. in part to growth in jobs, wages
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2005
Ranked as the lowest city in the United States in cost of living
- ACCRA, 2005
Ranked #1 in Job Growth, and #2 in Cost of Living in a survey of the top metro areas of the United States.
- Forbes Magazine, 2005
The McAllen MSA is the 8th fastest growing City in the United States and the fastest growing by percentage in the State of Texas
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

Ranked #2 Mid-Market areas in the South. This ranking has been consistently in the top 2 for ten years.
- Southern Business and Development Magazine, 2004
Ranked as one of the ten best places in the south for location of an automotive assembly plant
- Southern Business and Development Magazine, 2004

Ranked 5th best place to do business or advance a career in the U.S. in 2002 by Forbes Magazine based on population growth, job growth and high-tech growth
- Forbes Magazine, 2002

4th fastest growing MSA in nation according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the past 4 years (and in the top 5 for the past 10 years) (2001)
- US Census Bureau, 2001
Ranked #1 in Mid-size cities for growth and development in the South by Southern Business and Development Magazine (2001)
- Southern Business and Development Magazine, 2001

Ranked #4 in Mid-sized Cities by Entrepreneur Magazine for Small Business in 2000
- Entrepreneur Magazine, 2000
South Texas College ranked 3rd fastest growing college in Texas
- Community College Week, 2000
Ranked 36th best place to do business or advance a career in the U.S. in the year 2000
- Forbes Magazine, 2000

Money Magazine rated McAllen #43 in 1999 in the Top 300 Best Cities to Live in the U.S.
- Money Magazine, 1999
Ranked #5 in Mid-sized Cities by Entrepreneur Magazine for Small Business
- Entrepreneur Magazine, 1999
Ranked 18th Best Place to Live in the U.S. by Outlook magazine in 1999
- Outlook Magazine, 1999