Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando land in top 10 list of best boomtowns in America

‘A lot of people and businesses have been heading South over the past several years, and that’s created a lot of momentum.’

Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando are among the top 10 cities in the U.S. for boomtowns, according to a new study released by the financial loan firm LendingTree.

Analysts with LendingTree looked at the country’s largest metropolitan areas and considered factors such as people moving there, housing, work earnings and the economy to compile the boomtown list. Tampa finished fifth in America while Jacksonville came in seventh immediately followed by Orlando in eighth. Miami placed 16th among overall boomtowns.

Towns in Southern states dominated the top 10 list among rising boomtowns with Austin, Texas topping the list followed by Raleigh, North Carolina in second and Charlotte, North Carolina in fourth. Only two towns in the top 10 were not from the South.

“A lot of people and businesses have been heading South over the past several years, and that’s created a lot of momentum,” said Matt Schulz, LendingTree Chief Consumer Finance Analyst . “In many places, you can still find a lower cost of living, a growing population and a business climate that’s attractive to employers. Those are all things that make it easier to start and grow a business.”

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said she’s not overly surprised the First Coast city was ranked so high. She said there’ll be more people heading to the “Bold New City of the South.”

“People are voting with their feet and moving to Jacksonville in droves because our city is a great place to live, raise a family, and start a business,” Deegan said. “This recognition is further proof that we are a city on the move with a booming economy, talented workforce, and high quality of life.”

There was one Southern city that didn’t fare so well. Memphis, Tennessee was ranked the lowest for boomtowns. But that was the only Southern town in the bottom 10 while most of the weakest boomtowns were in the Midwest.

Tampa also ranked second in the country for best work and earnings city in the country.