Space Coast Vaults to Second on Milken Institute’s Best Economic Performing Cities Index

index tracks the economic performance of 400 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas

Lynda L. Weatherman, President & CEO of the Economic Development of Florida’s Space Coast: “A resilient, sustainable, world-class economy is what we’ve been building for the last decade on the Space Coast and although we did not expect it to be tested by the headwinds of a global pandemic, we are gratified to see the momentum continue.”

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area continues to rocket up the rankings of the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities, rising to second in the prestigious index for 2021, which tracks where America’s jobs are created and sustained.

The Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities index tracks the economic performance of approximately 400 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas using an outcomes-based set of metrics which include job creation, wage gains, and high-tech GDP growth to evaluate the performance of these cities.

From 2018 to 2020, the Space Coast jumped an astounding 47 spots to make the top 10.

This year’s report attributes the Space Coast’s continued ascent to strong wage and job growth, which are third and eighth in the nation, respectively.

To read the full report and to learn more, visit Best-Cities.org

According to Milken, “the Space Coast improved on last year’s breakout performance, transforming one-year gains into long-term jobs and wage growth. This continued success is largely due to a diversified, high-tech industrial base, including a significant part of the national aerospace and defense industries.”

The report underscored, “The top-performing metros have cohesive strategies allowing them to weather economic storms and leverage their assets more effectively. The experience of these metros also provides a benchmark for leaders in other regions seeking to promote sustainable growth and prosperity.”

Lynda L. Weatherman, President & CEO of the Economic Development of Florida’s Space Coast, said Brevard County is on the national radar as a diversified, high-tech center that can lay substantial claim to the growing aerospace and defense sectors.

“A resilient, sustainable, world-class economy is what we’ve been building for the last decade on the Space Coast and although we did not expect it to be tested by the headwinds of a global pandemic, we are gratified to see the momentum continue,” said Weatherman.

The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high-tech companies.

The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast.

Visit SpaceCoastEDC.org for more information.

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