BENTONVILLE, Ark. – American metropolitans that embrace innovation, invest in outdoor recreation and attract employers that lift an area’s overall quality of life are among the most dynamic in today’s post-COVID economy, according to new rankings released today by Heartland Forward.
Most Dynamic Metropolitans 2022 ranks 382 metros nationwide to determine those communities that are leading in categories including employment, income, economic production and the ability to start and scale young firms. This index captures both historic and forward-looking indicators enabling cities to evaluate policies impacting local economic performance.

The rankings
Top 25 Metropolitans Areas in the United States for 2022:
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, (Silicon Valley)
2. Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana
3. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California
4. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
5. The Villages, Florida
6. Midland, Texas
7. Boulder, Colorado
8. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Florida
9. Provo-Orem, Utah
10. St. George, Utah
11. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee
12. Logan, Utah-Idaho
13. Reno, Nevada,
14. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington
15. Bend, Oregon
16. Ocean City, New Jersey
17. Punta Gorda, Florida
18. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
19. Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina
20. Boise City, Idaho,
21. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
22. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts
23. Salt Lake City, Utah
24. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
25. Fort Collins, Colorado
The research also features an interactive map, which allows users to analyze the data that makes up the metros’ rankings.

Zooming in on the Heartland
Three heartland metros were ranked in the Top 10 this year, and several experienced significant growth including:
● Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana: This up-and-comer has been steadily marching its way toward the top for a few years now. It ranked 356 in 2020, jumped 275 spots to become 81st overall in 2021, and now has taken the second spot overall in 2022. Coined the RV capital of the world, this metro manufactures 80% of the world’s recreation vehicles and it has been a boom town since the pandemic triggered a surge in RV demand. With a population just a little over 200,000 in 2021, Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana has an impressive five-year average annual pay (2016-2021) at 40.1%, which is the fifth fastest growth out of all metros.
● Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas: With an astonishing medium- and short-term real GDP growth (31.2% and 10.5% respectively), this tech hamlet rises to the top as the best-performing heartland tech hub of all and fourth overall. Fast-paced wage growth driven by high demand for skilled workers and an influx of high-tech companies moving HQs from California to Austin are just two drivers of the metro’s economic growth.
● Midland, Texas: This metro rebounded from 38th place to settle in sixth, courtesy of a recovery in oil prices and resurgence of exploration. However, the upturn in energy fortunes has not translated to a commensurate surge in jobs and overall economic activity in the metro. Producers have redirected much of the improved cash flow towards debt reduction and share repurchases rather than tapping new reservoirs. Nevertheless, Midland saw job growth of 9.1% from June 2021 to June 2022—best across all metros—and even surpassed Silicon Valley with the highest per capita income when adjusted for regional price parity.
● The comeback of large heartland metros: There was significant movement and growth among large metropolitans in the middle of the country. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee jumped 84 places (95th in 2021, 11th in 2022); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan leapt 123 places (234th to 111th), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin advanced 97 places (218th to 121st), Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama improved 96 places (228th to 132nd), and Memphis, Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas moved 84 spots (219th to 135th).
Key Takeaways:
● Innovation hubs continue to dominate while new metros are becoming recognized for their investments in technology: The two Northern California metros, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, again rank first and third, respectively, in 2022. Additionally, the Seattle and Boston metros placed in the Top 25, with each finishing in the Top 15 for young-firm knowledge intensity – a measure of innovative capacity for young companies. Two of the nation’s burgeoning innovation hubs also ranked high: the innovation engine that is Austin, Texas, has risen to fourth in our current rankings, while the Miami metro advanced from 140th in 2021 to 30th in 2022. The most surprising success story may be the re-emergence of two Midwestern metros that were on the forefront of American innovation in the 20th century: Detroit, which jumped from 234th in 2021 to 111th in 2022, and Chicago, which leapt from 218th to 121st.
● Outdoor Recreation hubs are still prioritized but geographically have changed. The 2021 iteration of this report highlighted the success of smaller metropolitans offering direct access to the outdoors. These areas were again successful in our 2022 index. However, the Western metros that had jumped up the rankings from 2020 to 2021 have now stabilized or fallen slightly. Meanwhile, Southeastern metros located near major outdoor amenities experienced significant jumps. Many Western metros are still performing very well, but their short-term growth numbers are not as strong as last year. One reason is that they weathered the early pandemic so well but haven’t continued their meteoric growth as it waned. For example, Provo-Orem, Utah ranked 12th last year in short-term GDP growth, up 1.5% from 2019 to 2020. However, its 8.3 % GDP growth from 2020 to 2021 was only good enough for 36th.
Ross DeVol, President and CEO of Heartland Forward said: “This year’s edition of the report highlights the dynamism of metropolitans that focus on innovation and quality of life. Smaller metros that offer access to high-quality outdoor amenities continue to perform well, and America’s innovation hubs are mainstays in the upper echelon of our rankings. But from a larger perspective this report also tells the story of the pandemic and its aftermath: our data indicates that the past two years brought very different economic conditions than 2020. Only seven metros experienced positive job growth from 2019 to 2020, but 367 posted gains from 2020 to 2021. And while inflation has hampered economic recovery from the 2020 recession, 357 metros still added jobs from June 2021 to June 2022.”

Idaho Regional Waste Services presents the first annual Brave & Bold Gala to benefit Trevor's Trek Foundation.
Featuring guest speaker Erin Brockovich. Learn how environmental powerhouse, Erin Brockovich, is helping protect children from cancer.

When: Friday, May 19, 2023
Where: Arid Club, 1137 W. River St. Boise, Idaho
For More Information: trevorstrekgala.org

​Idaho Falls, ID - Reed's Dairy, Idaho’s largest family-owned and operated dairy and creamery, has once again been named the Best Ice Cream in Idaho for the third consecutive year. The award was presented on April 21, 2023 by Idaho’s Best an organization which administers the annual awards program to highlight and recognize the best companies and places in the state of Idaho. The top statewide honor is determined by public voting, online reviews and Better Business Bureau ratings.
 
Reed's Dairy has been serving up its handcrafted ice cream for over 45 years, using only the freshest milk and cream from their own cows. Chosen as a statewide favorite, customers have recognized the excellence in taste, texture, and quality of the ice cream produced by Reed's Dairy. The dairy offers a wide range of flavors, including traditional favorites like chocolate and vanilla, as well as unique and creative flavors like huckleberry and peach cobbler.
 
"We are thrilled to receive this award for the third year in a row," said Alan Reed, president of Reed's Dairy. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team to produce the best possible ice cream using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients."
 
The award-winning ice cream is available at six Reed's Dairy locations in Idaho Falls, Ammon, Twin Falls, Boise, Meridian and Kuna; as well as many retail and restaurant locations throughout the state. In addition to ice cream, Reed's Dairy also offers a variety of dairy products including milk, cheese, heavy cream and monthly milk flavors.
 
Reed's Dairy takes pride in being a local, family-owned business, committed to providing the highest quality dairy products to its customers. The recognition of their ice cream as the ‘Idaho’s Best’ for three consecutive years only serves to reinforce that commitment.
 
In addition to this award, Reed’s Dairy was also recently named a ‘Business of Distinction’ by the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, and Alan Reed will receive an ICON Award in June from the Idaho Business Review.
 
For more information about Reed's Dairy and their award-winning ice cream, visit their website at www.reedsdairy.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
 
Reed’s Dairy was founded in Idaho Falls in 1955 and has been selling milk to the public since 1962. It operates a home-delivery service in Idaho Falls and the Treasure Valley and has  six retail ice cream shop locations (Idaho Falls, Ammon, Boise, Meridian, Twin Falls and Kuna). The Reed family owns a growing herd of approximately 185 Holsteins. For more information, visit www.reedsdairy.com.

Spring is the perfect time to assess the maintenance of your home after the long, cold, brutal winter months. A checklist from the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) outlines what it takes to help ensure your home is healthy - such as keeping it dry, clean, well-ventilated, free from contaminants, pest-free, safe and well-maintained.

As the disaster remediation specialists at SERVPRO know, unexpected issues can quickly turn your dream home into a nightmare. "While we specialize in cleanup, restoration and construction after a fire or water loss, we think it's even more important to do what you can to help prevent these losses in the first place," says Christian Isaacson of SERVPRO of Boise. "Routine and effective maintenance will help you meet all these healthy home criteria and serves as one of your best defenses against the curveballs that can be thrown at your home."

While catastrophic events like storm-related wind, water and hail damage are usually covered by most standard homeowner's insurance policies, many maintenance-related claims are not - such as leaks over time or mold from lack of ventilation.1 So, on top of suffering a loss to property, there is a good chance the property owner will be on the hook for the entire cost of remediation and repairs.

To help pinpoint common areas of concern for routine home maintenance, the NCHH developed a Healthy Homes Maintenance Checklist.2

"We deal with the consequences of unfortunate disasters that negatively impact the lives of property owners every day," says Isaacson. "The routine and simple spring maintenance tasks on this checklist can help minimize the types of hazards we specialize in remediating, and they can preempt many of the bigger problems that can cause significant damage to your property."

Fire
 

• Clean dryer vents and screens. 
• Check electrical equipment for damaged cords. 
• Test all ground fault circuit interrupters.

Water and mold
 

• Clean downspouts and gutters and ensure they direct water away from your home. 
• Look for damaged or failing waterproofing, often caused by storms, such as lifting shingles, loose siding, or leaks around doors and windows. 
• Test your sump pump, including the check valve. Clear out floor drains. 
• Check hoses for leaks under sinks and on your water heater, washer, and refrigerator water dispenser.

"As a leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, SERVPRO understands that there are some things we simply can't control," says Rick Isaacson, CEO of Servpro Industries, LLC. "The weather is certainly one of those things. In spring, storms may bring flooding rain, lightning-sparked fires, and high winds, all of which can wreak havoc on homes and businesses. That's why it's important to take control where we can. Performing timely spring maintenance could be one small step to helping prevent a larger disaster that could permanently impact your family or property."

SERVPRO specializes in disaster cleaning, restoration, and construction services, helping to remediate damage, making it "Like it never even happened," for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO of Boise, please contact Christian Isaacson at (208) 375-0300 or [email protected]. For more information about SERVPRO, please visit servpro.com.


About SERVPRO
For more than 50 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 2,000 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small – from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to help make it "Like it never even happened."