Skip Rimer Quotations

Much of the Midwest is at the bottom of the rankings because the Midwest is heavy in manufacturing, and that sector simply hasn't done well over the years. Manufacturing is seeing some growth but isn't creating jobs like other sectors.

Forty is not bad. It means you are still growing.

It is a well-known and well-respected index. We just crunch the numbers.

Most of Longview's numbers are below the national average. But recent job growth is up, which is a good sign.

We do those because our research shows that high-tech growth is a critical part of regional economic development. Those cities and regions that do have a strong tech component generally tend to do better than others.

You have the third-fastest wage and salary gain in the nation over the past five years. As you know, the flip side of that is your housing costs are going up. Economics is not perfect.

Chicago isn't like Las Vegas, where there is land to continue to spread out. Chicago has been built up over the years, so expansion is limited, even slowed, when you have to work on redevelopment or infill.