The Top Four
Houston
3.0%
It's burning in Houston and it's not just the sun, it's also the red-hot economy. Houston benefits from being one of the centers for the oil & gas industry,
which is seeing rapid wage growth.
San
Diego 2.9%
They have some of the best weather in the country and some of the highest wage growth as
well.
Seattle
2.9%
The Emerald City continues
to see green. As one of the country’s high tech meccas, it's no surprise that Seattle's wages
are riding high.
Miami
2.9%
Miami is in recovery mode, making up the ground lost in the tough years 2009 and 2010.
The Bottom Four
St.
Louis 1.6%
The Gateway Arch might be gleaming a little more than a few years ago. While the metro lags the pack this quarter, it has at least recovered to the
pre-recession level and is growing again.
Atlanta
1.4%
Not-so-hotlanta is picking
up steam a bit. The city's wages have nearly returned to 2008 levels.
Phoenix
0.7%
Unlike it's legendary namesake, this Phoenix has yet to rise again. Returning to the peak of 2008 is proving elusive.
Riverside 0.3%
It's no fun coming in last, but at least there
was actual growth in
Riverside. The three prior quarters were essentially growth free.