Peoria MSA jumps 38 spots on the www.newgeography.com list of “Best Midsized Cities for Job Growth.” Peoria MSA ranks #27 in midsized cities category. That’s up from the 65 ranking we received in 2010. Of the communities/MSA’s we consider competitors only Lincoln NE, Lexington KY & Madison WI ranked above us.

The Peoria MSA (as well as those competitors mentioned) falls in the “Midsize” range which includes 90 MSA’s with 150,000 to 450,000 jobs. New Geography reports the Peoria MSA has 178,800 non-farm jobs.

The methodology for this ranking emphasizes the robustness of a region’s growth both recently and over time. The rankings include all of the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports monthly employment data.

To learn more on how this index is calculated and the entire list of “Best Cities for Job Growth” visit www.newgeography.com.