The labor market has been tightening. Just last month, the country added 255,000 new jobs, following 287,000 created in June.
Economists project this will be the new normal in terms of employment, and commercial real estate is benefiting from the growth across the board—from rising apartment rents due to an increase in demand, to a tightening in office markets and a drop in vacancy rates.
Take a look at the 10 cities that had the highest percentage increase in jobs in the past four years, according to USA Today.
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1. Bend-Redmond, OR
Employment Increase: 20.9%
No. Jobs June 2012: 69,848
No. Jobs June 2016: 84,478
2. St. George, UT
Employment Increase: 20.4%
No. Jobs June 2012: 53,115
No. Jobs June 2016: 63,945
3. Provo-Orem, UT
Employment Increase: 17.3%
No. Jobs June 2012: 231,089
No. Jobs June 2016: 271,176
4. Lake Charles, LA
Employment Increase: 16.9%
No. Jobs June 2012: 84,767
No. Jobs June 2016: 99,089
5. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
Employment Increase: 16.9%
No. Jobs June 2012: 266,433
No. Jobs June 2016: 311,432
6. Fayetteville-Springdale-Rodgers, AR/MS
Employment Increase: 16.4%
No. Jobs June 2012: 219,754
No. Jobs June 2016: 255,839
7. Greeley, CO
Employment Increase: 15.9%
No. Jobs June 2012: 126,155
No. Jobs June 2016: 146,157
8. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC
Employment Increase: 15.7%
No. Jobs June 2012: 70,568
No. Jobs June 2016: 81,649
9. Austin-Round Rock, TX
Employment Increase: 15.3%
No. Jobs June 2012: 927,855
No. Jobs June 2016: 1.07 million
10. Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.
Employment Increase: 14%
No. Jobs June 2012: 87,822
No. Jobs June 2016: 100,121
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