The Charleston Area Alliance is pleased to share recent data indicating that the Charleston metropolitan statistical area has moved up 13 spots in the 2011 list of best performing cities by the Milken Institute.

Charleston finished at 48 in this year’s list. Milken’s best-performing cities index ranks U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth.

According to the U.S Census Bureau, MSAs are geographic entities defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use by federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing federal statistics.

The Charleston MSA consists of five counties: Kanawha, Putnam, Boone, Lincoln and Clay.

To see the list and study results, click HERE.

The components for the list include job, wage and salary and technology growth. Milken rates 379 metropolitan areas in the list. Charleston was ranked in the largest metro category.

“The positive factors for our MSA included job growth, wage and salary growth. Where this study shows we have room for improvement is in the high-technology gross domestic product growth,” said Alliance President and CEO Matt Ballard.

“The Alliance is keenly aware this is an area needed for growth. That’s why we are working together to move the needle on technology progress along with our partners at the Chemical Alliance Zone, MATRIC, TechConnect WV, the WV Angel Investors Network and others.”

The Alliance acknowledges the hard work of all five counties, all the businesses within and community leaders that have helped our MSA achieve new levels of success.

We are confident that the efforts of our elected officials, community leaders and the Alliance to create jobs, enhance our community and invest in people, will help Charleston continue to climb the list.

Working together, the best is yet to come!