America's Thriving Cities, From Seattle to Boston (photos)

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-thriving-cities-tease_vm1pfr

Forget Detroit—the economies of America’s cities have improved over the last year. They are still struggling to revive their workforces, and the housing market rebound has been slow, but there are some bright urban spots worth highlighting.

To find the country’s top 20 thriving cities, we looked at the 100 largest cities in the U.S. and compared them in categories of population growth (20 percent), employment and earnings (30 percent), market strength (20 percent), infrastructure (15 percent), and intellectual capital (15 percent) and weighted them accordingly. We used data from the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Equality of Opportunity Project, Moody’s Credit Services, Zillow, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Mlenny Photography; AWL Images; Corbis; AFP/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-irvine-cal_ws2kcp

Population change: 8.50%

Unemployment rate: 4.6%

Population living above poverty line: 88%

Credit rating: n/a

Change in median home price: 15%

Avg. annual patents: 1,038

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 27%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 26

David McNew/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-san-jose_zflaty

Population change: 3.20%

Unemployment rate: 7.6%

Population living above poverty line: 88%

Credit rating: Aa1, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 27%

Avg. annual patents: 5,687

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 13%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 12

Proehl Studios/Corbis

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-fremont-cali_sqq0ff

Population change: 3.70%

Unemployment rate: 5.3%

Population living above poverty line: 94%

Credit rating: n/a

Change in median home price: 15%

Avg. annual patents: 2,080

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 23%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 17

David Sailors

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-austin-texas_wonmmz

Population change: 6.60%

Unemployment rate: 5.4%

Population living above poverty line: 80%

Credit rating: Aaa

Change in median home price: 12%

Avg. annual patents: 2,698

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 17%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 57

C Flanigan/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-san-fran_qodzmh

Population change: 2.60%

Unemployment rate: 5.7%

Population living above poverty line: 86%

Credit rating: Aa1, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 4%

Avg. annual patents: 2,873

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 20%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 17

Brian Jannsen/Corbis

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-seattle-wash_isgdeo

Population change: 4.30%

Unemployment rate: 4.8%

Population living above poverty line: 85%

Credit rating: Aaa, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 8%

Avg. annual patents: 2,322

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 23%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 27

Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-plano-tx_vzf7hz

Population change: 4.70%

Unemployment rate: 6.0%

Population living above poverty line: 93%

Credit rating: Aaa

Change in median home price: 12%

Avg. annual patents: 790

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 19%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 57

David A. Harvey/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-gilbert-arizona_ji25oj

Population change: 6.10%

Unemployment rate: 5.7%

Population living above poverty line: 93%

Credit rating: AA (Standard and Poor's)

Change in median home price: 24%

Avg. annual patents: 259

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 11%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 51.1

Justin Sullivan/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-orlando-fl_mmfzuv

Population change: 4.70%

Unemployment rate: 6.6%

Population living above poverty line: 79%

Credit rating: Aa1, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 74%

Avg. annual patents: 268

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 10%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 67

Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-san-diego_j5g069

Population change: 2.80%

Unemployment rate: 7.3%

Population living above poverty line: 84%

Credit rating: Aa3, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 16%

Avg. annual patents: 2,679

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 16%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 19

Donald Miralle/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-dc_c10biz

Population change: 5.10%

Unemployment rate: 8.9%

Population living above poverty line: 81%

Credit rating: Aa2

Change in median home price: 14%

Avg. annual patents: 198

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 29%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 27

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-chandler-az_g6c5it

Population change: 4.00%

Unemployment rate: 6.0%

Population living above poverty line: 90%

Credit rating: Aaa, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 35%

Avg. annual patents: 494

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 15%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 51

Jason Reed/REUTERS

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-denver_j6yhbe

Population change: 5.70%

Unemployment rate: 7.7%

Population living above poverty line: 82%

Credit rating: Aaa, stable outlook (Denver City & County)

Change in median home price: 15%

Avg. annual patents: 289

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 18%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 42

Doug Pensinger/Getty

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-madison_d2krab

Population change: 3.00%

Unemployment rate: 5.1%

Population living above poverty line: 81%

Credit rating: Aaa, Stable Outlook

Change in median home price: 6%

Avg. annual patents: 385

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 25%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 9

Henryk Sadura

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-scottsdale-az_dxjf2h

Population change: 2.80%

Unemployment rate: 6.1%

Population living above poverty line: 91%

Credit rating: Aaa, Stable Outlook

Change in median home price: 13%

Avg. annual patents: 392

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 21%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 51

Matt York/AP

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-boston_vqtvyt

Population change: 3.10%

Unemployment rate: 7.8%

Population living above poverty line: 77%

Credit rating: Aaa, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 16%

Avg. annual patents: 562

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 19%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 10

Jean-Pierre Lescourret/Corbis

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-irving-tx_al68ef

Population change: 4.20%

Unemployment rate: 6.2%

Population living above poverty line: 85%

Credit rating: Aaa, Negative Outlook

Change in median home price: 25%

Avg. annual patents: 138

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 13%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 57

Lindsay Hebberd/Corbis

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-raleigh-nc_mjpfqr

Population change: 4.80%

Unemployment rate: 6.9%

Population living above poverty line: 83%

Credit rating: Aaa

Change in median home price: 9%

Avg. annual patents: 973

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 16%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 92

Mlenny Photography

galleries/2013/08/19/america-s-thriving-cities-from-seattle-to-boston/130817-minneapolis-minn_gsprrm

Population change: 2.70%

Unemployment rate: 5.3%

Population living above poverty line: 76%

Credit rating: Aa1, stable outlook

Change in median home price: 18%

Avg. annual patents: 619

Adult pop. with advanced degree: 17%

Upward Mobility rank (out of 100): 17

Walter Bibikow / AWL Images

America's Thriving Cities, From Seattle to Boston (photos)

The top 20 urban capitals of American progress.