Raleigh leaps into top 5 among best performing cities
Raleigh and Wilmington are among the top 10 cities for economic development in the US, according to the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities rankings. Raleigh ranked third, climbing from No. 16 in 2020, and Wilmington ranked seventh, jumping 14 spots from last year. Strong job and wage growth contributed to Raleigh’s high ranking, but the city dropped 24 spots in terms of housing affordability due to surging living costs. Despite this, Raleigh remains one of the most affordable housing markets among tier 1 cities. Other North Carolina cities, including Charlotte and Durham, also saw positive rankings.
