The Tri-Cities MSA, which includes Bristol, VA/TN, Kingsport, TN and Johnson City, TN, is ranked 170th by the Milken Institute out of 200 cities nationwide in potential job growth opportunities and economic vitality - down from 102nd last year. (link)
The related statistics are here:
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol TN-VA
Overall Rank: 170
MSA Population: 300,669
- 5-yr Job Growth (1999-2004)1 - Score: 96.04 Rank: 169
- 1-yr Job Growth (2003-2004)2 -Score: 98.26 Rank: 188
- 5-yr Wages & Salaries Growth (1998-2003)3 - Score: 93.96 Rank: 167
- 1-yr Wages & Salaries Growth (2002-2003)4 - Score: 100.38 Rank: 102
- Job Growth (July04 - July05)5 - Growth: 0.34 % Rank: 160
- 5-yr Relative HT GDP Growth (1999-2004)6 - Score: 125.25 Rank: 21
- 1-yr Relative HT GDP Growth (2003-2004)7 - Score: 96.34 Rank: 174
- High-Tech GDP LQ - 20048 - Score: 0.77 Rank: 97
- # of HT GDP LQs Over 1 - 20049 - Score: 5.0 Rank: 117
1 - Five-Year Job Growth
2 - One-Year Job Growth
3 - Five-Year Wages & Salaries Growth
4 - One-Year Wages & Salaries Growth
5 - Short Term Job Growth
6 - Five-Year Relative High Tech GDP Growth
7 - One-Year Relative High Tech GDP Growth
8 - 2004 High Tech GDP Location Quotient
9 - Number of Highly Concentrated High Tech Industries