By Anthony Pasquale
When the COVID-19 pandemic came to the united states, many people struggled to find ways to stay productive. For some, developing a new hobby, working out or finally completing those New Years' resolutions to read more became doable. According to a study, Champaign-Urbana was one of the most productive small cities in the United States during the pandemic.
The 2022 Milken Institute Best Performing Cities Index analyzes job creation, wage growth, production growth, housing affordability and broadband access to create its city rankings.
"When comparing urban areas, access to opportunity is an essential consideration, especially in light of the growing inequalities made apparent by the pandemic," says a news release from Kevin Klowden, Executive Director of the Milken Institute's Center for Regional Economics.
In those rankings, Champiagn-Urbana placed in the top ten small cities in America. The index was altered after 2020 to account for how difficult the pandemic has made it economically in most cities. Job loss and an inability to do jobs at home have hurt many Americans, but accoriding to the factors evaluated by the Milken Institute, Champaign-Urbana has been able to excel despite COVID-19 raging on.
In addition to Champaign-Urbana, Logan (Utah), St. George (Utah),Coeur d'Alene (Idaho), Redding (California), Idaho Falls (Idaho), Walla Walla (Washington), Sioux Falls (South Dakota), Gainesville (Georgia), Bend-Redmond (Oregon) and Abilene (Texas) were also featured on the small cities top-ten portion of the index.
The index states "comparing their performance provides an essential starting point for policymakers and local leaders to better evaluate their economies and plan for future economic success."
Champaign-Urbana is the only small city in the Midwest that cracked the list, setting the tone for other cities in the Midwest and America to follow in order to create a productive atmosphere, regardless of COVID-19 or any other factor that stands in the way.
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