12 Most Dynamic Metro Areas in the U.S.: 2023

The most dynamic American metropolitan areas embrace innovation, invest in outdoor recreation and attract employers that lift an area's overall quality of life, according to new rankings recently released by Heartland Forward, a nonprofit think tank. The Most Dynamic Metros 2022 report ranked 382 metro areas nationwide to identify communities that lead in employment, income, economic production and the ability to start and scale fledgling companies. The index is based on recent growth in employment, wages and GDP; on the density of young business activity within the overall economy and density of well-educated workers in the workforce employed by those young businesses; and on average income, which reflects previous productivity gains. See the gallery for the top 12 most dynamic metropolitan areas in 2022. (Image: Adobe Stock)