Flagstaff Economy

Greater Flagstaff ranks high economically 

According to Milken Institute, an independent public-policy think tank, Flagstaff ranks the region 21st among 179 small cities, despite failing job growth.

Continued steady production from local high-tech industries in the region has helped keep the metropolitan area on the list of best performing cities across the nation. The Flagstaff Metro Area includes most of northern Arizona and a small portion of Southern Utah. The study focuses on populations under 235,000. Milken has been ranking Flagstaff since 2004 and Flagstaff receives high ratings primarily due to growth at W.L. Gore & Associates a major employer in the area and the high wages paid to those that work at those jobs. The report ranked the northern Arizona region as fourth in the nation among small cities in terms of high tech production for a five year period. 

W.L. Gore is a leader in developing and producing stents and other high-tech medical devices. It has added about 200 jobs in Flagstaff in the last three years. Other spin-off companies such as Machine Solutions have grown, along with Nestle Purina.

The report found Flagstaff businesses produce goods and services valued at 78% more per employee than the national average when reviewing production between 2001 & 2006. Local high-tech production between 2005 & 2006 earned Flagstaff the sixth position in the same study.  Flat job growth for the area over the same period hurt Flagstaff's overall rating. The report found job growth between March 2005 & March 2006 was just 0.3%. The slow job growth pushed the ratings for Flagstaff to 136th on the list of 179 cities. The last time Milken published the study in 2005, the city was ranked 25th for new jobs.

The Greater Flagstaff Economic Council, reported it helped to attract a total of 132 new jobs to the city last year.