Job Growth Up In Las Cruces, El Paso

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) – Las Cruces is one of the top small metropolitan areas in the nation for jobgrowth and retention, and the state capital isn’t far behind.

That’s according to the Milken Institute’s latest list of the best performing small cities. The Las Cruces area jumped to Number 11 this year from Number 17 the year before. Santa Fe made an even bigger leap from Number 81 in 2007 to Number 14 this year.

Albuquerque’s ranking of 31st on the big cities list didn’t change this year. It’s a few spots ahead of El Paso, Texas, which jumped from No. 122 to No. 37 this year.

Jim Berry is executive director of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. He says the news of the recent Milken report is validation that Las Cruces’ economy is moving in the right direction.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)