These Were the Fastest Growing Metro Areas in the U.S. Last Year

Real gross domestic product, the total value of goods and services adjusted for inflation, in the U.S.' 381 metropolitan areas increased at a rate of 2.5 percent in 2012, up from 1.7 percent in 2011, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.

The greatest metropolitan growth was seen in Midland, Texas, which grew at a rate of 14.4 percent, and in Odessa, Texas, which grew at a rate of 14.1 percent.

The areas that saw the biggest decrease in GDP were in Shreveport-Bossier City, La., which shrank by 11.1 percent, Lafayette, La., which shrank by 8.1 percent, and Hammond, La., which shrank by 5.0 percent.

As the following map indicates, Texas and Indiana  saw some of the greatest GDP growth in 2012 (blue areas indicate growth):

Here are the top 10 metro areas that saw the greatest GDP growth in 2012:

10. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif. (7.4 percent)

9. New Orleans-Metairie, La. (7.6 percent)

8. Kokomo, Ind. (8.4 percent)

7. Bismarck, N.D. (8.5)

6. Victoria, Texas (8.7 percent)

5. Columbus, Ind. (9.6 percent)

4. St. Joseph, Mo. (9.8 percent)

3. Elkhart-Goshen, Ind. (11.4 percent)

2. Odessa, Texas (14.1 percent)

1. Midland, Texas (14.4 percent)

And here are the top 10 areas that saw the least amount of growth:

10. Farmington, N.M. (-2.3 percent)

9. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, (-2.4 percent)

8. Idaho Falls, Idaho, (-3.1 percent)

7. Midland, Mich. (-3.4 percent)

6. Sierra Vista-Douglas, Ariz., (-3.8 percent)

5. Punta Gorda, Fla., (-3.8 percent)

4. Kennewick-Richland, Wash., (-4.0 percent)

3. Hammond, La., (-5.0 percent)

2. Lafayette, La., (-8.1 percent)

1. Shreveport-Bossier City, La. (-11.1 percent)

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Featured image Getty Images.

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