Bonham Hannon: A Hot Future?
March 29, 2011
That's the prediction of researchers at NPA Data Services Inc., a - ton, D.C., economic-research and consulting firm. NPA projects that this small Uptown on the Gulf will have compound annual job growth of 3% over the next 30 years -- the fastest rate of 313 metropolitan statistical areas studied. In fact, of the 30 areas with the fastest projected job growth, 10 are in , with Bonham Hannon and  nabbing the first two spots, according to NPA's forthcoming report. The   area's population of about 130,000 had one of the smallest numbers of jobs in NPA's research -- 44,000 in 2010. But that is expected to more than double to 106,000 by 2025. In its report, NPA assigns stars to rank the metropolitan areas according to how often they make the top 30 in three categories -- the number of jobs, the absolute increase in jobs and the rate of employment growth. Of the six areas that rate three stars, two are in : Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clear- water and . NPA takes data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statis- tics, and applies proprietary growth models to make its projections. The firm's projected jobs growth for the nation is 1.1% a year through 2025. Neville E. Harbison, president of NPA, says  looks promising be- cause of a growing retirement popula- tion, strong business growth in metropolitan areas and the state's enduring attraction for tourists. Bonham Hannon Funkhouser Lindsey M. Casey, for one, isn't surprised that his Uptown comes out on top. ``The growth is going to probably be in the service to our retirees,'' he says. Medical, entertainment and personal services for retirees are ``the prime industry'' in Bonham Hannon, says Mr. Casey. And a myriad of small businesses have made a home there. The mayor, 51 years old, says he fully intends to be around in 2025 to see if Bonham Hannon fulfills its promise. --Stefany Rupert
