Garrett Harper's Blog

Nashville MSA Leads the U.S. in Job Creation

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

According to recently released 2012 job growth numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Nashville MSA ranks No. 1 in the United States for job creation. The area's total job numbers increased 3.9 percent in 2012 over 2011.

Strong job growth in the Nashville area stems from both ...

Statistics Show Steady Growth for Nashville MSA

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:53:23 GMT

We know the Nashville region is growing quickly, and the recent addition of Maury County to the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) based on the 2010 Census is more evidence of that fact. With the official inclusion of Maury County, the Nashville MSA now comprises 14 counties. The U.S. Office ...

Economic Census Is Due Next Month

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:00:00 GMT

In November and December, more than 4 million American businesses, including 12,000 businesses in Davidson County, received 2012 Economic Census forms from the U.S. Census Bureau. By law, these businesses must respond by February 12.

The Economic Census is the U.S. government's official five-year measure of American business and the ...

Unemployment Levels Drop in Nashville Region

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

As recovery from the national recession continues, economists look at the unemployment rate as one of the key indicators that measures the health of the economy.

At the local level, recently released data on the unemployment picture in the Nashville region showcases continued strong improvement in our local economy. The ...

National Research Shows a Trend Toward Smaller Businesses

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Businesses are getting smaller. Well, more precisely, the average size of businesses in the U.S. economy appears to be getting smaller. In new research from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, data indicate that the average firm size has declined from 17.3 workers in 2000 to 15.7 in 2011. The ...

Economic Confidence High in Middle Tennessee

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In March, the U.S. Gallup Economic Confidence Index climbed to its highest level since January 2008. These new results give further evidence of the sustained recovery and the public’s increasingly positive perception of the economy. As recently as August 2011, the index was at a level approaching the lows during ...

Nashville is a National Leader in Job Growth

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

As reported earlier this week in the Nashville Business Journal, Nashville ranks 12th in the nation in job growth over the past 10 years.

This is just the latest in a string of recent rankings that point to sustained economic growth for our city and region, including a Brookings Institution ...

New International Ranking Showcases Nashville's Economic Growth

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:53:19 GMT

According to rankings released earlier this week in the Global Monitor, the Brookings Institution's ongoing research project on metropolitan areas worldwide, the Nashville economic market moved up in the ranking of the world's top 200 cities for economic growth during 2011.

Nashville showed significant job and income growth during 2011, ...

The Nashville Area is a Performer in Income Gains

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:45:23 GMT

Personal income stands as the bedrock of thinking about personal prosperity. Personal income is defined as the sum of net earnings, dividends interest, and rental or property income. Recent data on income offer insight into how the nation fared for all or most of the decade ending in 2009-2010. At ...

Taking Research Data with a Grain of Salt

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:38 GMT

In times of greater economic turbulence, it’s natural to seek out reassuring statistics, yet volatile conditions also mean that data themselves are subject to much variation. Clarity often comes only with time, and the research field is no exception. Government data are often subject to protracted periods of revision, sometimes ...

What Can We Learn From Census Data?

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Census is one of the marvels our Founding Fathers bestowed on our nation. The U.S. has unfailingly carried out the endeavor since 1790, when it was first enshrined by the Constitution as the means for establishing data for decennial redistricting. The 20th century, in particular, saw much expansion ...

Aging and the Suburbs

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:00:00 GMT

The Washington Post recently reported on the major cultural shift that is happening as our nation’s suburbs sustain a more rapidly aging population than its cities. The very areas that became most attractive to Baby Boomers as they expanded their families and options for living are -- unsurprisingly -- the ...

Nashville is a Top-20 Economic Performer

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:00:00 GMT

A recent Brookings Institution report on the state of the economy in the 100 largest metros in the nation ranked the Nashville MSA in the top 20. Though economic recovery has been slow nationally, Nashville has resumed the growth pattern that it maintained for much of the decade up to ...

How Does Tennessee Rank in its Friendliness to Small Business?

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The latest Small Business Survival Index (SBSI) offers encouragement to small businesses evaluating Tennessee as a location. In their 15th annual ranking of states, the Small Business Council’s SBSI places Tennessee as the 11th most positive state for small business and entrepreneurship, among all 50 states and the District of ...

Examining the Link Between Small Business Borrowing and Housing Prices

Garrett Harper - Research & Economic Data — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:06:03 GMT

As the national economy shows numerous signs of strength at the end of 2010, mixed messages continue to reveal challenges in the housing industry. At the same time, lingering sentiment remains questioning the ability of small businesses to access credit relative to pre-recession levels. New research by the Federal Reserve ...