Washington County Ranks #1 in U.S. Fourth Economy Index

The latest release of the Fourth Economy Community Index (FEC Index, #FECIndex) has released the nation’s top ten mega-sized Fourth Economy Communities. These communities are recognized as the regions ideally positioned to attract modern investment and managed economic growth among  regions with a population over a half million.

The FEC Index considers several county-level measures within five areas: 1) Investment, 2) Talent, 3) Sustainability, 4) Place, and 5) Diversity.

These five areas serve as a foundation for future economic success. Specific indicators include wage and employment growth, education levels, drive times, home values, minority business ownership, alternative measures of employment / entrepreneurship, and population density. The measures are then weighted based on the level of influence they have on both internal and external investment decisions.

Read more about Washington County's #1 ranking in this index.