UPDATE: Durham is the Nation's No. 1 Creative Class City*

UPDATE

*/slightly disappointed trombone

According to analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Durham MSA has the highest-concentration of creative class workers in the country, 48.4% of our workforce. That area includes Durham, Orange, Chatham and Person counties.

But the study results, as reported in The Atlantic, only names Durham, NC as the most creative-class-rich city in the country. No word if they'll tweak the misleading header, but for now, we'll take it.

The study comes from Richard Florida, whose 2002 book The Rise of the Creative Class spawned a buzzword and a rush of cities trying to make themselves attractive to smart, innovative, ambitious young people who wanted to come up with the Next Big Thing.

Now, there are plenty of detractors that argue the other side of the chicken-or-egg question, that strong economies lure creative classers, creative classers don't create strong economies.

Either way, it's good news that we're seen as an excellent place for the best and brightest to be. Props to the Chamber, DDI, American Underground, Bull City Forward, DCVB and others who have created all manner of initiatives to make start-ups feel welcome.

Comments (5)

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proud of our msa

It's an awesome four county region.
Hate to be that guy but you know these lists are my pet peeve.

Kirk Ross 316 days ago

When you're right, you're right

It's the Durham MSA, which includes all four counties you mentioned. Will update post. No word if The Atlantic will make that clear or not. Props to all our non-Durham brethren

Matt Dees 316 days ago

BLS

Zoom in on the map. In the article they say they're using the BLS Durham metro.

Sure?

Where you seeing that, Kirk?

not just Durham city

The Durham metro region includes the counties of Durham, Person, Orange and Chatham. That's the area they drew the stats from, not just the city of Durham.