Tri-Cities' job growth ranks fifth in nation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the Tri-Cities is fifth in the nation among metropolitan areas for the greatest percentage of growth in nonfarm jobs over a year.  Tri-City jobs climbed 4.3 percent since last April.  According to Dean Schau, regional labor market economist, the number of jobs in the Tri-Cities has grown by 25 percent since 1997. During this same period, the area's annual payroll also has nearly doubled.  POLICOM Corporation just released their 2008 Metropolitan Statistical Areas Economic Strength Ranking and the Tri-Cities MSA now ranks #137 out of 363 Metro Areas--moving up 38 spots from last year's ranking.  The report ranked Spokane at #151 and Yakima ranked #318 on POLICOM's list.   Since 2004, the Tri-Cities MSA has steadily moved up the rankings by 131 spots.  "Each year, POLICOM Corporation ranks the 363 Metropolitan and 577 Micropolitan Areas for Economic Strength," said POLICOM's president Bill Fruth.  "This is the long-term tendency for an area to consistently grow in size and quality." The 2008 rankings along with colored maps of all Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas can be found by visiting www.policom.com.