Author: Daniel Askew

Bowling Green has been ranked #1 in economic development for cities under 200,000 for two consecutive years. With $2B+ in battery manufacturing, Corvette production, and a $355M Tyson facility, here’s where the opportunities are and what to watch.

Clarksville is Tennessee’s fastest-growing mid-size city — powered by Fort Campbell, $4.4B in new manufacturing investment, and Nashville spillover. Here’s what the data says about where the opportunities are and what pitfalls to avoid.

Memphis moves 40% of all U.S. air cargo, employs 30,000+ at FedEx alone, and anchors a logistics economy worth nearly 30% of total metro employment. Add a 30,000-job Medical District, a nationally recognized food and beverage sector, and a metro of 1.3 million — and you have an economy unlike any other. Here’s the operator’s view.

Birmingham’s $12.1 billion UAB economic engine, Fortune 500 financial headquarters, and 1.2 million metro population make it Alabama’s largest economy. Here’s the operator’s view: growth drivers, strengths, weaknesses, business opportunities, pitfalls to avoid, and what it means for M&A.

Nashville ranked #2 among the 100 largest US metros for job growth and income. With 900+ healthcare companies, Oracle’s 8,500-employee campus, and a metro population of 1.35 million, Music City has become a serious business economy. Here’s the operator’s view: growth drivers, strengths, weaknesses, business opportunities, and M&A insights.

Knoxville is the most popular U.S. city for 2026 move-ins, home to 154+ nuclear companies in the Oak Ridge corridor, and the economic engine of East Tennessee with 456,000+ jobs. Here’s the operator’s view: growth drivers, strengths, weaknesses, business opportunities, pitfalls to avoid, and what it means for M&A.

Chattanooga’s $34 billion economy sits at the intersection of three major interstates, boasts the nation’s first municipal gigabit network, and is building America’s first quantum computing hub. Here’s the operator’s view: growth drivers, strengths, weaknesses, business opportunities, pitfalls to avoid, and what it means for M&A in the Scenic City.

Huntsville, Alabama ranked 2nd in the 2026 Best-Performing Cities Index. With $36B in annual defense impact, Eli Lilly’s $6B investment, and 16% population growth since 2020, the Rocket City is undergoing structural economic transformation. Here’s the operator’s view: growth drivers, strengths, weaknesses, business opportunities, pitfalls to avoid, and what it means for M&A.