Market Insights

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.

Nashville ranked second among the 100 largest U.S. metros for job growth and income in 2025. Here’s why the Nashville M&A market is creating premium exit opportunities for business owners in 2026.