Site Selector: The most logistics-friendly cities in the U.S. Southeast, 2006
Logistics Today
Site Selector
This customized listing looks at the top 50 cites and metropolitan areas located in the U.S. Southeast, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The Site Selector is based on material developed by Expansion Management and Logistics Today.
The Site Selector matrix provides an overall ranking of each city within the Southeast region, as well as an indication of the city's national ranking. Other ranking categories include:
Transportation and distribution (T&D) industry is based on businesses and employment base providing transportation, distribution, warehousing and related services.
Work force/labor is geared to existing and available logistics-related workers in the area. Road infrastructure measures factors like available lane miles per capita, interstate highway access, miles of paved roads, etc.
Road density, congestion and safety ranks the city on traffic volumes and delays as well as accident statistics and other factors affecting the smooth flow of traffic.
Road condition draws on state performance and includes condition of highways and bridges, among other measures.
Interstate highway includes access to interstate highways, spending on highway construction and maintenance, etc.
Taxes and fees provides a measure of logistics-related costs, including highway and fuel taxes, inventory taxes (where present), etc.
Railroad offers a state-based rank of access to Class 1 and other rail services, miles of track, etc.
Waterborne commerce includes ocean port capacity as well as inland waterways. Air cargo ranks the city on its access to cargo services, including widebody passenger service by combination carriers, international and expedited services.
Regional Rank | National Rank | Metropolitan Area | T&D Industry Rank | Work Force/Labor Rank | Road Infrastructure Rank | Road Density, Congestion and Safety Rank | Road Condition State Rank | Interstate Highway Rank | Taxes & Fees State Rank | Railroad State Rank | Waterborne Commerce Rank | Air Cargo Rank |
1 | 10 | Jacksonville, FL | 27 | 21 | 17 | 283 | 24 | 52 | 251 | 63 | 29 | 48 |
2 | 16 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL | 5 | 4 | 17 | 355 | 24 | 36 | 251 | 151 | 19 | 5 |
3 | 16 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA | 39 | 86 | 199 | 233 | 178 | 36 | 61 | 34 | 15 | 39 |
4 | 20 | Washington, DC-Arlington-Alexandria, VA | 10 | 18 | 187 | 293 | 209 | 9 | 122 | 63 | 72 | 4 |
5 | 23 | New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA | 20 | 26 | 296 | 252 | 277 | 52 | 62 | 17 | 1 | 42 |
6 | 24 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 6 | 100 | 278 | 341 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 34 | 178 | 8 |
7 | 25 | Savannah, GA | 84 | 12 | 278 | 244 | 4 | 52 | 1 | 63 | 28 | 108 |
8 | 26 | Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN | 36 | 64 | 226 | 231 | 81 | 36 | 84 | 102 | 48 | 43 |
9 | 29 | Memphis, TN | 22 | 122 | 274 | 336 | 133 | 52 | 123 | 34 | 30 | 16 |
10 | 34 | Chattanooga, TN | 100 | 77 | 252 | 176 | 49 | 52 | 29 | 63 | 54 | 113 |
11 | 40 | Richmond, VA | 45 | 109 | 188 | 133 | 161 | 15 | 36 | 225 | 59 | 49 |
12 | 42 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 50 | 69 | 214 | 244 | 197 | 23 | 48 | 24 | 178 | 56 |
13 | 45 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 31 | 16 | 17 | 362 | 24 | 23 | 251 | 310 | 12 | 20 |
14 | 46 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 61 | 13 | 335 | 222 | 169 | 120 | 20 | 63 | 25 | 84 |
15 | 48 | Mobile, AL | 70 | 63 | 214 | 272 | 197 | 52 | 48 | 24 | 83 | 112 |
16 | 49 | Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | 61 | 56 | 258 | 76 | 210 | 23 | 171 | 34 | 178 | 74 |
17 | 52 | Knoxville, TN | 73 | 44 | 226 | 334 | 81 | 36 | 84 | 102 | 77 | 98 |
18 | 67 | Baton Rouge, LA | 74 | 93 | 296 | 317 | 277 | 52 | 62 | 102 | 9 | 107 |
19 | 75 | Greenville, SC | 51 | 111 | 335 | 314 | 169 | 23 | 20 | 102 | 178 | 75 |
20 | 77 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | 40 | 47 | 350 | 174 | 104 | 81 | 144 | 151 | 178 | 57 |
21 | 80 | Orlando, FL | 36 | 135 | 17 | 352 | 24 | 157 | 251 | 151 | 178 | 14 |
22 | 81 | Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC | 29 | 128 | 320 | 287 | 276 | 52 | 211 | 34 | 178 | 25 |
23 | 82 | Columbia, SC | 81 | 29 | 335 | 133 | 169 | 36 | 20 | 225 | 178 | 80 |
24 | 84 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 148 | 124 | 17 | 349 | 24 | 120 | 251 | 151 | 64 | 101 |
25 | 100 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 102 | 136 | 296 | 72 | 277 | 52 | 62 | 151 | 178 | 120 |
26 | 101 | Lake Charles, LA | 169 | 204 | 296 | 23 | 277 | 120 | 62 | 102 | 11 | 196 |
27 | 101 | Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL | 160 | 152 | 17 | 354 | 24 | 120 | 251 | 225 | 46 | 79 |
28 | 106 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | 56 | 51 | 350 | 318 | 104 | 52 | 144 | 225 | 178 | 40 |
29 | 107 | Winston-Salem, NC | 146 | 214 | 350 | 138 | 104 | 81 | 144 | 102 | 178 | 57 |
30 | 108 | Jackson, MS | 83 | 70 | 308 | 138 | 181 | 52 | 139 | 225 | 178 | 86 |
31 | 111 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 151 | 140 | 308 | 167 | 181 | 120 | 139 | 102 | 45 | 176 |
32 | 113 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 84 | 82 | 17 | 193 | 24 | 157 | 251 | 225 | 178 | 156 |
33 | 119 | Spartanburg, SC | 130 | 130 | 335 | 161 | 169 | 81 | 20 | 225 | 178 | 75 |
34 | 124 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 88 | 126 | 17 | 353 | 24 | 157 | 251 | 310 | 47 | 126 |
35 | 126 | Kingsport, TN-Bristol, TN-VA | 176 | 132 | 209 | 66 | 103 | 120 | 48 | 225 | 178 | 139 |
36 | 127 | Johnson City, TN | 119 | 214 | 226 | 298 | 81 | 81 | 84 | 151 | 178 | 139 |
37 | 129 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA | 134 | 100 | 307 | 276 | 64 | 120 | 15 | 151 | 178 | 164 |
38 | 132 | Durham, NC | 200 | 109 | 350 | 275 | 104 | 81 | 144 | 151 | 178 | 40 |
39 | 135 | Montgomery, AL | 167 | 116 | 214 | 311 | 197 | 81 | 48 | 151 | 178 | 136 |
40 | 137 | Macon, GA | 189 | 275 | 278 | 228 | 4 | 52 | 1 | 151 | 178 | 199 |
41 | 138 | Pascagoula, MS | 151 | 140 | 308 | 328 | 181 | 120 | 139 | 151 | 22 | 176 |
42 | 140 | Fort Smith, AR | 125 | 106 | 275 | 146 | 264 | 120 | 116 | 34 | 178 | 266 |
43 | 141 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 89 | 3 | 262 | 106 | 221 | 288 | 167 | 151 | 178 | 95 |
44 | 142 | Wilmington, NC | 157 | 88 | 350 | 339 | 104 | 157 | 144 | 151 | 42 | 163 |
45 | 143 | Roanoke, VA | 157 | 161 | 188 | 259 | 161 | 120 | 36 | 225 | 178 | 105 |
46 | 145 | Huntsville, AL | 181 | 137 | 214 | 345 | 197 | 120 | 48 | 151 | 178 | 99 |
47 | 147 | Dalton, GA | 242 | 53 | 278 | 117 | 4 | 157 | 1 | 225 | 178 | 173 |
48 | 154 | Gainesville, GA | 185 | 272 | 278 | 117 | 4 | 120 | 1 | 225 | 178 | 173 |
49 | 155 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 215 | 219 | 214 | 325 | 197 | 52 | 48 | 34 | 178 | 237 |
50 | 160 | Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, FL | 188 | 265 | 17 | 278 | 24 | 157 | 251 | 151 | 80 | 237 |
Source: Based on material developed by Expansion Management and Logistics Today |