How to use the U.S. Southeast Site Selector

Feb. 16, 2005
TheSite Selector offers an objective ranking of 331 U.S. cities based on criteria important to logistics professionals. This customized listing looks

The Site Selector offers an objective ranking of 331 U.S. cities based on criteria important to logistics professionals.

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.

2005 Regional Rank 2005 National Rank

Metropolitan Area

T&D Industry Rank Work Force/ Labor Rank Road Infrastructure Rank Road Density, Congestion and Safety Rank

Road Condition Rank

Interstate Highway Rank Taxes & Fees Rank Railroad Rank Waterborne Commerce Rank Air Cargo Rank 2004 National Rank 2003 National Rank 2002 National Rank

1

12 Atlanta, Ga. 4 26 259 308 6 16 2 32 165 8 3 3 12
2 15 New Orleans, La. 39 24 264 211 238 32 42 61 1 42 24 52 97
3 17 Savannah, Ga. 90 10 259 154 6 54 2 76 31 108 1 1 1
4 21 Jacksonville, Fla. 23 67 56 238 11 54 248 129 35 48 31 2 6
5 22 Miami, Fla. 1 6 56 328 11 32 248 207 42 5 41 19 18
6

26

Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, Va. 56 156 325 227 56 18 80 92 18 39 29 51 37
7 27 Nashville, Tenn. 41 155 203 176 119 54 63 102 50 43 2 10 3
8 28

Mobile, Ala.

86 33 214 236 196 54 31 32 15 112 27 11 17
9 33 Richmond-Petersburg, Va. 43 37 143 86 146 18 86 254 62 49 36 38 14
10 38 Memphis, Tenn. 37 259 226 304 151 54 94 39 36 16 19 41 43
11 40 Birmingham, Ala. 53 109 214 201 196 32 31 32 165 56 21 13 20
12 45 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 55 97 56 318 11 54 248 207 30 21 106 69 24
13 50 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. 35 94 56 331 11 18 248 304 13 20 61 27 25
14 56 Chattanooga, Tenn. 107 292 241 139 48 54 27 75 58 113 8 5 4
15 59 Charleston-North Charleston, S.C 85 50 319 185 139 100 13 140 27 84 18 8 78
16 59 Little Rock-North Little Rock, Ark. 74 106 210 52 209 18 227 56 165 74 72 130 176
17 61 Washington, D.C. 29 254 148 277 174 4 103 111 165 4 90 111 91
18 75 Charlotte-Gastonia, N.C.-Rock Hill, S.C. 34 233 330 269 64 54 76 95 165 25 126 158 207
19 77

Knoxville, Tenn

77 107 203 292 119 32 63 102 165 98 23 36 27
20 80 Baton Rouge, La. 82 58 264 301 238 54 42 166 10 107 44 78 181
21 89 Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn. 104 30 172 168 133 54 78 173 165 139 63 74 38
22 100 Orlando, Fla. 50 148 56 311 11 161 248 207 165 14 120 43 40
23 102 Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, S.C. 65 223 319 264 139 18 13 184 165 75 59 24 131
24 107

Pensacola, Fla.

170 84 56 319 11 100 248 207 70 101 82 89 120
25 112

Macon, Ga.

195 120 259 84 6 54 2 171 165 199 9 20 33
26 116 Fort Smith, Ark. 102 13 250 80 247 100 146 43 165 266 156 173 190
27 117 Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, Miss. 162 16 290 289 160 100 104 159 20 176 83 126 145
28 119

Shreveport-Bossier City, La.

128 189 264 44 238 54 42 202 165 120 52 107 169
29 121

Jackson, Miss.

89 92 290 156 160 54 104 267 165 86 47 90 129
30 122 Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla. 83 21 56 124 11 161 248 271 165 156 87 44 39
31 127 Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, N.C. 45 175 306 95 215 100 214 217 165 57 132 213 221
32 130

Columbia, S.C.

116 272 319 88 139 32 13 284 165 80 50 17 96
33 141 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla. 111 233 56 316 11 161 248 324 52 50 114 87 65
34 144 Lake Charles, La. 234 303 264 26 238 100 42 166 14 196 70 100 172
35 146

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

207 165 214 295 196 54 31 45 165 237 134 98 136
36 153 Augusta, Ga.-Aiken, S.C. 155 218 284 224 54 100 11 194 165 164 65 37 79
37 155 Lafayette, La. 105 40 264 278 238 100 42 202 165 186 103 186 255
38 161 Huntsville, Ala. 205 173 214 307 196 100 31 179 165 99 128 97 124
39 162 Columbus, Ga. 197 46 228 174 160 161 28 178 165 192 69 55 57
40 172 Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. 78 225 306 281 215 54 214 280 165 40 176 245 244
41 173 Monroe, La. 196 24 264 274 238 161 42 125 165 173 161 251 291
42 178

Montgomery, Ala.

175 305 214 256 196 100 31 179 165 136 133 92 108
43 182 Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. 193 266 56 322 11 100 248 271 165 79 214 169 101
44 184 Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, N.C. 106 48 306 208 215 161 214 181 165 156 237 285 292
45 186 Roanoke, Va. 179 324 143 233 146 100 86 254 165 105 164 210 139
46 194 Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Fla. 187 310 56 317 11 161 248 304 53 126 240 224 105
47 196 Daytona Beach, Fla. 215 121 56 327 11 100 248 271 165 170 193 181 128
48 200

Lynchburg, Va.

163 23 143 43 146 273 86 254 165 237 197 197 137
49 201 Wilmington, N.C. 166 78 306 308 215 161 214 217 46 163 233 280 281
50 204 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark. 99 280 210 83 209 273 227 189 165 95 206 267 273
Source: Based on material developed by

Expansion Management and

Logistics Today