“Many of the top-ranked micropolitan areas are resort destinations and scored at the top as a result of the boom in the construction industry. These areas are likely to fall in the ranking in the future.”

Zierdt said the structure of the local economy should serve it well.

“What’s good about our economy is it’s so diverse. Even within manufacturing, there is diversity — electronics or sheet metal or others. One may be down but the other may be up, so it balances,” Zierdt said.

Micropolitan areas are those with cities fewer than 50,000 population. The ranking includes all of Blue Earth and Nicollet counties as the Mankato-North Mankato micropolitan area.

Policom notes that micropolitan areas generally have economies that fluctuate much more and are overall much weaker economies than the larger metropolitan areas.

Some other micropolitan areas in southern Minnesota and their rankings: Owatonna (129), Marshall (292), New Ulm (320), Albert Lea (323).

The strongest three micropolitans in the country were: Hilton Head, S.C.; Edwards, Col.; Concord, NH.