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As all those construction cranes and the deepening traffic congestion remind us every day, Denver has become a desirable destination for transplants from all over the country.
This week’s news from Forbes might make us even more irresistible. On Wednesday, the venerable business magazine released its annual rankings of the best U.S. cities for business and careers, placing Denver in the top spot. The Mile High City ranked fourth last year, and four other Colorado communities—Fort Collins (10th), Boulder (26th), Greeley (33rd), and Colorado Springs (37th)—also made the list.
Authors cite Denver’s central location, educated workforce, quality of life, and cultural attractions as primary reasons more corporations are relocating to the Front Range or expanding their presence here. They also note that our increasingly diverse economy has expanded beyond energy, technology, and telecommunications, thus attracting a broader array of businesses.
Among the companies that have recently added offices in our area are Panasonic and Lockheed Martin, supplementing the more than 100,000 out-of-state residents that moved to the Denver area between 2010 and 2014, the fifth-largest such migration of any American urban region.
The formal recognition of Colorado’s allure won’t surprise anyone who’s lived here for awhile (or forever). It’s terrific news for our economy, but it’s also a cautionary reminder of how we’ll need to monitor all walks of Front Range life—from housing to transportation to education to services—if we want to ensure that the factors that lured or kept us here in the first place continue to remain attractive.
(More: Three apps to make Colorado a better place for business)
Follow 5280 editor-at-large Luc Hatlestad on Twitter at @LucHatlestad.