Santa Barbara Named a Top City on the Rise

NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy website, has compiled a list of the nation’s top cities on the rise – and Santa Barbara is among the top 20.

As the economy picks up, NerdWallet wanted to take a look and see which cities have grown during the recession and are now thriving. Using data focused on the five-year period between 2007 and 2012, NerdWallet analyzed 233 cities, looking for growth in the working-age population, median income, and airport passenger traffic.

Santa Barbara was ranked the 13th top city on the rise, having seen a 4.9 percent growth in the population of those 16 years old and older. The city also saw a 0.9 percent increase in airport passenger traffic, an indication of the increase in the number of travelers and businesspeople going to Santa Barbara for both business and pleasure.

“Its close proximity to Los Angeles means it’s always been on the radar for many people, but now Santa Barbara is becoming a vacation and business destination of its own,” said NerdWallet analyst Divya Raghavan.

Spokane and Bellingham, Wash. also made the list. See the full story online.

For more information about NerdWallet, visit www.nerdwallet.com.