In August of 2010, Fayetteville was ranked as the second highest per-capita income in North Carolina, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The per-capita income in the Fayetteville metro area, which includes Cumberland and Hoke counties, was $40,917 in 2009, up 4.8 percent from 2008’s $39,054.

In October 2010, the Miliken Institute ranked Fayetteville as the 18th best-performing large city in the nation, up from 31st place the previous year. Fayetteville was also ranked third in the nation for one-year job growth and sixth in the nation for one-year wage and salary increases by the same institute.

June of 2011 saw Fayetteville named the best city for college graduates by the Daily Beast .

Policom Corporation’s Economic Strength Rankings 2011 ranked the Fayetteville metropolitan statistical area as the 92nd strongest in the country.

In June of 2011, Fayetteville won its fourth All-America City Award.

These are some impressive achievements for a place once known as Fayettenam.

It takes more than one industry to rate numbers like this. The city’s small business community is a large part of what drives the economy and what makes Fayetteville news worthy.

One sign of the strength of Fayetteville businesses is the success of non-franchise restaurants that are successful in the community. Fayetteville’s locally owned restaurants span a wide variety of tastes and cultures: The Bombay Bistro, Vietnamese Restaurant, Zorba’s, Mi Casita, Lido’s, Bella Villa, Mash House, Huske Hardware House, Hilltop House and the Haymont Grill.

These are just a few of the many locally owned businesses that, through patronage of their customers, strengthen the local economy. They hold a special place in the community’s heart because they offer experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. Manufacturing and industry also have a long established presence in Fayetteville. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., employs 2,600 people and has invested more than $295 million locally. DuPont has a plant here too and has invested more than $70 million in our economy.

Adding to the momentum of the local economy, is the push to bring higher technology and higher wage jobs to the area. A dedication to growth by leveraging our military presence to strenthen the economy has seen impressive results. Greater Fayetteville Futures opened the Military Business Center in Fayetteville to assist businesses with military and other federal contracts and help military family members connect with job opportunities. The result is nearly 600 contracts worth $2.7 billion awarded to North Carolina firms. Companies including RLM, L3 Communications and Booz Allen Hamilton have come to Fayetteville bringing with them more than 600 high-tech jobs.

Together, these businesses pack a mighty punch in our favor — both locally and nationally.