Talent: A City’s Greatest Indicator of Economic Success

Posted by Shayna Pollock on August 02, 2011

Educational attainment explains 58% of a city's success as measured by per capita income, according to CEOs for Cities' Talent Dividend research. With that in mind, attracting and retaining talent should be a city's top economic priority. In an excerpt from an article on the importance of attracting talent, Dan Gilmartin, CEOs for Cities partner and Executive Director of Michigan Municipal League, writes about the influence of public policy decisions on ensuring urban vibrancy. The article finds that among a slew of potential policies, attracting and retaining talent through "building and sustaining high quality places" is the most important contributor to a strong economy.