Time magazine cites Cedar Rapids among growth cities in April issue

Cedar Rapids is featured as a bright spot on the nation's economic landscape in the April 2 edition of Time magazine.

The magazine highlights Cedar Rapids and 10 other cities in a infographic labeled, 'Boomtown USA: A look at growing cities and what's fueling their growth."

The graphic was a counterpoint to the magazine's cover feature, "The Wimpy Recovery."

The portion on Cedar Rapids points to the city's 6 percent unemployment rate and ties it to the city's strength in avionics through major employer Rockwell Collins. It says job growth in Cedar Rapids has topped national levels by 7 percent.

Boomtown might be a stretch for Cedar Rapids, but it's clearly doing better than some of the other cities listed in the graphic such as Milwaukee, San Antonio and Nahsville in terms of unemployment.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett wasn't going to argue with the positive attention.

"Our economy has been much better than the country as a whole," Corbett said in e-mailed remarks. "Rockwell has maintained employment levels and Cedar Rapids benefits when our number one employer hires people. I also believe all the reconstruction from the flood has helped (Cedar Rapids) get recognized around the country as a boomtown."

The other metro areas listed were Corvallis, Ore.; Washington, D.C.,; the Raleigh-Cary, N.C., area; Logan, Utah and Austin, Texas.

Time also pointed to Iowa's strong farm economy in the graphic, noting that strong corn and soybean prices have driven Iowa land prices to nearly $7,000 an acre.

It's the latest of several media acknowledgements Cedar Rapids has received for its resilient economy.

"We have to keep working hard to the cycle doesn't change and we become a bust-town," Corbett said, adding that "steady growth is the best growth."