JOEL KOTKIN: The Metro Areas With The Most Economic Momentum Going Into 2014. “Despite all the attention lavished on places like Manhattan or Chicago’s central core, virtually all the fastest-emerging economies coming out of the recession are either in the Southeast, Texas, the Great Plains or the Intermountain West. Of our top 10 metro areas, only one is on a coast: 10th-ranked San Jose/Silicon Valley. Most of the strongest local economies combine the positive characteristics associated with blue states — educated people, tech-oriented industries, racial diversity — with largely red, pro-business administrations. . . . As has been the case for most of the past five years, Texas cities are clearly the place to be in terms of job creation, wealth formation and overall growth.”