W. Palm Beach Tops Economic Growth Forecast

West Palm Beach, Fla., is projected to experience America’s fastest pace of economic growth to the year 2000 along with other metropolitan areas in the Sun Belt, the Commerce Department said today.

Also projected to lead the nation in growth of income, population and jobs, in order, are Phoenix; Orlando and Tampa, Fla., and Riverside-San Bernardino, San Diego and Sacramento.

However, “Among the nation’s seven largest metropolitan areas--Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston and Washington--only Los Angeles and Washington will have economic growth above the national average to the year 2000,” the department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said.

“Nearly 19 million new jobs are projected for the nation by the year 2000,” the department said. “Los Angeles and Washington are projected to gain more than one-half million jobs each.”

Anaheim and Oakland, Calif.; Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville, Fla., Atlanta and Seattle are also expected to experience growth “well above the national average.”