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Mag lists Medford in top 50 By David Preszler Jackson County�s reputation as a good place to do business has gotten another big boost. Forbes Magazine ranked the Medford-Ashland metropolitan area 22nd in its 2000 "Best Smaller Places" survey, which appears in its May 29 issue. The magazine compares cities on economic factors including salary growth, job growth and level of high-tech industry. Area economic development and business officials say the Forbes ranking is a testament to the area�s strength and should help attract more businesses to the Rogue Valley. "We�re in some pretty good company," says Rob Pochert of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. "These are growing, thriving communities and we are right there with them." Decatur, Ill., led the list of 94 areas that employed 24,000 to 83,000 workers in 1999. Regionally, the Chico-Paradise, Calif., area scored the highest, ranking fifth. Bellingham, Wash., was 19th and Yolo, Calif., 21st and Redding 40th. "It�s outstanding," says Brad Hicks, who heads the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County. "When you look at the other places we were stacked up against, we should be even prouder." Medford�s prominent place on the list comes on the heels of another study that praised its business climate. The 2000 Business Opportunity Index, a study by two University of Texas-El Paso professors, ranked Medford-Ashland eighth among all U.S. metro areas. Medford was the only Oregon city to make the smaller places list. Portland, Salem and Eugene all made Forbes� general list of the best places. Portland placed 19th, Salem 59th and Eugene 60th. Pochert and Hicks say the attention should help Medford make a few more important lists: potential site lists for companies wanting to expand or relocate. "We know people read that magazine," says Pochert. "When there are good reviews of an area, interest picks up. To have us show up as 22nd is a pretty big deal." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA