March 2014 DIVER Geo Scores Released

STAMFORD, CT--(Marketwired - Apr 3, 2014) - The DIVER Geo Score results are in for March. The DIVER Geo Score represents a relative score of the economic health of a U.S. State, county or city. Based on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the best, this data is updated monthly and is calculated from multiple economic and demographic factors related to three primary data categories -- Employment, Income and Housing.

Here are the latest results through March 31, 2014:

GEO SCORE: BY STATE

Highlights: Minnesota and South Dakota Replace Maryland and Massachusetts in the Top Scores; Largest Changes (Most Improved) Marked by New Entrants

The top 10 scoring States saw a change from one year prior with Minnesota and South Dakota slotting in at eight and nine, respectively while Maryland declined by 1.4 to a score of seven and rank of 16 and Massachusetts declined 0.2 and sits at a more respectable score of eight and overall rank of 11. Utah and Indiana saw the largest score changes registering year on year increases of more than 1. The top Geo Score increases all shared common characteristics seeing a decline in Unemployment, an increase in Wages and favorable Housing data for all but Ohio which saw a slight decline in the HPI. 

Best Locations		Score		Best Locations		Score Changes
North Dakota		10		Utah		+2.8
District of Columbia		9.8		Indiana		+1.4
Vermont		9.6		Washington		+1
Wyoming		9.4		South Carolina		+1
Hawaii		9.2		Minnesota		+0.8
Virginia		9		South Dakota		+0.8
Nebraska		8.8		Colorado		+0.8
Minnesota		8.6		Ohio		+0.8
South Dakota		8.4		Idaho		+0.6
New Hampshire		8.2		Illinois		+0.6

Mississippi, Nevada and Florida continue at the bottom of our Geo Scores with Kentucky falling to fourth worst and Alabama and New Mexico dropping into the bottom ten. Six States suffered a decline of one or more with New Jersey and New Mexico leading the largest decliners. Eight of ten States suffering the most significant declines in their Geo Scores saw declines in their Labor Force and an increase in Poverty and all but three saw an increase in Foreclosures.

Worst Locations		Score		Worst Locations		Score Changes
Mississippi		0		New Jersey		-1.8
Nevada		0.2		New Mexico		-1.4
Florida		0.4		Maryland		-1.4
Kentucky		0.6		Alabama		-1.2
Michigan		0.8		Kentucky		-1
Georgia		1		Delaware		-1
Alabama		1.2		Missouri		-0.6
New Mexico		1.4		Rhode Island		-0.6
Arkansas		1.6		Arkansas		-0.4
South Carolina		1.8		Maine		-0.4

GEO SCORE: BY COUNTY

Highlights: North Dakota Takes the Cake, Again;

Nine of ten counties that held the top ten positions in February are back in March with Bowman, ND replacing Divide, ND and with North Dakota holding nine of the top ten spots. Most counties with the greatest increases in their Geo Score experienced significant decreases in their Unemployment Rate as well as declines in the Foreclosure Rate along with strong data for Income data. 

Best Locations		Score		Best Locations		Score Change
Williams, ND		10		Redding, CA		+2.4
Slope, ND		10		Ontario, CA		+2.1
Dunn, ND		10		Pompano Beach, FL		+2
McKenzie, ND		10		Vancouver, WA		+1.9
Mountrail, ND		10		Fort Lauderdale, FL		+1.9
Stark, ND		10		Provo, UT		+1.9
Midland, TX		10		Ogden, UT		+1.5
Burke, ND		10		Greeley, CO		+1.5
Bowman, ND		10		Orlando, FL		+1.5
Billings, ND		10		Warren, MI		+1.5

Turning to the bottom ten movers for counties, there are clear ties between the spike in Foreclosures for all of the bottom ten as well as the drop in the Labor Force in all but three. 

Worst Locations		Score		Worst Locations		Score Changes
Flagler, FL		0.0		Trenton, NJ		-3.0
Telfair, GA		0.0		Albany, NY		-2.8
Jenkins, GA		0.0		Peoria, IL		-2.6
Stewart, GA		0.0		Clarksville, TN		-2.5
Apache, AZ		0.0		Decatur, IL		-2.2
Spalding, GA		0.0		Kennewick, WA		-2.1
Sunflower, MS		0.0		Warner Robins, GA		-1.9
Yuma, AZ		0.0		Portsmouth, VA		-1.9
Pasco, FL		0.0		Mobile, AL		-1.9
Jackson, KY		0.0		Newport News, VA		-1.9

GEO SCORE: BY CITY

Highlights:

This month's top city Geo Scores has California coming in with seven of the top ten best locations. The top ten movers saw decreases in Unemployment and Foreclosures while experiencing increases in Income and HPI over the last year. Eight of the top ten movers saw a decrease in Poverty Rates.

Best Locations		Score		Best Locations		Score Changes
Midland, TX		10.0		Redding, CA		+2.4
Palo Alto, CA		10.0		Ontario, CA		+2.1
Odessa, TX		10.0		Pompano Beach, FL		+2.0
Sunnyvale, CA		9.9		Vancouver, WA		+1.9
Mountain View, CA		9.9		Fort Lauderdale, FL		+1.9
Alexandria, VA		9.9		Provo, UT		+1.9
Walnut Creek, CA		9.8		Ogden, UT		+1.5
Redwood City, CA		9.8		Greeley, CO		+1.5
Torrance, CA		9.8		Orlando, FL		+1.5
Santa Clara, CA		9.7		Warren, MI		+1.5

The bottom ten cities, led by Flint, came from a group of five States and shared common characteristics in that all saw an increase in the Poverty Rate, nine of ten saw a decline the Labor Force and eight of ten saw a decline in the HPI.

Worst Locations		Score		Worst Locations		Score Changes
Flint, MI		0.0		Trenton, NJ		-3.0
Yuba City, CA		0.0		Albany, NY		-2.8
Victorville, CA		0.0		Peoria, IL		-2.6
Detroit, MI		0.1		Clarksville, TN		-2.5
Youngstown, OH		0.1		Decatur, IL		-2.2
Cleveland, OH		0.1		Kennewick, WA		-2.1
Rockford, IL		0.2		Warner Robins, GA		-1.9
Camden, NJ		0.2		Portsmouth, VA		-1.9
Merced, CA		0.2		Mobile, AL		-1.9
Dayton, OH		0.3		Newport News, VA		-1.9

For more information or to see a full list of DIVER Geo Scores for the current month, please visit our website at www.lumesis.com/our-solutions/diver-geo-score. 

About Lumesis
Lumesis is dedicated to delivering simple-to-use, powerful technology for the Municipal Marketplace. Lumesis has three products in its DIVER solution offering -- DIVER Advisor, DIVER Analytics, and DIVER Data Services -- which offer software solutions and comprehensive data on more than 54,000 municipal issuers. DIVER Advisor is a comprehensive compliance and information delivery platform serving Financial Advisor networks, helping them address the Time of Trade Disclosure (MSRB Rule G-47 and Proposed G-19) obligations. DIVER Analytics is a suite of powerful analytical and visualization tools serving Credit Analysts and Portfolio Managers. DIVER Data Services matches user data and information needs with comprehensive data, analytical and delivery expertise. To learn more about Lumesis, please visit www.lumesis.com or contact us at inquiries@lumesis.com.