Cullman and Selma are among the Alabama small cities and metro areas that received a shoutout from Site Selection magazine for economic development success in the national publication’s extensive 2023 Governor’s Cups analysis.

Cullman ranked No. 2 in Site Selection’s roundup of the nation’s Top 100 Micropolitans, based on 11 growth projects that met the magazine’s strict criteria for gauging projects.

The bounty included expansion projects at auto parts manufacturers and aerospace companies, as well as a $350 million automation project at a sprawling Walmart distribution hub, the city’s largest-ever investment project.

“An investment of that size, you figure you’ve got them at least for another 20 or 30 years,” Dale Greer, director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency, told Site Selection.

Wayne Vardaman, executive director of the Selma & Dallas County Economic Development Authority, said Selma’s No. 40 ranking in Site Selection’s Top 100 Micropolitan list reflects diligence and strategic planning.

“One of our founding principles is to market Selma and Dallas County’s assets, like our four industrial parks, to attract new industry,” Vardaman said. “Our successes in 2023 — a total of seven projects landed, with three being recognized in our ranking — is a validation of our team’s hard work and the importance of economic development efforts in small towns.”

Altogether, Dallas County ranked as one of the top rural Alabama counties for economic development success in 2023, with $106 million in new capital investment and 225 job commitments, according to an annual report from the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“These Site Selection rankings are a good reminder that economic development activities bring many positives to our state, including career opportunities that change the trajectories of communities and families,” said Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Resicum outlines the company’s plans for an aviation training facility at Craig Field in Selma during a ceremony last year. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Other rankings

Overall, Site Selection ranked Alabama No. 3 in its South Central region for total projects and projects per capita during 2023, with 134 projects that met the magazine’s grading system.

Other 2023 Governor’s Cup rankings for Alabama cities included:

• The Birmingham-Hoover metro area ranked No. 9 in the South Central Region’s Top Project Rankings (24 projects).
• The Auburn-Opelika metro area ranked No. 3 for total projects (11) as a Tier 3 Metro, communities with populations of more than 50,000 but less than 200,000. Auburn-Opelika was No. 5 for projects per capita in 2023.

Besides Cullman and Selma, other small Alabama cities earned spots on Site Selection’s Top 100 Micropolitan list. Talladega/Sylacauga ranked No. 17 (five projects), tied with LaGrange, Georgia-Alabama, which includes Chambers County. Enterprise ranked No. 84, with two projects.

Brenda Tuck, Rural Development manager for the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the strong showing for Alabama’s small cities in these rankings demonstrate that the state’s rural areas have a lot to offer growing companies.

“Rural Alabama is a very desirable location for corporate investment projects because it can offer a dedicated and motivated workforce, low costs and a very favorable environment to support long-term growth,” Tuck said.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.