Utah’s population topped three million people in 2016, with the state being the fastest growing in the 12-month period starting July 1, 2015. The western flavor continued with others at the top of the list including Nevada, Idaho, Florida and Washington.

Now, approximately 38% of the population lives in what the Census Bureau identifies as the South, with 24% in the West.

Kiplinger goes a step further, with cities where it expects job creation to thrive going forward. At the top of that list (with a reason or two cited) are:

• St, George, Utah: magnet for tourists visiting Zion National Park and retirees seeking pleasant weather
• Bend and Redmond, Oregon: also strong in tourism and drawing retirees
• Cleveland, Tennessee: home to a wide range of manufacturing operations
• Prescott, Arizona: cooler climate makes it an attractive alternative to Phoenix
• Savannah, Georgia: home of the fourth-busiest ocean port, which will grow once its harbor is deepened to handle larger vessels