Where the customers are

Start counting your frequent flier miles because ourrankings of the top 25 cities by the number of governmentemployees will have you going from the beachesof Miami to the cold waters of the Pacific Northwestand everywhere in between.We did not rank the Washington area becauseit is the runaway No. 1, but the rankings do showthe broad scope of the services the governmentprovides and the related business opportunities forcontractors.San Diego, for example, is not only a critical centerof activity for the Navy and Marine Corps but alsoan important hub for the General ServicesAdministration. Miami is an important city for theHomeland Security Department and the FederalAviation Administration.Military facilities gave places such as Jacksonville,N.C., and Kitsap, Wash., a high profile on the list,which is based on data from the Bureau of EconomicAnalysis.But wherever government jobs are, there are contractorssupporting them. The communities we profiledreported the presence of some of the largest governmentcontractors in the market and opportunitiesfor small and midsize companies and start-ups.Our rankings and profiles, coupled with moreinformation at our Web site, should serve as a roadmap to where the customers are.