ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania
Population: 119,104
Unemployment: 5.5 percent
Project: National Penn Bancshares $80 million headquarters
National Penn’s headquarters was significant not only because it was the first time in 35 years a bank had established its headquarters in Allentown but that it solidified National Penn’s place as major financer of a host of local projects, including a Marriot Renaissance Hotel, several major office buildings, redevelopments and expansions. Allentown has been one of the most active cities its size for new business projects, with more than 70 such projects in 2013 and 2014.