Does the creative engine run? A consideration of the effect of creative class on economic strength and growth

Florida's book, The Rise of the Creative Class, ranks 276 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) according to a creativity index. This article explores whether the creativity index or its subcomponents are related to the economic strength or growth in MSAs. Economic strength is operationalized using Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) per capita for the year 2000. Economic growth is operationalized by the percent change in GMP from 1993 to 2003 and from 2000 to 2004. The first time period is used to test these economic measures against the distribution of the creative class from 1990 as presented in the hardcover edition of The Rise of the Creative Class. The second is used to test the economic measures against the components of the creativity index as defined in the softcover edition of the same work. Our results raise questions as to the whether the concentration of the creative class in an MSA acts as an economic engine.