长久以来，全球经济的发展故事总是围绕大城市展开。摩天大楼、密集的金融区和丰富的人才库，似乎成了企业成功的标准配置。然而，一场静悄悄的变革正在进行：一批中小城市正悄然崛起，它们不再仅仅是“成本低”的代名词，而是凭借独特的战略价值，成为吸引全球投资者的新伙伴。

基于笔者过去二十多年在全球城市和科技园区的实地观察，这一转变绝非偶然。中小城市通过主动发掘并放大自身优势——比如灵活性强、社区凝聚力高、发展目标清晰，成功打造出大城市难以复制的竞争力。

中小城市的独特优势

中小城市的吸引力，首先体现在明显的成本优势上，包括更低的房价、能源和人力成本。但如果只把它们看作“省钱”的选择，那就忽略了其更深层的价值：

1.决策灵活，效率更高：相比大城市层层审批的复杂流程，中小城市的决策结构更扁平，执行也更高效。企业更容易接触到关键决策者，从而大大节省项目落地和运营的时间与金钱成本。

2.深度融入，支持到位：在中小城市，大型企业往往能更深入地融入当地的社会与经济网络。这种紧密联系带来了与政府、社区及其他合作伙伴更顺畅的协作。地方政府也更愿意提供定制化的优惠政策和基础设施支持，形成独一无二的发展环境。

3.生活质量成为新吸引力：随着远程办公的普及，越来越多的高素质人才主动离开拥挤的大都市，选择通勤时间短、社区关系紧密、自然环境更优的中小城市。这使得“生活质量”成了这些城市吸引和留住人才的一张王牌。

打造核心能力：能源、人才与基建

要充分发挥上述优势，成功的中小城市通常会重点建设三大核心能力：

1.把能源变为战略资产：对数据中心、先进制造等高耗能产业来说，稳定且低成本的能源是选址的关键。例如，美国华盛顿州的昆西市就凭借廉价的水电资源，吸引了一批科技企业入驻。有远见的中小城市正在积极发展可再生能源，将自己打造成既可持续又可靠的投资目的地。

2.精准培养所需人才：成功的关键不是“有人”，而是“人有其技”。先进的中小城市通过政府、职业院校和企业的紧密合作，建立起针对特定产业的技能培训体系。例如蒙大拿州博兹曼的编程训练营、伊利诺伊州诺默尔的先进制造培训项目，都有效支撑了当地产业的升级需求。

3.超前布局基础设施：现代企业需要的不仅是传统的“三通一平”，更包括高速光纤网络、智能电网和高效物流体系。田纳西州查塔努加通过建设市政光纤网络，成功从制造业城市转型为科技中心，被誉为“千兆城市”。成功的城市将基础设施视为持续投资，而不是一次性工程。

如何吸引合作：精准激励与品牌故事

尽管成本和基础设施是吸引企业的起点，但最终促成投资的，往往是精准的激励政策和独特的城市品牌故事。

地方政府的激励方式已从单纯的税收减免，升级为与创造就业、共建设施等成果挂钩的定制化方案。关键在于平衡短期吸引力和长期的财政健康，避免过度依赖单一产业。

城市品牌建设则是最容易被低估，却又至关重要的一环。它不仅是宣传口号，更是基于本地资源与文化构建的真实叙事。例如，俄勒冈州本德市通过将户外生活方式、科技产业和高质量社区融为一体，成功从一个传统木材小镇转型为吸引创新人才的福地。

面向未来：注重可持续与韧性发展

中小城市在崛起过程中也面临挑战，比如住房压力、交通负担和资源紧张等问题。成功的城市往往通过以下方式应对：

采取超前且智慧的城市规划，控制发展节奏；

坚定践行环保承诺，保护好生态底色；

在发展同时坚守本地文化特色，避免千城一面。

此外，产业多元化是构建经济韧性的核心。成功的中小城市不会把命运寄托在单一企业或行业上，而是积极培育先进制造、信息技术、绿色科技等多个产业集群，形成一个有活力、能抗风险的经济生态。

结语：中小城市的时代已经开启

全球投资地图正在被重新绘制。未来的经济增长点不再只属于少数超级都市，也将属于那些灵活应变、目标清晰、敢于行动的中小城市。

对于企业和政策制定者来说，是时候跳出传统思维，重新审视那些曾被忽视的价值洼地。下一个创新中心、效率高地或可持续增长的典范，或许就隐藏在你尚未关注的中小城市之中。

中小城市作为经济新引擎的时代，已经到来。

From Periphery to Powerhouse: How Small Cities Are Winning the Global Investment Game

For decades, the narrative of global economic development was dominated by major metropolitan centers. Skyscrapers, bustling financial districts, and dense talent pools were seen as prerequisites for corporate success. But a profound shift is underway. A new class of contenders—small cities—is emerging, not merely as cost-effective alternatives, but as strategic partners offering a compelling value proposition that is increasingly irresistible to global investors.

Drawing on two decades of hands-on experience with cities and technology parks worldwide, this transformation is not accidental. It is the result of small cities intelligently leveraging inherent advantages that larger metros have lost: agility, community, and clarity of purpose.

The Strategic Edge of "Small"

The appeal begins with the obvious: cost efficiency. Real estate, energy, and labor costs in small cities are often a fraction of those in major hubs. But to view this shift purely through a cost-cutting lens is to miss the larger picture. The strategic advantages run much deeper.

· Agility and Responsive Governance: Unlike the complex, multi-layered bureaucracies of large cities, small municipal governments can act with remarkable speed. Permitting processes are streamlined, and decision-makers are accessible. This regulatory flexibility significantly reduces the time and capital required to launch or expand operations, a critical factor in today’s fast-moving business environment.

· Deep Community Integration: In a small city, a major employer becomes part of the community's social and economic fabric. This fosters stronger relationships with local authorities and stakeholders. The proactive support from local governments—offering customized incentives, infrastructure upgrades, and a collaborative partnership—creates an operational ease that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

· Quality of Life as a Talent Magnet: As remote work becomes normalized, professionals are actively seeking alternatives to congested urban living. Smaller cities offer shorter commutes, a stronger sense of community, and proximity to nature. This quality of life is a powerful tool for attracting and retaining a skilled, loyal workforce, leading to lower turnover and higher job satisfaction.

Building the Foundation: Energy, Workforce, and Infrastructure

To capitalize on these inherent strengths, leading small cities focus on three foundational pillars:

1. Energy as a Strategic Asset: For energy-intensive industries like data centers and advanced manufacturing, reliable, affordable power is non-negotiable. Cities like Quincy, Washington, became tech hubs by leveraging their access to low-cost hydroelectric power. The forward-looking cities are now integrating renewable sources, positioning themselves as sustainable, future-proof destinations aligned with corporate ESG goals.

2. Workforce Alignment: Success is not just about having people; it’s about having the right people. Progressive small cities have moved beyond relying on existing talent pools. They build robust, industry-specific reskilling programs through deep partnerships between local governments, community colleges, and employers. From coding bootcamps in Bozeman, Montana, to advanced manufacturing training in Normal, Illinois, these initiatives ensure a pipeline of skilled labor tailored to modern industry needs.

3. Infrastructure Readiness: Modern businesses require more than paved roads. They need redundant high-speed fiber optics, smart-grid power systems, and efficient logistics corridors. Cities like Chattanooga, Tennessee, branded themselves "Gig City" by building a municipal fiber network, transforming their economy from traditional manufacturing to a tech-driven hub. The most successful cities view infrastructure not as a one-time project but as a continuous, phased investment that anticipates future business needs.

The Art of the Deal: Incentives and Authentic Branding

While lower costs and solid infrastructure get a foot in the door, the deal is often closed by strategic incentives and authentic branding.

Local government incentives have evolved from generic tax breaks to sophisticated, performance-based packages. These are designed to be win-win, often tied to job creation milestones or infrastructure co-investment. The key is balancing short-term attraction with long-term sustainability, avoiding over-dependence on a single industry.

Perhaps the most underappreciated strategy is city branding. This goes beyond marketing brochures; it is about crafting an authentic narrative. Bend, Oregon, successfully transitioned from a lumber town to an outdoor-lifestyle and tech hub by aligning its natural assets, workforce initiatives, and quality of life into a coherent and attractive story for businesses and talent.

The Path Forward: Sustainable and Resilient Growth

The rise of the small city is not without its challenges. Rapid growth can strain housing, transportation, and natural resources. The most successful cities address this through proactive, smart urban planning, a commitment to environmental sustainability, and a fierce protection of the unique cultural identity that made them attractive in the first place.

Furthermore, resilience is built through diversification. The lesson from cities that thrived is to avoid anchoring the entire local economy to a single corporation or sector. By cultivating a portfolio of industries—from advanced manufacturing and IT services to green technology—small cities can build resilient, dynamic economies capable of weathering global shifts.

Conclusion

The global investment landscape is being redrawn. The future is not solely in the hands of a few megacities, but also in the vibrant, agile, and strategic smaller urban centers that have learned to leverage their unique strengths. For business leaders and policymakers, the message is clear: look beyond the traditional maps. The next hub of innovation, productivity, and sustainable growth may well be in a city you’ve yet to consider. The era of the small city as an economic powerhouse has arrived.

| 本文由戴维德森国际咨询与鼎韬咨询联合研究发布，英文原版已通过亚马逊非AI检测系统认证，中文翻译与插图得到AI辅助。

| 原文链接：https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTQ8RWW6