(SmartAsset) Local investment and economic expansion are positive signs for communities because of the quality of life improvements they signify. In light of this, financial technology company SmartAsset released a study on the counties receiving the greatest amount of investment in their local economies.
Stutsman County ranked among the top places in North Dakota due to a strong showing in each of the factors considered by the company including: business growth, GDP growth, new building permits and federal funding.
The table below shows where Stutsman County compared to other top counties in North Dakota:
| Rank | County | Business Growth | GDP Growth ($ in millions) | New Building Permits (per 1,000 homes) | Federal Funding (per capita) | Incoming Investment Index |
| 1 | McKenzie, ND | 38.5% | $-9 | 19.1 | $69 | 75.64 |
| 2 | Cass, ND | 6.4% | $-92 | 23.7 | $2,077 | 55.12 |
| 3 | Morton, ND | 4.8% | $-14 | 20.4 | $45 | 49.66 |
| 4 | Williams, ND | 19.2% | $-27 | 10.3 | $4 | 49.22 |
| 5 | Mountrail, ND | 22.0% | $-7 | 3.4 | $586 | 43.17 |
| 6 | Burleigh, ND | 5.4% | $-52 | 13.2 | $249 | 41.38 |
| 7 | Grand Forks, ND | 1.6% | $-33 | 10.4 | $1,340 | 35.02 |
| 8 | Stark, ND | 6.6% | $-21 | 5.9 | $40 | 33.59 |
| 9 | Barnes, ND | -0.3% | $-6 | 9.3 | $126 | 32.07 |
| 10 | Stutsman, ND | 5.6% | $-12 | 4.7 | $245 | 31.38 |
Additional study details including the methodology and interactive map can be found here: https://smartasset.com/investing/investment-calculator#northdakota
