Going by economic output here are the updated numbers for calender year 2013.
http://bea.gov/newsreleases/regional..._metro0914.pdf
Only using cities in the following states...
KY, VA, NC, SC, TN, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, and AR. What most people would consider to be the South or Southeast. I include DC since a large portion of the GMP is derived in northern VA. I exclude Cincinnati since only a small fraction of the GMP is generated in KY. The vast majority is in OH.
Metro Area.................Real Gross Metropolitan Product (Real GMP)
LARGE METRO >= 100 billion GMP
Washington, DC..........................$437,085,000,000
Atlanta, GA................................$288,175,000,000
Miami, FL...................................$263,115,000,000
Charlotte, NC.............................$130,318,000,000
Tampa, FL.................................$115,263,000,000
Orlando, FL................................$103,992,000,000
Raleigh-Durham, NC...................$102,288,000,000 (this is combined GMP)
All of these metro areas rank in the top 30 in terms of GMP nationally. These metros are important to the global economy, and are extremely important to the national and regional economy.
MEDIUM METRO < 100 billion and >= 50 billion GMP
Nashville, TN.............................$95,124,000,000
Norfolk, VA................................$83,162,000,000
New Orleans, LA.........................$70,665,000,000
Richmond, VA............................$64,155,000,000
Memphis, TN.............................$63,081,000,000
Greensboro-Winston-Salem, NC...$60,912,000,000 (this is combined GMP)
Louisville, KY.............................$60,649,000,000
Jacksonville, FL..........................$58,229,000,000
Birmingham, AL.........................$55,913,000,000
All of these metro areas rank in the top 50 in terms of GMP nationally. These metro areas are marginally important to the global economy, very important to the national economy, and extremely important to the regional economy.
SMALL METRO < 50 billion and >= 25 billion GMP
Baton Rouge, LA........................$45,769,000,000
Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.........$45,034,000,000 (this is combined GMP)
Little Rock, AR...........................$38,625,000,000
Knoxville, TN.............................$34,346,000,000
Columbia, SC.............................$33,199,000,000
Charleston, SC...........................$30,667,000,000
Jackson, MS..............................$26,225,000,000
Lafayette, LA.............................$25,386,000,000
These cities are marginally important to the national economy, important to the regional economy, and very important to the local and or state economy.
OTHER METROS < 25 billion and >= 10 billion GMP
Lexington, KY............................$24,851,000,000
Sarasota, FL..............................$24,358,000,000
Fayetteville, AR.........................$22,593,000,000
Huntsville, AL............................$21,645,000,000
Chattanooga, TN........................$20,945,000,000
Shreveport, LA..........................$20,887,000,000
Fort Myers, FL...........................$20,162,000,000
Augusta, GA.............................$19,497,000,000
Lakeland, FL.............................$17,454,000,000
Melbourne, FL...........................$17,398,000,000
Mobile, AL................................$17,085,000,000
Fayetteville, NC.........................$16,182,000,000
Kingsport-Johnson City, TN.........$15,957,000,000 (this is combined GMP)
Montgomery, AL........................$15,489,000,000
Asheville, NC.............................$14,787,000,000
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.....................$14,768,000,000
Myrtle Beach, SC.......................$14,221,000,000
Pensacola, FL............................$14,208,000,000
Savannah, GA...........................$13,769,000,000
Naples, FL................................$13,326,000,000
Daytona Beach, FL.....................$13,085,000,000
Roanoke, VA.............................$13,051,000,000
Tallahassee, FL.........................$12,893,000,000
Columbus, GA...........................$12,108,000,000
Lake Charles, LA.......................$11,884,000,000
Houma-Thibodaux, LA...............$11,840,000,000
Hickory, NC..............................$11,689,000,000
Wilmington, NC........................$11,501,000,000
Destin, FL................................$11,462,000,000
Port St. Lucie, FL......................$11,046,000,000
Charlottesville, VA....................$10,540,000,000
Gainesville, FL..........................$10,431,000,000
These cities are marginally important to the regional economy, and important to the local and or state economy.