.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albuquerque scored a No. 3 spot on a new ranking of America’s 50 best small cities.

Resonance, a British Columbia-based tourism, real estate and economic development consultant, gave Albuquerque its top ranking for “product,” a category that covers key institutions, attractions, infrastructure and housing affordability. The report ranked the city particularly high on cultural assets, some of which are covered in the product category and some in the “programming” category, in which Albuquerque earned a No. 2 ranking.

That apparently offset its lackluster 68th ranking on “prosperity,” covering such areas as employment, gross domestic product, numbers of corporate headquarters and other metrics. But the report said the city is “aggressively recruiting entrepreneurs and young families” in an effort to improve the economy.

It also noted the city’s investment in the Albuquerque Rapid Transit, though mistakenly claims it launched earlier this year. ART has been beset by problems. The most recent projections from the city administration is that it could begin running sometime this fall.

In other categories, the report gives Albuquerque a 32 ranking on “place,” 43rd on “people” and sixth on “promotion.”