One of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa is the "Transcendental Meditation" town Fairfield – also known as Iowa's 'Silicorn Valley' due to its many technology startups – that still prospers while surrounding cities don't.

This southeast Iowa city is known as a magnet for practitioners of Transcendental Meditation at Maharishi University of Management, who flocked here since the 1970s. Fairfield was able to capitalize on that unique niche, building a surprisingly metropolitan quality of life.

While Fairfield is home to 1,000 fewer jobs than it had 15 years ago, state figures show employers have rebounded in the last five years, adding nearly 700 jobs between 2010 and 2015. During that time, Fairfield went from 714 employers to 751, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

Via @kenchawkin.