Liz Wolgemuth
Anchorage, Alaska
Last year, in the depths of the recession, Anchorage officials proudly marked their city's 20th consecutive year of job growth. Jobs have been added in education, health services, and government. The city's expansive energy industry helped insulate Anchorage from the recession. Also, the housing market has not experienced the highs and lows seen elsewhere in the nation.
Arlington, Virginia
As neighbor to the nation's capital and home to the Pentagon, Arlington has been cushioned by its concentration of government jobs. But Arlington County's economy is not wholly dependent on the proximity to Washington; private companies have a significant place here as well. Among the largest private employers are US Airways, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, and Marriott.
Columbus, Ohio
You can thank the diverse economy for much of this capital city's resilience. Healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, and even the tech industry contribute plenty of jobs. Columbus is centrally located and boasts a strong transportation and distribution industry. Local distribution employment has grown by about a third since 2001, while the rest of the nation, on average, is down.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Like many cities that have fared better in the recession, Honolulu city never experienced much of the housing bubble's burst. Its home values are among the highest in the nation. Granted, it's not all aloha in this Hawaiian state capital. Tourism rules Honolulu's economy, and the high oil prices earlier in the recession hurt. But that industry seems to be stabilizing.
Houston, Texas
Texas has proved enormously resilient during this recession. The state's economy has performed better than much of the nation. Home values never really bubbled in Texas. Also, the world's dependence on fossil fuels always helps Houston. The city is home to the headquarters of 27 Fortune 500 companies, including ConocoPhillips and Marathon Oil.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
This capital city has gotten its fair share of the spotlight in this recession, as its job market has powered through with one of the country's lowest unemployment rates. A big secret to the city's success is energy—rich resources of oil and natural gas that strengthen the construction, resources, and mining sectors.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City has squeezed through the recession with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation—still below 6 percent in June. The city's largest employers include Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, Intermountain Healthcare, and the Utah state government.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Economists at IHS Global Insight expect Louisiana to have lost just 2 percent of its jobs by the end of the recession and think the state will return to its pre-recession employment peak by 2012. After Hurricane Katrina, Shreveport embraced filmmakers forced out of New Orleans and created a new industry for its workers. Also, the Haynesville Shale rock formation promises a booming natural gas industry.
Tallahassee, Florida
Florida may not seem an ideal spot to land after the recession, given that the state's housing market had such an extreme bust. But the unemployment rate in the capital is still 3 percentage points below the state average. Tallahassee has seen job growth in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and the government sector.
Wichita, Kansas
The Wichita housing market has resisted the wild swings in value that have done so much damage to other U.S. cities. Also, Wichita's healthcare sector may be the strongest in the state—education and health services employment has risen 4.7 percent in the past year.
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