Best & Worst Cities for Recession Recovery

Who Lands Where?

Forbes.com has speculated ten cities poised for recovery and names the ten cities that will struggle the longest. What is interesting to note is the clusters of recoverable areas and the clusters of areas that may continue to struggle. Texas makes up 40% of the Top 10 while California makes up 50% of the Bottom 10.

Ten Best Cities Best Poised for Recovery

Other than Seattle and D.C./Arlington/Alexandria, all of the Top 10 is made up of southern/southwestern states. It is notable that examining Texas as the driving force for a recovery, the economy is diverse and there was never a real estate bubble.

1. Austin, TX
2. Fayetteville, AR
3. Boulder, CO
4. Huntsville, AL
5. San Antonio, TX
6. Mobile, AL
7. Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
8. Washington D.C./Arlington/Alexandria
9. McAllen, TX
10. Seattle, WA

Ten Cities Whose Road to Recovery May be Long

Forbes notes that many cities on the list below had economies focused on real estate and when the bubble popped, so did the local economies. Other cities are hurt by unemployment and a shift of commerce out of the city. Either way, these ten cities are projected to have the longest road to recovery:

1. Flint, MI
2. Fresno, CA
3. Detroit, MI
4. Modesto, CA
5. Salinas, CA
6. Bakersfield, CA
7. New York/ N. Jersey/ Long Island
8. Stockton, CA
9. Youngstown, OH
10. Los Angeles/ Long Beach, CA