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Like a massive tornado, the Great Recession up-ended the topography of America. But even as vast parts of the country were laid low, some cities withstood the storm and could emerge even stronger and shinier than before. So, where exactly are these Oz-like destinations along the road to recovery? If you said Kansas, you’re not far off. Try Oklahoma. Or Texas. Or Iowa. Not only did the economic twister of the last two years largely spare Tornado Alley, it actually may have helped improve the landscape.
We have compiled a list of the 10 American cities best situated for the recovery. These are places where the jobs are plentiful, and the pay, given the lower cost of living, buys more than in bigger cities. In other words, places unlike much of the rest of the country. The cities, most of which lie in the red-state territory of America’s heartland, fall into three basic groups. There’s the Texaplex—Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston—which has become the No. 1 destination for job-seeking Americans, thanks to a hearty energy sector and a strong spirit of entrepreneurism. There are the New Silicon Valleys—Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Salt Lake City; and urban northern Virginia—which offer high-paying high-tech jobs and housing prices well below those in coastal California. And then there are the Heartland Honeys—Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, and Des Moines, Iowa—which are enjoying a revival thanks to rising agricultural prices and a shift toward high-end industrial jobs.
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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I saw the article today too. Below are some of the highlights:
THE TEXAPLEX
For sheer economic promise, no place beats Texas. Though the Lone Star State’s growth slowed during the recession, it didn’t suffer nearly as dramatically as the rest of the country. Businesses have been flocking to Texas for a generation, and that trend is unlikely to slow soon. Texas now has more Fortune 500 companies—58—than any other state, including longtime corporate powerhouse New York.
THE NEW SILICON VALLEYS
Although Massachusetts and California are lauded as the places “where the brains are,” neither ranked high in the growth of tech jobs over the past decade. More important is where the brains are headed. A lot of them are going to North Carolina, Virginia, and Utah.
THE HEARTLAND HONEYS
The oft-ignored center of the country boasts a thriving economy that seems poised for further expansion. [Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa] The region is well positioned to take advantage of growing markets for agricultural commodities and farm machinery in fast-growing countries such as India and China. The Great Plains and parts of the southern Midwest have also attracted new investments in manufacturing, both from domestic and foreign firms.
Omaha, Fargo, Des Moines, Sioux Falls and Oklahoma City to name a few in the Plains/Midwest if you're looking for work right now and can't find it. This region is the future in terms of job growth and economic development.
My family is from the Des Moines and Iowa City areas in Iowa. It's crazy talking to them, because the "Great Recession" in those two cities was basically a little sneeze - then everything moved on. My friend is a real estate agent in Iowa City, and he said he never really noticed anything with deperssed housing prices or reduced sales/construction. I'm sure there was a little slowdown, but nothing major.
Both metro areas are poised to see 17%-20% growth from 2000 as well - so it's not like there was no momentum there to "ruin" during the recession. The Des Moines and Iowa City/Cedar Rapids areas gained another 120,000 people.
I was amazed when I was reading the newspaper in Iowa City that in the middle of a huge economic downturn, the state is actually cominig out with a $350,000,000 SURPLUS for this year! That's certainly not happening in Illinois.
I think a lot of it is that the state went through SO much troubles in the 1980's, and was forced to reinvent itself at that time. It was more meat and bones and prepared to deal with issues than if it had just been wandering through life and spending spending spending.
Like a massive tornado, the Great Recession up-ended the topography of America. But even as vast parts of the country were laid low, some cities withstood the storm and could emerge even stronger and shinier than before. So, where exactly are these Oz-like destinations along the road to recovery? If you said Kansas, you’re not far off. Try Oklahoma. Or Texas. Or Iowa. Not only did the economic twister of the last two years largely spare Tornado Alley, it actually may have helped improve the landscape.
We have compiled a list of the 10 American cities best situated for the recovery. These are places where the jobs are plentiful, and the pay, given the lower cost of living, buys more than in bigger cities. In other words, places unlike much of the rest of the country. The cities, most of which lie in the red-state territory of America’s heartland, fall into three basic groups. There’s the Texaplex—Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston—which has become the No. 1 destination for job-seeking Americans, thanks to a hearty energy sector and a strong spirit of entrepreneurism. There are the New Silicon Valleys—Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Salt Lake City; and urban northern Virginia—which offer high-paying high-tech jobs and housing prices well below those in coastal California. And then there are the Heartland Honeys—Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, and Des Moines, Iowa—which are enjoying a revival thanks to rising agricultural prices and a shift toward high-end industrial jobs.
This must be based on Opinions that purposely left out Central Maryland(Baltimore Suburbs and the Maryland/DC Suburbs) as the Hotbed for Bio-Technology, the Home of New Military Jobs due to BRAC(Defense Base Closure and Realignment) relocation to Fort Mead and Aberdeen Proving Ground, and new Silicon Valley Region of Western Montgomery County, MD...........
I saw the article today too. Below are some of the highlights:
THE NEW SILICON VALLEYS
Although Massachusetts and California are lauded as the places “where the brains are,” neither ranked high in the growth of tech jobs over the past decade. More important is where the brains are headed. A lot of them are going to North Carolina, Virginia, and Utah.
Again it leaves out Maryland in which I highly question the opinion based selections because its a known Fact that there are a lot of Highly Intelligent people moving into Maryland and not just because of BRAC(Defense Base Closure and Realignment) but also the increase of new Bio-Technology that is growing in the Maryland/DC Suburbs................
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And great places 
