Since 2008, 13 municipalities have filed for bankruptcy. With Detroit’s bankruptcy trial approaching, and many other cities still struggling to recover from the Great Recession, personal finance social network WalletHub crunched the numbers to identify 2014's Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities.
To evaluate the progress of local cities in propelling their economic growth, WalletHub compared the 150 largest U.S. cities to identify those that have experienced the most and least improvement since the recession. Using 18 key metrics — from the inflow of college-educated workers and number of new businesses to unemployment rates and home price appreciation — we examined how each city has evolved economically in the past several years. By doing so, WalletHub can help consumers assess how their present financial situations might be affected by the economic health of their cities.
| Most Recession-Recovered Cities | Least Recession-Recovered Cities | ||||
| 1. | Laredo, TX | 141. | Riverside, CA | ||
| 2. | Irving, TX | 142. | Tempe, AZ | ||
| 3. | Fayetteville, NC | 143. | Glendale, AZ | ||
| 4. | Denver, CO | 144. | Tucson, AZ | ||
| 5. | Dallas, TX | 145. | Cape Coral, FL | ||
| 6. | Corpus Christi, TX | 146. | Detroit, MI | ||
| 7. | Minneapolis, MN | 147. | Modesto, CA | ||
| 8. | Lubbock, TX | 148. | Newark, NJ | ||
| 9. | Garland, TX | 149. | Stockton, CA | ||
| 10. | Raleigh, NC | 150. | San Bernardino, CA | ||
Key Stats
- Mobile, Ala., experienced the largest increase in its unemployment rate, at 4%. Toledo, Ohio experienced the largest decrease, at 1%.
- Cape Coral, Fla., experienced the largest increase in its poverty rate, at 8%. El Paso, Texas, experienced the largest decrease, at 5%.
- New Orleans registered the highest home price appreciation, at 64%. Detroit registered the highest home price depreciation, with a loss of 65%.
- Raleigh, N. C. experienced the highest population growth rate, at 21%. Detroit experienced the highest decline, at 16%.
- Orlando, Fla., experienced the largest decrease in its violent crime rate, at 1%. Springfield, Mo., experienced the largest increase, at 0.3%.
- Corpus Christi, Texas, experienced the largest increase in GDP, at 30%. Cape Coral, Fla., experienced the largest decrease, at 6%.
For the full report and to see where your city ranks, please visit:
http://wallethub.com/edu/most-
Related Stories
| Nov 9, 2010
12 incredible objects being made with 3D printers today
BD+C has reported on how 3D printers are attracting the attention of AEC firms. Now you can see how other creative types are utilizing this fascinating printing technology. Among the printed items: King Tut’s remains, designer shoes, and the world’s smallest Rubik’s Cube.
| Nov 9, 2010
U.S. Army steps up requirements for greening building
Cool roofs, solar water heating, and advanced metering are among energy-efficiency elements that will have to be used in new permanent Army buildings in the U.S. and abroad starting in FY 2013. Designs for new construction and major renovations will incorporate sustainable design and development principles contained in ASHRAE 189.1.
| Nov 9, 2010
Designing a library? Don’t focus on books
How do you design a library when print books are no longer its core business? Turn them into massive study halls. That’s what designers did at the University of Amsterdam, where they transformed the existing 27,000-sf library into a study center—without any visible books. About 2,000 students visit the facility daily and encounter workspaces instead of stacks.
| Nov 9, 2010
Turner Construction report: Green buildings still on the agenda
Green buildings continue to be on the agenda for real estate owners, developers, and corporate owner-occupants, according to the Turner 2010 Green Building Market Barometer. Key findings: Almost 90% of respondents said it was extremely or very likely they would incorporate energy-efficiency improvements in their new construction or renovation project, and 60% expected to incorporate improvements to water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and green materials.
| Nov 5, 2010
New Millennium’s Gary Heasley on BIM, LEED, and the nonresidential market
Gary Heasley, president of New Millennium Building Systems, Fort Wayne, Ind., and EVP of its parent company, Steel Dynamics, Inc., tells BD+C’s Robert Cassidy about the Steel Joist Manufacturer’s westward expansion, its push to create BIM tools for its products, LEED, and the outlook for the nonresidential construction market.
| Nov 3, 2010
First of three green labs opens at Iowa State University
Designed by ZGF Architects, in association with OPN Architects, the Biorenewable Research Laboratory on the Ames campus of Iowa State University is the first of three projects completed as part of the school’s Biorenewables Complex. The 71,800-sf LEED Gold project is one of three wings that will make up the 210,000-sf complex.
| Nov 3, 2010
Park’s green education center a lesson in sustainability
The new Cantigny Outdoor Education Center, located within the 500-acre Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Ill., earned LEED Silver. Designed by DLA Architects, the 3,100-sf multipurpose center will serve patrons of the park’s golf courses, museums, and display garden, one of the largest such gardens in the Midwest.
| Nov 3, 2010
Public works complex gets eco-friendly addition
The renovation and expansion of the public works operations facility in Wilmette, Ill., including a 5,000-sf addition that houses administrative and engineering offices, locker rooms, and a lunch room/meeting room, is seeking LEED Gold certification.
| Nov 3, 2010
Sailing center sets course for energy efficiency, sustainability
The Milwaukee (Wis.) Community Sailing Center’s new facility on Lake Michigan counts a geothermal heating and cooling system among its sustainable features. The facility was designed for the nonprofit instructional sailing organization with energy efficiency and low operating costs in mind.
| Nov 3, 2010
Seattle University’s expanded library trying for LEED Gold
Pfeiffer Partners Architects, in collaboration with Mithun Architects, programmed, planned, and designed the $55 million renovation and expansion of Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons at Seattle University. The LEED-Gold-designed facility’s green features include daylighting, sustainable and recycled materials, and a rain garden.
