Brookings Institution: MetroMonitor
The Brookings Institution's MetroMonitor named Albany, New York; Augusta, Georgia-South Carolina; Austin, Texas; Baton Rouge; Buffalo, New York; and Dallas the top five overall best performing metros.
9/24/2010
• Housing was substantially underpriced in 41 of 94 large metro areas, and overpriced in 23 of those areas. Metros with underpriced housing included Boise, Idaho; Cape Coral, Florida; Fresno, California; and Las Vegas. Housing was overpriced in Los Angeles and Bakersfield, California; Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida; and Allentown, Pennsylvania. Foreclosures continued to rise in most studied metro areas.
• For the first time since the recession began, most metro areas, 83 in total, experienced job growth. But only 10 metros regained more than a quarter of jobs lost between pre-recession highs and post-recession lows. They included Augusta, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina; El Paso and McAllen, Texas; and Honolulu.
• Manufacturing job growth strengthened overall job expansions in most metros, especially in the Midwest. Ogden, Utah; Portland, Maine; Riverside and Sacramento, California; and Portland, Oregon all benefited from manufacturing growth.
Overall, the five top performing metros were Albany, New York; Augusta, Georgia-South Carolina; Austin, Texas; Baton Rouge; Buffalo, New York; and Dallas. The five overall worst performing metros were Boise City, Idaho; Cape Coral, Florida; Detroit; Fresno, California; and Jacksonville, Florida.
Recent Project Announcements
Google Plans Montgomery County, Missouri, Data Center Operations
05/22/2026
Eden Pharmacy Expands Albuquerque, New Mexico, Operations
05/22/2026
Barilla Expands Avon, New York, Production Operations
05/22/2026
Intermountain Electronics Expands Centralia, Illinois, Production Operations
05/21/2026
Slate Auto Expands Troy, Michigan, Headquarters Operations
05/21/2026
Italy-Based CEP USA Plans Little Rock, Arkansas, Manufacturing Operations
05/21/2026
Virginia Transformer Plans Colbert County, Alabama, Manufacturing Operations
05/20/2026
Quantum Space Plans Tulsa, Oklahoma, Manufacturing Operations
05/20/2026
Aries Plans Detroit, Michigan, Headquarters Operations
05/20/2026
Pratt Miller Engineering & Fabrication Expands New Hudson, Michigan, Operations
05/20/2026
Combe Incorporated Expands Rantoul, Illinois, Operations
05/20/2026
Innovative Refrigeration Systems Expands Augusta County, Virginia, Production Operations
05/20/2026
Magellan Financial Expands Topeka, Kansas, Operations
05/20/2026
Sandvik-Alpha Metallurgical Resources Plan Putnam County, West Virginia, Manufacturing Operations
05/19/2026
Most Read
-
Where Workforce Capacity Is Being Built — and Where It’s Being Deployed
Q1 2026
-
40th Annual Corporate and 22nd Annual Consultant Site Selection Survey Results
Q1 2026
-
Top States for Doing Business in 2024: A Continued Legacy of Excellence
Q3 2024
-
2025’s Top States for Business: How the Winners Are Outpacing the Rest
Q3 2025
-
The Workforce Bottleneck in America’s Manufacturing Revival
Q4 2025
-
Economic Developer Role Shifting from Deal-Making to Systems Stewardship
Q1 2026
-
What Does “Site Readiness” Really Mean?
Q1 2026