Pittsburgh, PA
Overall rank: 15
The metro, once known for its steel industry, now benefits from its recession-resistant education and health-care industries. Employment in the Pittsburgh metro peaked in the third quarter of last year. Gross metropolitan product in the second quarter was down 4.5% from the peak in the fourth quarter of 2007. Home prices grew 3.7% in the second quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. And the unemployment rate in June was 7.7%, up 2.6 points from a year earlier. (Please see below for the various criteria used by the Brookings Institution to determine the overall ranking.)
Job growth (since peak) rank: 27
Gross Metro Product (since peak) rank: 58
Unemployment change (year over year) rank: 16
Home price change (year over year) rank: 5
