No. 20 Strongest Job Market: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y.

Who's hiring: Wholesale/retail trade, Professional & business services, Leisure & hospitality*

Percent companies planning to hire in Q3: 22 percent*
Population: 857,592 (+0.4 percent YOY)**
Unemployment rate: 6.5 percent***
Mean annual income: $45,310***

Albany was one of the least affected areas in the recession in terms of unemployment and economic activity. According to the Brookings Institution, the area was among the few with faster output growth in the first quarter of 2010 than in the last quarter of 2009. Time Warner Cable announced plans this year to add 170 new full- and part-time jobs in Albany, and Beech-Nut's new baby-food production facility in Montgomery County will add 135 jobs.

Sources on all slides: *–Manpower, **–U.S. Census Bureau (2009), ***–U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2010 unemployment rate, May 2009 income rate)