I read various news sources online every morning. It’s become part of my routine.
One topic that seems to come up on a daily basis is the recession. There’s no denying that we’re still in one, but the good news is we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, especially in Austin. I recently read and posted an article on my facebook page that ranked Austin number one in cities best surviving the recession.
What are we doing right? First off, the city specializes in industries that are relatively insulated from economic volatility. Federal and state jobs all but guarantee the health of a local economy as do the medical and educational industries. Unemployment rates are lower here than in much of the country. Jobs have been lost nearly everywhere in the past three years, but between December 2007 and December 2009 the number of jobs in Austin rose by 0.98%; more than any of the other major cities that were looked at. An added bonus, jobs are expected to grow by 8.09% in the next three years, the second-best job outlook on the list. Our housing market remains strong as well. The amount of people relocating to Austin combined with affordable home prices has protected Austin from the housing bubble.
Sometimes it’s hard to find happy, uplifting stories, but they are there, you just have to know where to look and what to look for:)