Tracking Recovery in American Metros

Housing prices were down for the most part, but job growth has picked up in many parts of the country, according to the report.

"Nearly all the metropolitan areas whose economies have suffered the most since the start of the Great Recession are ones that experienced a large house price boom and bust or that depend heavily on auto or auto parts manufacturing. Nearly all those whose economies have suffered the least rely substantially on government (e.g., Washington and several state capitals), health care (e.g., Baltimore and Pittsburgh), education (e.g., Pittsburgh and Austin), or oil and gas (Denver). The map above shows how the 100 largest metropolitan areas rank on a combination of four economic indicators: percent job change from the peak quarter to the fourth quarter of 2010, change in the unemployment rate from December 2007 to December 2010, percent change in economic output (gross metropolitan product) from the peak quarter to the fourth quarter of 2010, and percent change in an index of house prices from the peak quarter to the fourth quarter of 2010."