BusinessWeek asks, assuming that we keep sliding down into an official recession, where are the best places to live? They’ve pulled data from PolicyMap.com and the U.S. Census to make some educated guesses about local economies that will be least damaged by a large-scale downturn. They reason that no matter how the national economy fares, there will always be government jobs and a need for health care; higher education institutes provide a cushion for local economies, too.

Their top choice is Arlington, Virginia, because much of its labor force is connected to the federal government, lobbying, and the legal industry. Coming in second for pretty much the same reason is Washington, D.C., while #3 is Durham, North Carolina, because of its large education, medical, and research industries.

You get the idea: the more your city relies on education, health care, or the federal government for its local economy, the better off it will likely be.

Bizarre fact that proves how messed-up the economy is: #11 on the list is Lubbock, Texas, where I grew up. Yes, Lubbock is always that brown. Here is a photo my friend emailed me a few years ago during a particularly bad dust storm, no kidding:

See the entire list here: “The Best Cities for Riding Out a Recession”.

“Some Cities Will Be Safer in a Recession” [BusinessWeek]
(Photo: Getty Images, Brad Johnson)

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