ocity
Economic Resilience Tracker

The Recession Shield Index

We analyzed over 700 cities to identify "Safe Havens" — places with stable jobs, affordable housing, and essential industries that withstand economic storms.

Showing 100 cities
RankCity Resilience Score Rent Details
#1
Coeur d'Alene
ID
89
out of 100
$1,042
#2
St. George
UT
87
out of 100
$1,099
#3
Allen
TX
86
out of 100
$781
#4
Doral
FL
86
out of 100
$1,621
#5
Sugar Land
TX
85
out of 100
$1,135
#6
League City
TX
85
out of 100
$1,252
#7
Frisco
TX
85
out of 100
$1,291
#8
Palm Coast
FL
85
out of 100
$1,159
#9
Gilbert
AZ
84
out of 100
$1,424
#10
Deltona
FL
84
out of 100
$1,152
#11
Pearland
TX
84
out of 100
$1,252
#12
McKinney
TX
84
out of 100
$1,291
#13
Meridian
ID
84
out of 100
$1,074
#14
Orem
UT
84
out of 100
$1,093
#15
Twin Falls
ID
83
out of 100
$806
#16
Caldwell
ID
83
out of 100
$1,074
#17
Plano
TX
83
out of 100
$1,291
#18
Pocatello
ID
83
out of 100
$751
#19
Mount Pleasant
SC
83
out of 100
$1,106
#20
Conroe
TX
82
out of 100
$1,252
#21
Wichita Falls
TX
82
out of 100
$843
#22
Roswell
GA
82
out of 100
$1,643
#23
Round Rock
TX
82
out of 100
$1,635
#24
Johns Creek
GA
82
out of 100
$1,362
#25
Mansfield
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#26
Sandy
UT
82
out of 100
$1,301
#27
Lewisville
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#28
Centennial
CO
82
out of 100
$1,635
#29
Irving
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#30
Peoria
AZ
82
out of 100
$1,424
#31
Richardson
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#32
Missouri City
TX
82
out of 100
$1,252
#33
Sandy Springs
GA
82
out of 100
$1,643
#34
Carrollton
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#35
Flower Mound
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#36
Chandler
AZ
82
out of 100
$1,424
#37
Cary
NC
82
out of 100
$1,176
#38
Castle Rock
CO
82
out of 100
$1,635
#39
Idaho Falls
ID
82
out of 100
$903
#40
Broomfield
CO
81
out of 100
$1,835
#41
Georgetown
TX
81
out of 100
$1,220
#42
Cedar Park
TX
81
out of 100
$1,220
#43
Amarillo
TX
81
out of 100
$879
#44
Thornton
CO
81
out of 100
$1,635
#45
South Jordan
UT
81
out of 100
$1,301
#46
Nashua
NH
81
out of 100
$1,489
#47
Lehi
UT
81
out of 100
$1,282
#48
Bozeman
MT
81
out of 100
$1,114
#49
Odessa
TX
81
out of 100
$1,127
#50
Nampa
ID
81
out of 100
$1,074
#51
Arvada
CO
81
out of 100
$1,635
#52
Layton
UT
81
out of 100
$1,283
#53
Boise City
ID
81
out of 100
$1,139
#54
New Braunfels
TX
81
out of 100
$1,197
#55
West Jordan
UT
81
out of 100
$1,301
#56
East Honolulu CDP
HI
81
out of 100
$2,038
#57
West Valley City
UT
81
out of 100
$1,301
#58
Leander
TX
81
out of 100
$1,220
#59
Midland
TX
80
out of 100
$1,372
#60
Chesapeake
VA
80
out of 100
$1,287
#61
Abilene
TX
80
out of 100
$876
#62
Beaumont
TX
80
out of 100
$932
#63
Goodyear
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#64
Greenville
SC
80
out of 100
$1,074
#65
Summerville
SC
80
out of 100
$1,106
#66
Laredo
TX
80
out of 100
$881
#67
Avondale
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#68
Mission
TX
80
out of 100
$781
#69
Edinburg
TX
80
out of 100
$781
#70
Longview
TX
80
out of 100
$930
#71
Tyler
TX
80
out of 100
$1,009
#72
Tempe
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#73
Scottsdale
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,599
#74
Surprise
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#75
McAllen
TX
80
out of 100
$781
#76
Killeen
TX
80
out of 100
$900
#77
Charleston
SC
80
out of 100
$1,424
#78
Alexandria
VA
80
out of 100
$1,803
#79
Temple
TX
80
out of 100
$900
#80
Brownsville
TX
80
out of 100
$761
#81
Queen Creek
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#82
Buckeye
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#83
Rock Hill
SC
80
out of 100
$1,067
#84
Suffolk
VA
79
out of 100
$1,287
#85
Gaithersburg
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#86
Silver Spring CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#87
Virginia Beach
VA
79
out of 100
$1,287
#88
Fishers
IN
79
out of 100
$898
#89
Yuma
AZ
79
out of 100
$962
#90
Newton
MA
79
out of 100
$2,064
#91
Columbia CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,489
#92
Germantown CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#93
Pembroke Pines
FL
79
out of 100
$1,621
#94
Waldorf CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#95
Carmel
IN
79
out of 100
$1,145
#96
Ellicott City CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,489
#97
Bethesda CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#98
Rochester
MN
79
out of 100
$927
#99
Coral Springs
FL
79
out of 100
$1,621
#100
Miramar
FL
78
out of 100
$1,621
* Resilience Score aggregates Unemployment, Job Growth, Cost of Living, Healthcare Access, and Safety.

Job Stability (40%)

We prioritize cities with low unemployment rates and positive year-over-year job growth. A growing job market is your best insurance policy against layoffs.

Affordability Buffer (30%)

Cash is king during a recession. We rank cities where rent is a small fraction of the median income, allowing you to build a robust emergency fund.

Healthcare & Safety (30%)

Healthcare jobs are recession-resistant. We also factor in crime rates because social stability is crucial when economic times get tough.

Why "Resilience" Matters More Than "Growth"

In a booming economy, everyone looks at "Top Growth Cities" or "Hottest Tech Hubs". But when the economy cools down, those high-flying cities often crash the hardest (high rents, tech layoffs).

The Ocity Recession Shield Index flips the script. We look for the "Turtle" cities — the steady, boring, affordable, and safe places where you can ride out any economic storm. These cities often have:

  • Large sectors in Education, Government, and Healthcare (Meds & Eds).
  • Low housing costs relative to local wages.
  • Slow but consistent population growth.

Disclaimer

This index is based on historical data and current economic indicators. It does not predict the future. Always do your own research before moving.