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
Doral
FL
86
out of 100
$1,621
#4
Allen
TX
86
out of 100
$781
#5
Palm Coast
FL
85
out of 100
$1,159
#6
Sugar Land
TX
85
out of 100
$1,135
#7
Frisco
TX
85
out of 100
$1,291
#8
League City
TX
85
out of 100
$1,252
#9
Gilbert
AZ
84
out of 100
$1,424
#10
Deltona
FL
84
out of 100
$1,152
#11
Meridian
ID
84
out of 100
$1,074
#12
Orem
UT
84
out of 100
$1,093
#13
McKinney
TX
84
out of 100
$1,291
#14
Pearland
TX
84
out of 100
$1,252
#15
Caldwell
ID
83
out of 100
$1,074
#16
Twin Falls
ID
83
out of 100
$806
#17
Mount Pleasant
SC
83
out of 100
$1,106
#18
Plano
TX
83
out of 100
$1,291
#19
Pocatello
ID
83
out of 100
$751
#20
Castle Rock
CO
82
out of 100
$1,635
#21
Mansfield
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#22
Peoria
AZ
82
out of 100
$1,424
#23
Cary
NC
82
out of 100
$1,176
#24
Missouri City
TX
82
out of 100
$1,252
#25
Idaho Falls
ID
82
out of 100
$903
#26
Flower Mound
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#27
Carrollton
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#28
Centennial
CO
82
out of 100
$1,635
#29
Sandy
UT
82
out of 100
$1,301
#30
Johns Creek
GA
82
out of 100
$1,362
#31
Wichita Falls
TX
82
out of 100
$843
#32
Roswell
GA
82
out of 100
$1,643
#33
Richardson
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#34
Sandy Springs
GA
82
out of 100
$1,643
#35
Chandler
AZ
82
out of 100
$1,424
#36
Round Rock
TX
82
out of 100
$1,635
#37
Conroe
TX
82
out of 100
$1,252
#38
Lewisville
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#39
Irving
TX
82
out of 100
$1,291
#40
Amarillo
TX
81
out of 100
$879
#41
East Honolulu CDP
HI
81
out of 100
$2,038
#42
Odessa
TX
81
out of 100
$1,127
#43
Boise City
ID
81
out of 100
$1,139
#44
West Jordan
UT
81
out of 100
$1,301
#45
West Valley City
UT
81
out of 100
$1,301
#46
Broomfield
CO
81
out of 100
$1,835
#47
Cedar Park
TX
81
out of 100
$1,220
#48
Layton
UT
81
out of 100
$1,283
#49
New Braunfels
TX
81
out of 100
$1,197
#50
Leander
TX
81
out of 100
$1,220
#51
Nashua
NH
81
out of 100
$1,489
#52
Bozeman
MT
81
out of 100
$1,114
#53
Lehi
UT
81
out of 100
$1,282
#54
Nampa
ID
81
out of 100
$1,074
#55
Thornton
CO
81
out of 100
$1,635
#56
South Jordan
UT
81
out of 100
$1,301
#57
Georgetown
TX
81
out of 100
$1,220
#58
Arvada
CO
81
out of 100
$1,635
#59
Alexandria
VA
80
out of 100
$1,803
#60
McAllen
TX
80
out of 100
$781
#61
Charleston
SC
80
out of 100
$1,424
#62
Beaumont
TX
80
out of 100
$932
#63
Goodyear
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#64
Longview
TX
80
out of 100
$930
#65
Killeen
TX
80
out of 100
$900
#66
Tyler
TX
80
out of 100
$1,009
#67
Rock Hill
SC
80
out of 100
$1,067
#68
Summerville
SC
80
out of 100
$1,106
#69
Abilene
TX
80
out of 100
$876
#70
Edinburg
TX
80
out of 100
$781
#71
Mission
TX
80
out of 100
$781
#72
Laredo
TX
80
out of 100
$881
#73
Tempe
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#74
Brownsville
TX
80
out of 100
$761
#75
Midland
TX
80
out of 100
$1,372
#76
Queen Creek
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#77
Avondale
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#78
Temple
TX
80
out of 100
$900
#79
Scottsdale
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,599
#80
Greenville
SC
80
out of 100
$1,074
#81
Chesapeake
VA
80
out of 100
$1,287
#82
Buckeye
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#83
Surprise
AZ
80
out of 100
$1,424
#84
Waldorf CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#85
Ellicott City CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,489
#86
Carmel
IN
79
out of 100
$1,145
#87
Silver Spring CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#88
Coral Springs
FL
79
out of 100
$1,621
#89
Virginia Beach
VA
79
out of 100
$1,287
#90
Columbia CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,489
#91
Bethesda CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#92
Yuma
AZ
79
out of 100
$962
#93
Suffolk
VA
79
out of 100
$1,287
#94
Rochester
MN
79
out of 100
$927
#95
Gaithersburg
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#96
Newton
MA
79
out of 100
$2,064
#97
Germantown CDP
MD
79
out of 100
$1,574
#98
Fishers
IN
79
out of 100
$898
#99
Pembroke Pines
FL
79
out of 100
$1,621
#100
Port St. Lucie
FL
78
out of 100
$1,286
* 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.