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Forty Strongest U.S. Metro Economies

Baton Rouge, LA

Overall rank: 6    The construction industry is thriving in Baton Rouge, the state capital and home to Louisiana State University and Southern University. Firms are rushing to use special financing for post-Katrina hurricane recovery work, and new projects in the metro include a refinery in Plaquemine. Employment in the Baton Rouge metro peaked in the fourth quarter of 2007. Gross metropolitan product in the second quarter was down 3.6% from the peak in the second quarter of 2008. Home prices grew 3.3% in the second quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. And the unemployment rate in June was 7.4%, up 2.4 points from a year earlier. (Please see below for the various criteria used by the Brookings Institution to determine the overall ranking.) Job growth (since peak) rank: 4Gross Metro Product (since peak) rank: 39Unemployment change (year over year) rank: 10Home price change (year over year) rank: 8Above article from Business Report dated October 23, 2009  By Prashant Gopal.This is encouraging news for all business owners in our area and for families looking to move to the area.   Local College Graduates should look at all their options here at home before making plans to disembark on new territory in cities that have not taken the recession as well as well as we have.My real estate business has grown by 20% over last year and  I would say just about every business owner I have spoken with cannot complain.  We are a blessed city indeed.