The rest of the country might be mired in the aftereffects of a recession, but you'd never know it in Washington, D.C. Not because of any specific political action one way or another, but because that's where the action is—and it fuels Washington's economy.
The federal government itself serves as an anchor to the city's economic well-being. So says POLICOM Corporation's list of the 10 strongest metropolitan economies in the nation.
Where else has the recession skipped? Salt Lake City, in second place, and Seattle in third, among other metropolitan areas. And while Texas may not host the federal government, it does serve as the home state of two more of the top 10 most prosperous metropolitan areas, which round out the top five: Austin and Houston.
(See previous AdvisorOne story on the top seven cities for financial services jobs.)
Washington and its surrounds have actually moved up in the standings. Last year it ranked second after the Seattle metropolitan area. Seattle ranked third this year, but is still growing, if at a slower pace than Washington and Salt Lake City.
