Omaha leads U.S. in recovery

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Henry J. Cordes

When it comes to riding out the Great Recession, we're No. 1.

Forbes on Thursday put Omaha-Council Bluffs at the top of its list of the nation's fastest-recovering major metropolitan areas. Magazine editors said the area's diverse economy, stable housing prices and low unemployment helped it rate the best in their study of the 100 largest metro areas.

“Though Omaha, Neb., seems second-rate to some, Warren Buffett may have been on to something when he chose it for the headquarters of his massive holding company, Berkshire Hathaway,'' says the article published on Forbes.com.

“According to our research, the city has hit upon a formula to weather the economic downturn better than any other in the country.''



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20091120/NEWS01/711209922

[Blandocyte]

1. Omaha... Obama... Hmmm. Coincidence? Alert the birthbaggers!

Ba ha ha!

[ixion]

2. Yeah, it was barely noticeable in NE

I hail from Lincoln, originally, and go back to visit once or twice a year. Throughout the past couple years there has been some slight signs of the recession there, but nothing like there is in FL, CA, NV, etc.

[fasttense]

3. That because they got Health Insurance corporations getting free rides.

They are doing well because health insurance corporations are able to NOT provide the service their customers pay them for. They are doing well because of our go bankrupt or die health care system. And the insurance corporations are protected by deregulated consumer protection laws.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Yup. Not surprised.

[DallasNE]

5. Being From Omaha

This sounds about right.

One yardstick I have been using is cars in my parking garage. I usually get into work around 8:30 so the lot is mostly full. As the recession hit I was able to park noticeably lower and within the last 6 weeks or so I have been forced to park at a higher level in the lot so even jobs are coming back. Not very scientific, I know, but pretty effective nonetheless.

[Stargazer09]

9. That's interesting

I never thought about looking at it that way. But it makes sense that the more people working, the more cars in the garage.

I'm glad things are fairly stable here.

[Roland99]

11. That means traffic on I-4 here in Orlando is only going to get *worse*??

;-)

[Surya Gayatri]

6. I think it depends on the sector...

my recently graduated nephew in southeastern Nebraska can't find a teaching/coaching position. He's had to settle for a job with a shipping company for the moment. Go figure! Then they say they're short of teachers!:shrug: SG

[Stargazer09]

7. This is the same state

that decides to raise taxes because they have a budget surplus. :shrug:

I just want us to be able to sell our house when hubby retires from the military in two years, and it seems like we'll make at least enough to pay off our mortgage. That's better than some of my friends elsewhere, who are losing tens of thousands of dollars due to their home values plummeting. So I can't complain too much.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. Omaha's Economy

The headquarters of about 30 insurance companies call Omaha home. More than half of the two dozen telemarketing/direct response/reservation centers operating in Omaha also have their corporate headquarters located in the metropolitan area.

Many other large firms have their headquarters in Omaha, including Lozier Corporation, First Data Corp, ITI Marketing Services, Omaha Steaks International, Pamida, Oriental Trading Company, Valmont Industries, Inc., and Godfather's Pizza, Inc.

So if I want Pizza, steaks, telemarketing or insurance....... then Omaha is leading the nation.

http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Omaha-Economy.html

[orwell]

10. Now we know...

...why Senator Nelson would be comfortable opposing the HCR bill.

Senator Lieberman is also in an insurance-heavy state.

Follow the money...

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. I only recommended this post because of the insurance companies

that are in Omaha's Wild Kingdom of insurance companies.

[optimator]

13. the reason for stable home prices

because nobody would want to move there.
So yeah I'm sure the least desirable places to live are probably "Weathering" the depression better.

[New Dawn]

14. Yeah, Nebraska has tons of (low paying) jobs.