B.R. continues to rank as one of the strongest-performing metro areas

Baton Rouge was ranked as one of the 20 strongest economically performing cities during the third quarter, according to a report released today by The Brookings Institution. The quarterly report, which looks at factors such as changes in unemployment, gross metro product and housing prices in the 100 largest cities, put Baton Rouge in the same category as metro areas such as Austin, Texas; Dallas; Jackson, Miss.; and Washington, D.C. Brookings says it is no longer ranking how cities are faring individually during the recession, preferring to look at how metro areas fall in groups of 20. Overall, Baton Rouge ranked second for percentage point changes in the unemployment rate from September 2008 to September 2009, going up by 1.3%, sixth in change in unemployment from the peak quarter to third quarter, down 1.5% and 11th in change from the housing-price index from September 2008 to September 2009, up 3.5%. New Orleans was ranked as one of the second-weakest cities, along with Atlanta, Chicago and Salt Lake City. To see the full report, click here.