Wichita is ranked number two on a list of the seven most recession-proof cities in the United States. That’s according to the web site Livability.com.
Mayor Jeff Longwell said the city’s ability to withstand turbulence in the national economy, steady job growth and the state’s low income-to-debt ratio were factors in the ranking. He said the local economy, the real estate market and the cost-of-living were important in the survey.
The mayor said a recent study shows that the city had an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent in 2018, the lowest since May, 1999. The Wichita area is expected to see 2,700 new jobs this year, and there could be more in the service industry. Longwell said the city is working with the Housing and Community Services department, the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, Wichita State University and other partners to make sure the city has a skilled and highly-trained workforce to fill the new jobs. He said “it’s a nice list to be on and we want to celebrate some of our successes because it has not been easy to get here.” He said the city has been involved efforts to make the city a great place to live and a place that can ride out a potential recession that may hit the rest of the country in the future.
The Livability survey ranked the seven most recession-proof cities as:
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Wichita, Kansas
- Fargo, North Dakota
- Victoria, Texas
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Des Moines, Iowa
