New data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows vividly the toll the recession has taken on urban areas. Overall, U.S. metropolitan areas experienced a 2.4 percent fall in real GDP in 2009 after dropping 0.4 percent in 2008. (Real GDP is adjusted for inflation.) Declines occurred in 80 percent of the nation's 366 Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
U.S. metro GDP peaked in 2007. For all industries, the percent change in real GDP from 2007 to 2009 was -2.9 percent. The hardest hit sectors were construction (-20.63), accommodation and food service (-14.40), non-durable good manufacturing (-13.82) and leisure and hospitality (-13.07).
The Sacramento MSA was hit harder than the country as a whole. Its GDP fell -5.16 percent from 2007-09. The biggest losers were construction (-27.60), accommodation and food service (-18.45), leisure and hospitality (-15.91), retail trade (-14.52).
You can easily compile your own GDP tables for any metro area, by using BEA's online interactive database.
Reports from the Bee's investigative team
February 24, 2011
Categories: Columns, Data dive
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