Finding a job in recession-wracked America can often be a frustrating thing. The economic downturn has created an ironic situation – there is a high demand for work, but not enough to go around. Fortunately, this may all just be a matter of where you look. Recent studies have shown that some cities have better job growth rates than others, even in the recent recession. In you’re looking for a job, you can actually increase your chances by searching for one in one of these cities:

Madison, Wisconsin

Among all the cities in this list, Madison is regarded as the most recession-proof, thanks in large part to the University of Wisconsin. The institution is a major employer, offering a large number of job opportunities. In addition, its main research arm, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, is a pioneer in biotech, med tech, and health care industries, contributing an impressive rate of growth in the field.

Also providing Madison with its job growth is the fact that it’s the seat of state and county governments, and history has shown us that the presences government offices is a major indicator of positive job growth. Simply put, the more government offices in an area, the more government jobs are created. This will be apparent among other cities in the list.

Washington, D.C

Speaking of government offices, Washington has got them in spades. Alongside the employment provided by Washington’s plentiful government offices, the city’s job growth rate is also supported its education system, in which schools are predicted to produce over 30,000 jobs over the next year.

Baltimore, Maryland

Lying in close proximity to Washington, Baltimore benefits greatly from its neighbor’s affluence in government jobs. With its constant flow of commuters going to and coming from the nation’s capital, a great number of government contractors have moved to Baltimore for convenience.

Boston, Massachusetts

As was the case with Madison, Boston benefits greatly from its healthcare and research institutions. Education plays a major role here, as the high level of education present in the city’s workforce has attracted many biotech and software companies to the area.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh also has the healthcare industry to thank for its ability to weather the recession. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center alone is responsible for over 40,000 jobs, and reports show that the industry is still looking for qualified individuals to join its workforce.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is one of the few cities fortunate enough not to have its unemployment rate take a turn for the worse. This is in large part to the high demand for health care professionals in the area – the industry has been responsible for over 30,000 jobs. Add to this the fact that Chicago-based businesses have been moving to Milwaukee for lower operating expenses, and you’ve got a recipe for favorable job growth.

Richmond, Virginia

Thanks to its vicinity to the nation’s capital, Richmond enjoys a relatively robust job growth rate, specifically in defense and government contracting. The large number of military bases in the area also contributes to the favorable availability of work. What works best for Richmond, however, is its good mix of industries and business sizes. The many fields in which one can find work means that the city doesn’t have to rely on a single industry for its growth.

Seattle, Washington

Biotech and healthcare prove to be major players in the city’s economy, as its aging population has led to an increased demand for professionals in the sector. The unemployment rate may have dropped to 5.3%, but this is in large part due to the lack of blue-collar jobs in the area. White-collar workers, on the other hand, have a fair chance of finding work in the city.

Houston, Texas

The city benefits greatly from government jobs in energy, oil, and gas. The industry alone has helped produce over 11,000 jobs in the area, and the number is expected to grow over the next 12 months.

Dallas, Texas

Like its fellow Texan, Dallas owes a lot of its employment to government energy jobs. In addition, the city is enjoying growth in its information technology industry, which will bring even more jobs to the area.