NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana
Population: 384,320
Unemployment: 6.4 percent
Key Transportation Infrastructure: Port of New Orleans
In the 10 years since Hurricane Katrina, the Port of New Orleans has received major capital investments ($296 million) for renovations and upgrades that have paid off big. The city recorded its fifth consecutive year of increased goods exported, helped by the fact the port is the only deep water one served by six Class-I railroads. New Orleans has a geographically balanced menu of trade partners, some of its largest being China, Mexico, France, Colombia and the Netherlands.