TOLEDO, Ohio
Population: 282,313
Unemployment: 5.1 percent
Population Growth Since 2010: -1.7 percent
In noting that Toledo’s recovery had gathered considerable momentum—local exports surged 41 percent last year—Moody’s attributed that to plenty of manufacturing infrastructure and a location that facilitates exports. Toledo-based companies have access to major rail lines and intermodal facilities as well as a Lake Erie port and two main U.S. highways. The city has also seen growth in green jobs around solar energy as companies such as Xunlight and First Solar have opened plants in the area.