What factors distinguish cities that can withstand an economic downturn, or rebound afterward, from those that cannot? Are these factors unique to successful cities, or are there best practices that can be adopted by peer cities? Building on the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities index, this paper examines what sets resilient cities apart.

This report represents a first step in examining the resilience of cities. It will be followed by a series of case studies that explore the choices of successful cities and identify factors that helped them resist or recover from downturns. The broader aim of this series is to use the experiences behind the numbers to offer decision-makers in peer regions a suite of best practices to consider as they pursue robust and sustained prosperity for their communities.