According to the Bureau of Labor, the New York metropolitan area has lost more than 50,000 jobs. Places that are doing well include Atlanta where 47,000 jobs were gained in the last year and the area around McAllen, Texas which has the fastest-growing job market in the nation. For those who want to stay in New York, private sector employment is growing in Albany, and suburbs of the city like Westchester and Rockland County have experienced economic growth. The number of jobs in the city has dropped by more than 12,000.
See "In the Market for a New Job? Start Packing", Leslie Eaton, The New York Times, September 21, 2003