re: New Orleans is the top "Brainpower City" & destination for college graduates.

Comparing the unemployment rate of NOLA with other southern cities....

Louisiana

NOLA-4.2%
BR-3.9%
Laffy-3.1%
LC-3.8%
Shreveport-BC-4.6%
Funroe-4.6%
Aleck-4.3%

Alabama

Auburn-Opelika-5.9%
Birmingham-Hoover-6.5%
Tuscaloosa-6.7%

Arkansas

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers-5.6%
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway-6.7%

Florida

Gainesville-5.1%
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford-6.0%
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall-7.5%
Tallahassee-5.6%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater-6.5%

Georgia

Athens-Clarke County-5.1%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta-6.9%
Savannah-6.6%

Kentucky

Lexington-Fayette-7.4%
Louisville-Jefferson County-8.1%

Mississippi

Jackson-6.2%

Missouri

Columbia-5.2%
Kansas City, MO-KS-6.9%
St. Louis, MO-IL-8.2%

South Carolina

Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville-4.5%
Columbia-4.7%

Tennessee

Knoxville-6.1%
Memphis, TN-MS-AR-8.4%
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin-5.6%

Texas

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos-4.8%
College Station-Bryan-4.5%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington-5.8%
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown-5.7%

Louisiana (click links on left for other states)