Not feeling the recession?

Do you ever watch the news coverage of the current "terrible" recession and think to yourself, "I just don't see that here"? There could be a good reason why you don't.

I've linked to similar charts in the past, but this Forbes series of U.S. foreclosure and unemployment maps are worth a fresh look. They vividly illustrate how concentrated the worst of the housing and unemployment woes are. And by extension, they explain why many people simply aren't feeling this recession the way the national news implies "most Americans" are.

That's not to say the problems aren't real. Some, particularly in the financial arena, have long-reaching implications. But chances are pretty good that your local economy isn't doing as poorly as the national figures, unless of course you live in one of the handful of hot spots illustrated on these maps.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Mark Biller is Sound Mind Investing's Executive Editor. Visit www.soundmindinvesting.com to learn more.