SAFE HAVENSIN REAL ESTATE

With foreclosures skyrocketing and home prices plummeting, real estate has been hit hard by the recession.

(Image credit: Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce)

With foreclosures skyrocketing and home prices plummeting, real estate has been hit hard by the recession. But in certain pockets across the country, the dip in values has been minimal -- if nonexistent.

We found six cities with slow, steady growth, using data from Fiserv Lending Solutions, a home-price research company. These cities' local economies have kept unemployment and foreclosure rates below average. Plus, their affordability index -- a measure of home prices versus family income -- is low.

For comparison, we also pinpoint an average market and the worst market in the country. Take a look at these safe havens:

-- By Louis Jones