THE LIVIN' IS EASY:

Both states weathered the effects of the recession better than the rest of the country and recovered faster than many other states. New Hampshire's jobless rate was 3.1% in December--higher than just three other states--and Iowa wasn't far behind at 3.4%, according to data from the Labor Department, which puts U.S. unemployment at 5%. Of the 31 U.S. metropolitan areas with jobless rates at or below 3%, five are in Iowa and three are in New Hampshire.

Wages are also accelerating faster in the two states than they are for most Americans. Average hourly earnings for New Hampshire workers grew 4.4% in November, compared with a year earlier, and 6.5% for workers in Iowa, compared with just 2.4% for the U.S. overall.

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