Rochester, N.Y. - The Rochester-area leads the state in the percentage of jobs its regained since the recession began.
Rochester regained 98 percent of the jobs it lost in the recession, according to a report from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
The state as a whole has only regained 46 percent of the jobs lost.
Many of those job gains come from small businesses that add a few at a time.
A new Tim Hortons opened on Long Pond Road in Greece Thursday.
One of the owners, John Kukawinski, said they hired about 30 people and could hire more.
Hopes are also high at Mattie's Restaurant on West Main Street in Rochester.
The family-owned restaurant also opened recently with seven employees.
The owners are already looking ahead, with goals of opening more locations.
"I think a franchise will be a great idea not only for us but for people who are looking for jobs," said Amah Dokyi with Mattie's Restaurant.
Economists agree that the job picture looks good for Rochester.
But today's numbers don't paint the whole picture.
The kinds of jobs have changed and some wages are lower.
"Many other economic statistics the picture is mixed and one can be cautiously optimistic but not read a whole lot into this figure," said RIT Economics Professor Amit Batabyl.
One uneasy situation is whether Kodak will let more people go as it restructures in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
"It's certainly possible thousands of job losses could occur and it will be a short hurrah," added Batabyl.
