An increasingly globalized economy leaves communities, especially inner city neighborhoods, anxious about losing major employers. White-collar headquarters and blue-collar factories alike can be easily uprooted, as folks in Seattle know. Boeing Aircraft, once the city’s economic engine accounting for one in six jobs in the region, has moved its corporate offices to Chicago and is shifting many of its assembly jobs to North Charleston, South Carolina.

But there’s good news in every city when it comes to jobs. Some of the biggest employers aren’t going anywhere.

How can we be sure? Because “anchor” institutions like colleges, medical centers and cultural institutions serve the people of a particular area. Try to imagine Ohio State University moving to Dallas or Massachusetts General Hospital to China.

Anchor institutions are the largest employer in 66 of the 100 largest U.S. inner cities, according to a study from the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. And on average they’ve weathered the downturn of last six years better than other industries.