New Haven's economy originally was based in manufacturing, but the postwar
period brought rapid industrial decline; the entire Northeast was affected, and
medium-sized cities with large working-class populations, like New Haven, were
hit particularly hard. Simultaneously, the growth and expansion of Yale
University further affected the economic shift. Today, over half (56%) of the
city's economy is now made up of services, in particular education and health
care; Yale is the city's largest employer, followed by Yale – New Haven
Hospital. Other large employers include St. Raphael Hospital, Smilow Cancer Hospital,
