You've probably read the news that the country has recovered all the jobs lost in the Great Recession. A new report that analyzes four measures of economic health at the county level reveals a much bleaker picture of the economic recovery.
Mike Maciag shares news of a report published by the National Association of Counties (NACo) that analyzes economic data at the county level on four measures: job totals, unemployment rates, economic output (GDP), and median home prices. The report found evidence that the country's economy is far from complete. Writes Maciag: "Only 65 counties (out of more than 3,000 nationally) have seen all four economic measures fully recover from pre-recession peaks. Nearly three-quarters of counties remain below their pre-recession employment levels, while economic output hasn’t recovered in 45 percent of counties."
The article goes on present some of the report's findings in terms of which counties recovered most completely in terms of region, size, and industry. The overall theme of the report is consistent: the economic outlook for most of the country is much bleaker than a recovery narrative backed up only with employment figures.
FULL STORY: Counties Lag Behind National Recovery, Report Finds
Employment Growth in Large, Dense Cities Paces Recovery
A study from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis finds evidence that large, dense metropolitan areas have experienced the most complete recovery following the Great Recession.
The Decade in Urban Planning
A look back at the biggest stories and themes from the world of urban planning in the decade that was the 2010s.
Detroit Property Values Soar, Finally
Detroit's property values are climbing, steeply, for the first time in almost two decades.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)