Small Towns
Housing Scarcity in Rural America
With the growth of ‘Zoom towns’ and the sharply rising demand for small-town living, rural communities are facing pressure to maintain housing affordability for long-time residents and boost housing production.
Americans Continue to Move to Smaller Cities
Cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 continue to see an influx of migrants lured by lower costs of living and high quality-of-life metrics.
How Some Main Street Businesses Survived the Pandemic
Despite the economic blow dealt by last year's lockdowns, business districts in smaller cities like Wilkes-Barre managed to weather the crisis.
The Anti-Urban Streak of Hallmark's Christmas Movies
The culture war episode sparked by a recent commercial aired on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel shouldn't surprise anyone who has noticed the anti-urban themes consistent in the channel's Christmas movies.
Rapid Growth and a Small Town Recall Effort
A group of organizers in the small town of Elizabeth, Colorado (population 1,700) wants to recall its entire City Council as an act of defiance in the face of rapid change and growth.
Small Towns in the Western U.S. Achieving Population and Economic Growth
A small town success story in Montana is indicative of a larger trend in the Western United States. Meanwhile, small towns in the rest of the country struggle.
Mourning the Loss of the Dairy Queen in Rural Texas
As populations shrink, small towns are losing an important place to get together,,
The Real Cost of Clean Water in One Kansas Town
Pretty Prairie has water with very high levels of nitrates, and lots of farmers that need to use nitrates if they want to keep the local economy going.
And the Oscar Goes To...
Many of the Best Picture nominees are set in cities, and none are focused on suburbia.
Public Transportation Provides a Vital Mobility Link in Rural and Small Towns
A new report describes the important roles that public transit plays in rural communities and small towns, current demographic and economic trends that are increasing these demands, and examples of successful rural transit development programs.
Craft Beer and Small Towns—A Perfect Pairing
NPR has identified a cultural phenomenon in rural America: craft beer is economic development—and a draw for young people.
Rural Areas Embrace the Arts for Economic Development
A burgeoning revitalization model uses the arts as an opportunity to bring in outside money while hiring local.
Corridors Are the Secret to Improving Transit in Small Cities
The future of smaller cities could depend on figuring out a way to improve transit, perhaps not at the neighborhood or level, but at the corridor level.
Can a 'New Ruralism' Save Small Towns?
Small towns are in crisis. To save them, it might take a "new ruralism" of community leadership, volunteerism, and ventures in the creative economy.
A Closer Look at the Appeal of the Fastest-Growing City in the U.S.
The "small-town feel" of Conroe, Texas is touted as one of the reason for its quick population growth.
The Place-Based Magic of 'It's a Wonderful Life'
An examination of the commentary on place found in the classic Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life."
Syrian Refugees in Small Town Vermont
Rutland, Vermont is scheduled to become home to 100 Syrian refugees, a prospect that has awoken passionate responses from the town's residents.
How Some Cities Stay Little
Some cities that want to grow are stuck in the small town zone, while others growing cities would prefer to stay small.
'Normal America' According to Demographics
The common perception of everyday America as a land of small towns and white faces doesn't reflect the current reality. Demographic analysis reveals "normal America" in cities like New Haven and Tampa.
Meet the 'One-Man Community Redevelopment Machine'
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles a man in a small town in Pennsylvania that does a pretty good impression of Santa Claus, if you ask us.
Strategic Economics Inc
Strategic Economics Inc
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.
