Challenge The fate of Union County, Arkansas, along with that of its county seat El Dorado, has historically been tied to the region’s abundant natural resources, with timber and oil driving the economy for much of the twentieth century. While El Dorado’s oil boom ended decades ago, its legacy remains […]
Challenge “Imagine Lubbock Together” was a visioning process coordinated by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce to define the values and goals of the community. A central theme that emerged from this process was the need to design an ambitious plan to diversify and grow the Lubbock economy, which had traditionally
Challenge Overland Park, Kansas, is a strong hub for corporate and professional services located in the southwest quadrant of the Kansas City metropolitan statistical area. The second largest city in Kansas, Overland Park offers a lower cost of living relative to the nation’s coasts; high-quality education institutions; and access to
Challenge Idaho has become one of the fastest growing states in the nation, with a steady flow of workers moving to the Gem State from states like California, Washington, and Oregon. Rural Idaho has seen net population gains from this migration as well as from the movement of Idahoans from
Challenge Mississippi ranks at or near the bottom of national standings for critical health metrics like diabetes and heart disease that tie directly to insufficient healthy food access, affordability, and nutrition. Along with food security, the state also faces challenges related to social equity and climate, particularly in the Gulf
Challenge Between 2010 and 2015, the Fort Collins–Loveland economy expanded at a rapid pace, adding nearly 20,000 jobs. The local labor market did not keep pace, however, adding just 11,000 workers over the same period. This imbalance, coupled with low unemployment and high underemployment, left many employers unable to find
Challenge The North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP) serves the 14-parish North Louisiana region, which includes Shreveport, Monroe, and Natchitoches. The region experienced a number of high-profile relocations and expansions, including nearly 1,600 new information technology (IT) jobs resulting from the expansion of CenturyLink in Monroe and Computer Sciences Corporation’s (CSC)
Challenge With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the labor market experienced a whirlwind of changes. Texas witnessed a record high unemployment rate, a higher rate of workers retiring due to health concerns, and some workers leaving the labor force altogether. To address these challenges and strengthen the regional talent
Challenge East Kern County’s economy is driven primarily by two military installations (Naval Air Weapons Station-China Lake and Edwards Air Force Base), the Mojave Air and Space Port, and Rio Tinto Minerals. Spanning more than 8,000 square miles and encompassing a diverse group of communities—including incorporated cities (California City, Ridgecrest,
Challenge Situated in the southern portion of the Austin metropolitan area, Buda has experienced tremendous growth. The city was recently ranked as the fastest growing US city among those with at least 5,000 residents as of 2010. This unparalleled growth brings tremendous opportunities, as well as significant challenges. How can
