2020 has thrown us curveball after curveball. I don’t think I’ve ever come close to using the word “unprecedented” this much. But even in the face of COVID-19’s public health and economic challenges, it’s important that we keep our eyes fixed ahead, that we look to the future with a solutions-oriented perspective. Better yet, it’s important that we push forward with well-informed solutions that are backed by data, ensuring that our efforts to help Heartland communities thrive economically are as effective as possible. Heartland Forward’s new report on the Most Dynamic Micropolitans aims to do just that.

Our annual index…

At risk of employing an over-used — but accurate — phrase, we are living in unprecedented times. The world is navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout. In addition to that, we are living in a moment of heightened awareness of racial injustices. But bubbling underneath the surface of these crises of the moment are generations of economic opportunity disparities.

It is well-documented that economic mobility is on the decline — that an increasing number of today’s children will not grow up to be better off than their parents. The potential for upward mobility also varies widely, depending…

Heartland Forward published new research today, “Young Firms and Regional Economic Growth,” demonstrating a strong link between entrepreneurship and a city’s overall employment growth. These findings are key as our country prepares for an economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

The research finds that cities with a higher share of employment at “young firms” — defined as businesses younger than five years old — saw faster job growth between 2010 and 2017. This positive effect was even more pronounced in smaller cities.

The report also ranks US cities on the strength of their entrepreneurial ecosystems and finds that the Heartland…

Five of the country’s 20 best cities for millennials are now in the Heartland region.

This is one of several exciting findings from our newest research report, “Millennials Find New Hope in the Heartland,” authored by Senior Fellow Joel Kotkin. We sought out to address a critical inquiry facing the Heartland’s economic future: are Heartland states able to retain and attract millennials? Through our research, I believe we’re confident the answer is yes.

Heartland economies writ large have been slower to recover from the financial crisis compared to their coastal peers, and a narrative has started to take hold that…

The coronavirus (officially named COVID-19) started in the Chinese heartland, and has now spread to our Heartland. At the time of writing, there are four cases of the virus here — two in Chicago, one in San Antonio, and one in Madison, Wisconsin.¹ And the health risks aren’t the only risks for the Heartland. Chinese factory and port closings will impede Heartland consumption until goods shipments from China return to normal levels. The reduced shipments from China will also slow production for Heartland manufacturers that use Chinese parts.

While the types of products impacted will be broad, most will have…

The American Heartland is — quite literally — at the center of our country’s identity and story. Millions of people call these twenty states in the middle of the country home, and a strong Heartland is integral to America’s successes.

It’s no secret though that this region faces real challenges. Heartland economies and populations aren’t growing as fast as those on the East and West Coasts. Opioids and obesity are wreaking havoc. Rural counties rank among the worst on key measures of socioeconomic well-being, like poverty rate and workforce participation. Many Heartland communities are facing demographic challenges and population decline…