Local Economy

30 articles

A vibrant street scene in a small American town, showcasing diverse small businesses and active community members, symbolizing economic vitality.
Business Spotlights

Small businesses are primary drivers of private-sector jobs

In 2023 alone, 5.5 million new business applications were filed in the U.S., indicating a vibrant, ongoing entrepreneurial surge that underpins the nation's economic health. This consistent wave of ne

Marco Alvarez·September 17, 2026
A lively street scene showcasing various local businesses with people shopping and interacting, symbolizing a thriving community economy.
Community

Shop Local Benefits: How Community Support Boosts Local Economies

For every $100 spent at a local business in our vibrant city, an average of $68 stays right here, cycling through our neighborhoods and supporting our friends and neighbors.

Sophie Nguyen·September 16, 2026
A vibrant city street with the Corbin Services building, symbolizing economic growth and job creation in the local community.
Business Spotlights

Corbin Services Boost Local Economy, Future Impact Discussed

In the last quarter alone, Content by Corbin hired 50 new employees, many of whom previously commuted out of the area, signaling a dramatic shift in the local job market.

Marco Alvarez·September 13, 2026
A bustling city street alive with art, culture, and community, with a prominent city hall in the background, symbolizing the need for local government support.
Community

Arts & Culture Drive Billions. Is Local Funding Falling Short?

In 2022, nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their enthusiastic audiences generated a staggering $151.

Sophie Nguyen·September 13, 2026
A lively outdoor makers market with diverse vendors and shoppers, showcasing local crafts and produce under sunny skies.
Business Spotlights

Local Makers Markets Drive Community Growth and Entrepreneurship

The Flint Farmers' Market saw its annual visitors more than double to 600,000 in its first year at a new location, a surge that reflects a broader trend of local markets becoming vital community ancho

Marco Alvarez·September 6, 2026
Charlotte small business owners display optimism for profit growth despite a majority lacking adequate emergency savings, highlighting financial vulnerability.
Business Spotlights

Small businesses: Optimistic growth, vulnerable communities

In Charlotte, 93% of small business owners operate with less than six months of emergency savings, even as 89% project increased profits for the coming year.

Marco Alvarez·September 4, 2026
A diverse group of people actively engaging in a thriving community garden, showcasing its social and environmental benefits.
Neighborhoods

What Are the Benefits of Local Community Gardens for Neighborhoods?

The establishment of a community garden has a statistically significant positive impact on residential properties situated within 1000 feet, an effect that grows stronger over time, according to nccom

Derek Molina·August 30, 2026
Diverse entrepreneurs networking and learning at a vibrant local business expo focused on community growth and success.
Community

Local Business Expos for Entrepreneurial Success

In Cutler Bay, Florida, local government is hosting a free 'Fats, Oils, and Grease Roundtable Workshop' for small businesses.

Derek Molina·August 30, 2026
A lively street filled with diverse, independent local businesses and happy shoppers, illustrating the positive economic and community impact of supporting local.
Local Guides

What Are The Benefits of Supporting Local Businesses?

For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $73 remains directly within the local economy, significantly boosting community wealth.

Hannah Pierce·August 23, 2026
Breckenridge's main street alive with a vibrant festival, showcasing community spirit and economic activity with people enjoying outdoor stalls and decorations.
Events

Breckenridge launches new event grants

Breckenridge's new Community or Destination Event and Animation Grant program launched with $250,000 to boost the town's year-round economy.

Sophie Nguyen·August 22, 2026
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell engaging with local small business owners on a vibrant city street, highlighting new incentive programs.
Business Spotlights

Nashville Mayor Launches Programs to Boost Local Small Businesses

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell just announced three new incentive programs for small businesses, including a 'Legacy Business Program' that could funnel over $300,000 into long-standing local estab

Marco Alvarez·August 22, 2026
A visual representation of gentrification showing new developments overshadowing older homes, symbolizing the erosion of community character and displacement of residents.
Community

Gentrification's rapid spread erodes community character and local economies.

The number of U.S. neighborhoods showing signs of gentrification has exploded sevenfold since the 1970s, transforming hundreds of communities and displacing countless residents. This widespread shift

Derek Molina·August 19, 2026
A closed storefront of 'The Bakery by Indulge Right Foods' in Fresno, symbolizing the difficult times for local food businesses.
Food & Drink

Fresno food businesses closing, temporary health shutdowns occur

Fresno's culinary scene faces a challenging summer, marked by the permanent closure of The Bakery by Indulge Right Foods' two locations, including the city's first exclusively gluten-free establishmen

Sophie Nguyen·August 8, 2026
A diverse crowd enjoys an outdoor art market in Midtown, Detroit, with vibrant murals and local vendors, highlighting community engagement and economic activity.
Community

Community Art Events Drive Economic Growth and Engagement

In Midtown, Detroit, the Art and Belonging Martkt opened in September, hosting a variety of events from a sneaker competition with Reebok to Black History Month exhibitions, demonstrating how communit

Derek Molina·August 3, 2026
A lively farmers market with diverse shoppers and vendors, showcasing fresh produce and a strong sense of community connection under warm sunlight.
Neighborhoods

Why Supporting Local Farmers Markets Matters

For every $1 million in revenue, direct-market farms create almost 32 local jobs, a significant increase compared to the 10.

Derek Molina·July 30, 2026
A lively street scene showcasing diverse local businesses and happy shoppers, symbolizing the economic benefits of shopping locally.
Business Spotlights

Why Shop Local Campaigns Offer Untapped Economic Potential

Aberdeen's new 'Aberdeen Summer...' initiative signals a growing understanding that 'shop local' campaigns offer economic benefits far beyond immediate sales.

Marco Alvarez·July 30, 2026
A lively street scene in Massachusetts during a major event, showing economic activity and community engagement with people celebrating and local businesses thriving.
Events

Major Events Drive Local Spending, But Community Spirit Needs Nurturing

Airbnb reported that more people rented out their homes during the 2026 World Cup in Massachusetts than during the 2024 Paris Olympics, a surprising turn that underscores the immediate, grassroots eco

Sophie Nguyen·July 19, 2026
A lively community gathering in a town square, showcasing families and friends enjoying local food and music, symbolizing community cohesion and economic vitality.
Events

Local events are key to community cohesion and economic vitality.

A small town's annual pancake breakfast, costing just $500 to organize, generated an estimated $20,000 in local spending last year.

Sophie Nguyen·July 9, 2026
Split image showing Calgary's tech growth with digital networks and New York City's manufacturing pivot to PPE production.
Business Spotlights

Innovative Local Startups Reshaping Our City's Economy

Calgary's tech workforce surged by over 61% between 2021 and 2024, while in New York City, a garment manufacturer pivoted to produce essential PPE, securing critical contracts.

Marco Alvarez·July 2, 2026
A city skyline showing a few modern skyscrapers amidst older, smaller buildings, symbolizing concentrated job growth from startups.
Community

Local Entrepreneurship: Job Growth Concentrated, Not Widespread

In one Midwestern city, 85% of all new jobs created by startups last year came from just three software companies.

Sophie Nguyen·July 1, 2026
Community members working on a public infrastructure project in Siouxland, with a Premier Pools installation visible, symbolizing economic growth and community development.
Business Spotlights

Premier Pools Siouxland boosts local economy with business spotlight

Premier Pools Siouxland recently announced a $500,000 investment into local infrastructure projects, a sum that far exceeds typical business contributions and marks the largest single private donation

Marco Alvarez·June 28, 2026
A small bookstore with a closed sign, juxtaposed against a glowing online shopping interface, symbolizing the clash between local business struggles and consumer e-commerce habits.
Business Spotlights

Small Business Struggle: Consumer Habits Clash with Economic Policy

Last year, consumers spent $14.

Marco Alvarez·June 27, 2026
A lively marketplace at Kansas City's Union Station filled with local vendors and shoppers during a World Cup event, highlighting community and commerce.
Business Spotlights

Kansas City small businesses thrive at Union Station World Cup marketplace

Union Station leaders report that 15,000 visitors flocked to the World Cup marketplace in its first five days, creating an immediate boom for Kansas City small businesses and local entrepreneurs.

Marco Alvarez·June 22, 2026
A former beloved local bakery replaced by a generic chain coffee shop, symbolizing the loss of community identity due to tourism.
Community

Tourism's Hidden Cost: How It's Erasing Your Town's Identity

Despite town officials' assurances that a surge in visitors ultimately supports local businesses, the 75-year-old 'Corner Bakery,' a cherished community staple, was replaced last month by a chain coff

Sophie Nguyen·June 20, 2026
Lehigh University campus and Lehigh Valley skyline at dusk, symbolizing economic growth and community integration.
Business Spotlights

Lehigh University boosts Lehigh Valley impact in 2026

In FY 2023–24, Lehigh University injected an astonishing $376.

Marco Alvarez·May 29, 2026
Diverse small business owners collaborating and celebrating success on a vibrant city street, highlighting the benefits of local chamber of commerce membership.
Business Spotlights

What Are the Functions and Benefits of Local Chambers of Commerce?

A $500 investment in a local Chamber of Commerce membership could generate $5,000 in new business, a tenfold return many small businesses overlook.

Marco Alvarez·May 16, 2026
A vibrant small town main street bustling with activity, symbolizing local growth, contrasted with a distant, less populated city skyline.
Neighborhoods

Remote work's 'donut effect' empties city cores, boosting local growth

Even rural areas that shrank in population between 2010 and 2019 are now growing.

Derek Molina·May 15, 2026
A local tour guide engaging a group of tourists in a historic city square, sharing cultural insights amidst ancient architecture.
Local Guides

What Is the Role of Local Tour Guides in Culture and Tourism?

Tour guides are masters at presenting their 'glocalized' lives as a distinctive local experience, perfectly tailored for international visitors.

Hannah Pierce·May 15, 2026
Diverse group of people walking and enjoying a vibrant, green, and architecturally rich urban street, showcasing the benefits of walkability.
Neighborhoods

What Are the Benefits of Walkability in Urban Planning?

While a new park might seem like a simple amenity, it can quietly add millions to nearby commercial property values.

Derek Molina·May 11, 2026
A lively town square showcasing thriving local businesses and community members, with leaders collaborating to foster economic growth and development.
Business Spotlights

What is the role of local business associations in community development?

For every dollar spent at a local independent business, 48 cents is recirculated directly back into the local economy.

Marco Alvarez·May 3, 2026