Understanding major drivers of economic change–such as shifts in migration, non-labor income, and industry concentrations–is critical to making sound decisions about how to improve economic performance.
— Outdoor recreation is a way of life and economic powerhouse for New Mexico. New Mexico residents enjoy outdoor recreation on more than 35 million acres of public lands and the outdoor recreation economy directly supports $1.2 billion in income and 33,500 jobs.
read moreof Outdoor Recreation and New Mexico’s Economy
— The outdoor recreation economy is large, growing faster than the overall economy, and consists of jobs in many industries. Explore data by state.
read moreof The Outdoor Recreation Economy by State
— Montana's outdoors attracts people and talent, creating jobs and a high quality of life. The outdoors is essential to the state's future economic growth.
read moreof The Value of Montana’s Outdoors
— Funding for Montana’s working lands, wildlife, and outdoor recreation is not keeping pace as population, visitation, and development pressures expand.
read moreof Funding Needs for Montana’s Outdoor Heritage
— Explore economic performance in Recreation Counties across the U.S.
read moreof Recreation Counties Across the U.S.
— High worker productivity occurs across diverse counties and sectors but is not always connected with population growth and opportunity.
read moreof High County GDP No Guarantee of Growth
— Investing in outdoor recreation is one of several strategies that can help rural communities thrive in a changing economy.
read moreof How Outdoor Recreation Supports Rural Economic Development
— Recreation counties, especially in non-metro places, draw new residents and have higher incomes and faster earnings growth than places without recreation.
read moreof Recreation Counties Attract New Residents and Higher Incomes
— A new report highlights the role of Montana’s outdoor recreation economy in spending, jobs, and economic diversification.
read moreof Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Economy
— Populations at Risk quickly and easily generates and downloads reports about populations more likely to experience adverse social, health, or economic outcomes.
read moreof Populations at Risk
— This report summarizes Gallatin County's economy, how it has grown, and what is driving its performance. The report also describes how growth threatens open space and the role these lands play in local quality of life.
read moreof Gallatin County’s Economy, Growth, and Open Space
— From 1990 to 2016, the number of single-family homes in Montana grew by 50 percent, and the popularity of large lots converted 1.3 million acres of undeveloped land to housing.
read moreof Montana Losing Open Space
— Review the different rates of home construction and loss of open space across Montana counties.
read moreof Montana Losing Open Space: Sortable Data
— Western counties once dependent on timber today perform similarly to like-sized counties. Three case studies outline economic lessons from counties that weathered the timber transition.
read moreof Lessons from the Timber Transition — Western counties are experiencing a wide disparity in youth migration. While some are attracting and keeping young adults and families, others are struggling.
read moreof Youth Migration in the West
— While national poverty rates dropped in the last year, the county-level picture is mixed.
read moreof Which Counties Saw Significant Changes in Poverty Rates?
— Explore socioeconomic and land use trends in the western eleven states.
Updated July 2019 with latest available population, economic, and land ownership data.
— Understanding your local economy and how it compares to peers is a crucial part of community and economic development.
read moreof Know Your Economy: Tools for Every Community
— Slide show: A theory of economic development in the rural West.
read moreof Strengthening Rural Communities (slides)
— Hispanics account for roughly one in four westerners and one in six rural westerners.
read moreof The Growth of Hispanic Populations Across the West
— National interactive map and charts show Medicaid-dependent counties and populations at risk.
read moreof Which Counties Are Most Reliant on Medicaid?
— This report summarizes Montana’s economy analyzing recent growth and what is driving its performance, including a description of how federal lands help attract people, investment, and businesses.
read moreof Montana’s Economy, Public Lands, and Competitive Advantage
— Minority populations are growing in nearly all rural western counties, helping booming communities expand and slowing the decline in counties that otherwise would have lost people.
read moreof Minority Populations Driving County Growth in the Rural West
— Non-labor income sources such as investments, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid often are the largest and fastest growing sources of personal income for many counties. Rural counties especially are surprisingly dependent on non-labor income.
read moreof Economy Surprisingly Dependent on Non-Labor Income
— The rural West matters for at least three important reasons: the vitality of the region’s landscape; its impact on local, state, and national politics; and the future of the area’s people and communities.
read moreof Why the Rural West Matters
— Explore socioeconomic trends in Gunnison County and neighboring Colorado counties.
read moreof Comparing Trends and Prosperity in Gunnison County
— While most western rural counties are aging and losing young families, the loss of school kids in rural western counties with protected lands such as National Monuments was, on average, less than half the rate of loss for similar counties without protected lands.
read moreof Rural Communities, School Kids, and Federal Lands in the West
— Update: Rural counties in the West with more federal lands performed better on average than their peers with less federal lands in four key economic measures.
read moreof Federal Lands in the West: Liability or Asset?
— Rural counties in the West with more federal lands performed better on average than their peers with less federal lands in four key economic measures. Explore the trends and exceptions across the rural West.
read moreof Federal Lands in the Rural West: Liability or Asset?
— Recent trends in manufacturing and what they mean for the people and communities of the American West, with insights for rural areas in particular.
read moreof The Changing Role of Manufacturing in the U.S. and Insights for the Rural West
— This tool explores socioeconomic trends in Gunnison County, Colorado and compares them to neighboring counties and the state of Colorado.
read moreof Measuring Prosperity in Gunnison County, Colorado
— Explore the West’s economy, regional performance, and what is driving economic growth.
read moreof West’s Economy Outperforming Rest of United States
— Click the column headers in the data table below to change the sort order.
read moreof Federal Lands Performance: Sortable Table by County
— Understanding the local economy, and how it compares to peers, is a crucial part of smart community and economic development. Several new tools, utilizing the latest data (through 2014), now are available for every county in the nation.
read moreof Know Your Economy: Economic Tools Updated for Every County — Understanding what drives the local economy is crucial to smart community and economic development. This map provides detailed socioeconomic reports for every county.
read moreof One Click: Socioeconomic Reports for Every County
— Despite being known for its rural landscapes, the West is surprisingly urban.
read moreof Urban Areas Drive Economic Growth in the West — In the West today, what economic sectors are driving the economy and make up the growing workforce?
read moreof The West Today: What Sectors Drive the Economy?
— There are three distinct types of counties in the West—Metro, Connected, and Isolated—defined by their access to major markets and population centers.
read moreof Three Wests: Access to Markets Affects Performance
— Research shows there are three distinctly different types of counties in the West, defined by their access to major markets and population centers.
read moreof Three Wests
— County migration and population trends in the West constantly change. We summarize counties into four types--high-wage services, farm-dependent, oil and natural gas boom, and retirement destinations--to show the relationship between population and economic structure.
read moreof Migration & Population Trends in the West Vary by County Type
— Explore the four county types and their migration and natural population change (births and deaths).
read moreof Migration & Population Trends in the West Vary by County Type — Getting the economics right is important for communities to compete in a modern economy. We've created a number of tools to help rural, western communities better understand current trends as well as the role of the nearby National Forest or other public lands.
read moreof Getting the Economics Right: Communities, National Forests, and Local Development Decisions — It's All Hallow's Eve, so we decided to look at western counties where the dead most recently were living. But a high death rate does not mean a county is faring poorly. Like most things, it’s complicated.
read moreof On Halloween, Many Counties with High Death Rates Still Growing — Today's economy is much different than what we hear in the rhetoric from current politicians. We need our leaders to wrestle with current problems rather than old ones.
read moreof Today’s Economy, Political Rhetoric Too Often Don’t Match
— Review the economic and demographic differences between Metro, Connected and Isolated counties.
read moreof Three Wests Sortable Data
— Non-labor income is one of the largest and fastest growing sources of income in the West; constituting 34 percent of total personal income in 2011 and 60 percent of net growth in real personal income during the last decade.
read moreof Non-Labor Income: Large and Growing in Importance Across the West
— Among western counties, non-labor income makes up 41 percent of total personal income and is growing, representing 60 percent of net personal income growth in the last decade. Comprised of three main types—investments, age related, and hardship payments— non-labor income is affected by the stock market, retiring Baby Boomers, and changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
read moreof Across the West, Non-Labor Income Is Large and Growing
— Across the West, non-labor income is a large and growing source of personal income. This sortable county-level interactive allows users to review the importance of three largest sources of non-labor income: investments, age related, and hardship payments.
read moreof Non-Labor Income for Western Counties, Sortable Data Table
— This paper demonstrates that when fossil fuel development plays a prominent, long-term role in local western economies there are negative effects on per capita income, crime rates, and educational attainment.
read moreof Long-Term Energy Development Has Negative Impacts on Western Counties
— This interactive website was created to help inform conservation goals and actions with knowledge of the geography and people in this unique region.
read moreof Atlas of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem
— This interactive website was created to help inform conservation goals and actions with knowledge of the geography and people in this unique region. Visit the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative website for more information.
read moreof Atlas of the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative
— This post summarizes the Climate Adaptation Report which provides a description of key economic sectors at greatest risk from extreme weather or long-term climate shifts and is intended to prepare the region’s forests, water resources, and communities for a less certain future.
read moreof The Upper Peninsula’s Economy and a Changing Climate
— Headwaters Economics research and accompanying interactive map show the amount of per capita income explained by protected federal lands for each county in the non-metropolitan western U.S.
read moreof Protected Federal Lands in Non-Metro West Increase Per Capita Income
— This report finds that the West’s popular national parks, monuments, wilderness areas and other public lands offer its growing high-tech and services industries a competitive advantage.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Jobs and Higher Incomes
— Map-Based Navigation of Employment, Income, and Industry Charts for the Eleven Western States
read moreof West Is Best: Interactive
— News release for report that shows how the western United States is outperforming the rest of the country and the role protected federal lands in providing western states a competitive economic advantage.
read moreof West Is Best Reports: News Release
— This fact sheet summarizes Washington's recent economic growth and the role of protected public lands in supporting faster job creation and higher per-capita income.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Washington Jobs and Higher Incomes
— This New Mexico fact sheet summarizes the state's recent economic growth and the role protected public lands play in supporting faster job creation and higher per-capita income.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote New Mexico Jobs and Higher Incomes
— During the past decade Nevada and the West outperformed the nation, and the competitive advantage offered by its protected lands supported job growth and higher per-capita incomes.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Nevada Jobs and Higher Incomes
— Montana's recent economic growth and the role of protected public lands in supporting employment creation and higher per-capita income are explored in this report.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Montana Jobs and Higher Incomes
— Helped by its high quality of life and protected public lands, Idaho’s economy and population grew rapidly in the past decade. The majority of growth coming from health care and administrative services.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Idaho Jobs and Higher Incomes
— Colorado's rate of population, employment, and real personal income growth has outpaced the nation and this fact sheet looks at the role of protected public lands in supporting jobs and higher incomes.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Colorado Jobs and Higher Incomes
— This California report is part of a series that analyzes how and why the West is outperforming the nation, and the competitive advantage offered by its protected lands.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote California Jobs and Higher Incomes
— This fact sheet summarizes Arizona's recent economic growth and the role of protected public lands in supporting faster job creation and higher per-capita income.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Arizona Jobs and Higher Incomes
— The great majority of Oregon’s net new jobs are from services industries, many of them high-paying. This report looks at the state's economy and the role of protected public lands.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Oregon Jobs and Higher Incomes
— Wyoming is an economic leader and protected public lands help the state grow and diversify its economy.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Wyoming Jobs and Higher Incomes
— Utah has been a national leader in economic growth during the past decade. This report looks at the state's economy and the role of protected public lands.
read moreof West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Utah Jobs and Higher Incomes
— This report analyzes the Front’s land, people, and economy, how the region has changed in important ways during the past several decades, and the potential impact of the proposed Rocky Mountain Heritage Act on the Front.
read moreof Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front
— This study provides a number of lessons as the West slowly recovers from the recent recession about why some local economies performed better than others.
read moreof Western Counties and the Recession
— This report summarizes Colorado's economy and the role of federal protected lands, including how the state has performed, and Colorado's ability to attract people, investment, and businesses.
read moreof Colorado’s Economy and the Role of Federal Protected Lands
— An analysis of New Mexico’s economy and how federal protected lands impact economic performance.
read moreof New Mexico’s Economy and the Role of Federal Protected Lands
— More than 100 economists and academics urged President Obama to create and invest in new federal protected lands such as national parks, wilderness, and monuments.
read moreof Economists Urge President Obama to Protect Federal Public Lands
— These two slideshows and related information use Missoula County and Western Montana to show how many homes have been built in flood and wildfire hazard areas, which are vulnerable to larger and more frequent floods and fires.
read moreof Missoula County Homes at Risk in Flood and Wildfire Areas
— This report studies the possible effects of climate change in the Crown of the Continent on two “snow-pack” dependent sectors of the economy--downhill skiing and recreational fishing.
read moreof Crown of the Continent and Climate Change
— This site documents the economic and demographic conditions of counties bordering the Yellowstone River, and displays maps showing past, current, and forecasted residential development along the river.
read moreof Yellowstone River Atlas
— The Siskiyou region is undergoing a significant economic transition. This report examines the region, counties within the region, and industry-level details.
read moreof The Siskiyou Region: Demographic, Economic, and Fiscal Fundamentals
— This study examines how the West has changed, the rising importance of environmental amenities, and the relative role of energy development in the economy of western states.
read moreof Energy Development and the Changing Economy of the West-report summary
— This report analyzes the economic and fiscal contribution of the oil and natural gas industries in New Mexico along with a case study of proposed energy development on Otero Mesa.
read moreof Potential Impacts of Energy Development in New Mexico, with a Case Study of Otero County
— This report examines how investments in conservation and restoration provide both an immediate return through employment and revenue and help promote long-term economic growth that extends far beyond tourism.
read moreof The Economic Benefits of Southern New Mexico’s Natural Assets
— This report focuses on the economic and fiscal contributions of the oil and natural gas industries in Montana, including a case study of the Powder River Basin.
read moreof Potential Impacts of Energy Development in Montana, with a Case Study of the Powder River Basin— This report studies the significance of fossil fuel development in Wyoming, with a case study of the energy-focused county of Sweetwater County.
read moreof Impacts of Energy Development in Wyoming, with a Case Study of Sweetwater County
— These studies review the fiscal impact on Mineral and Lake counties of the Montana Legacy Project.
read moreof Fiscal Impact of the Montana Legacy Project— This report explores the significance of fossil fuel energy development for Colorado with a case study of the implications for the West Slope economy.
read moreof Impacts of Energy Development in Colorado, with a Case Study of Mesa and Garfield Counties