Insights

How to Get Your City Walking, DIY-Style

North Carolina-startup offers communities a fast and inexpensive way to encourage pedestrians to explore

What $100 is Really Worth

Analysis shows huge differences in purchasing power between states

Five Lessons For Cities Building Shopping Districts

How cities can avoid the pitfalls that come with pursuing retail

Houston debuts traffic box “mini-murals”

Program aims to bring public art to areas outside of the city core

Which Sun Belt and Western Cities Are Building the Most Homes?

Per capita construction rates show which places are really growing the fastest

Houston’s Office Boom Is Just About Over

Quarter-over-quarter, office space under construction declined 20 percent in Houston.

Houston Poised to Become Country’s #3 City

Based on current growth trends, Houston’s population could exceed that of Chicago by 2030.

Why Cities Need to Help Millennials, Even if You Hate Them

If the country doesn’t build more apartments, demographer warns, gentrification will continue at a rapid clip.

When “Diverse” Neighborhoods Are More Segregated Than They Appear

Even when residents of different races live near each, their lives may not overlap in meaningful ways.

How Foreign-Born Residents Benefit City Economies

Nearly a quarter of Houston’s population was born abroad, giving the city greater access to foreign trade.

Turf Wars: What racial boundaries tell us about 311 calls in the city

By analyzing nearly 8 million 311 reports in New York City, researchers paint a portrait of what drives local tensions.

Why Code for America Hired An Economic Development Director

Hiring Bycer to lead its economic development efforts is part of a new layer of organization for Code for America this year.

What happens when you let kids build a city?

East End residents used objects to represent police stations and recreation centers they want built in their neighborhood.

Medical Centers Can Serve as a Catalyst for Cities

They have a lot to offer.

How to Make Sure Philanthropy Pays Off

Richard and Nancy Kinder endowed the Kinder Institute with a $15 million gift in 2010. It was part of a bigger strategy.