County Economies Grew by 5.9 Percent Between 2020 and 2021

Percent change in county GDP between 2020 and 2021.

Note: Real GDP in 2012 chained dollars.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis; Regional Accounts - Gross Domestic Product by County, 2022.

Output and Productivity Amid a Global Pandemic

2021 County GDP Analysis

Output and Productivity Amid a Global Pandemic, published in March 2023, analyzes the impact of the pandemic on county economies, drawing on new county-level gross domestic product (GDP) data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

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Archive of County Economy Publications

County Economic Output Trends, 2020

County Economic Output Trends analyzes 2018 county-level gross domestic product (GDP) data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), finding a diverse national economy on the rise, but evidence that not all local economies are experiencing the same expansion.

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Local Economies in the Global Market, 2020

Local Economies in the Global Market analyzes county engagement with the world economy through NACo’s new Global Market Engagement (GME) Index, emphasizing the key role counties play in encouraging exports and exploring foreign investment.

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News

National Association of Counties launches economic mobility program for rural counties

The National Association of Counties (NACo) today announced the creation of Rural Leaders for Economic Mobility (RLEM), a national program with teams of 10 county elected officials and 10 non-elected county leaders to pursue effective strategies to improve economic mobility conditions that move individuals and families out of poverty. 

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Advocacy

U.S. Supreme Court protects key flexibility for county governments responding to homelessness

On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case of major significance for counties working to develop comprehensive responses to the homelessness crisis.