The American Growth Project
The American Growth Project
The United States is home not to one, but more than 100 distinct economies. Our cities, towns, suburbs and rural communities hold the key to understanding both current and forecasted national trends – but for far too long, our nation’s microeconomic data has been lacking.
Top-Performing EMAs for 2026
1: Austin
Texas
2: San Francisco Bay Area
California
3: Salt Lake City
Utah
4: Raleigh and Durham
North Carolina
5: Seattle
Washington
6: Nashville
Tennessee
7: Dallas
Texas
8: San Antonio
Texas
9: Denver
Colorado
10: Phoenix
Arizona
Experts
Greg Brown
Founder and Research Director, Institute for Private Capital; Van and Kay Weatherspoon Distinguished Professor of Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School; Faculty Director, Luther Hodges Scholars
Gerald Cohen
Chief Economist, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise; Research Professor of Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Sarah Dickerson
Research Economist, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise; Assistant Research Professor, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Camelia Kuhnen
Director of Research, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise; and Boyd White Harris Jr. Distinguished Professor of Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Mark Gabriel Little
Executive Director, NCGrowth
Paige Ouimet
Executive Director, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise; Professor of Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School