The old measures of
prosperity are failing us.
prosperity are failing us.
GDP, job growth, and real estate prices once told a useful story about how places were doing. Today, they overlook the forces that matter most—demographic decline, climate and extreme weather risk, technological disruption, and social fragmentation. Growth alone is no longer a proxy for resilience, and momentum is no longer a guarantee of success.
The Geography of Prosperity Index was built for this moment.
The Index is a data-driven framework that assesses how well U.S. metro areas are positioned to endure, adapt, and thrive in the decades ahead. It looks beyond short-term growth to measure the deeper systems that shape long-term prosperity.
The Geography of Prosperity Index was built for this moment.
The Index is a data-driven framework that assesses how well U.S. metro areas are positioned to endure, adapt, and thrive in the decades ahead. It looks beyond short-term growth to measure the deeper systems that shape long-term prosperity.
1 of 5
Population Renewal
Who will live, work, and care for the future.
Population Renewal measures whether a region can sustain its people and workforce over time. It looks at birth rates, aging, migration, and the ability to replace retiring workers. Places with strong Population Renewal attract and retain people across life stages—and adapt as family structures, work patterns, and mobility change.
Places without it face labor shortages, fiscal strain, and long-term decline, regardless of how strong their economy appears today.
2 of 5
Climate Resilience
How exposed a place is—and how well it can respond.
Climate and Extreme Weather Resilience captures both environmental risk and institutional readiness. It assesses exposure to extreme heat, flooding, drought, fire, and storms, alongside a region’s capacity to plan, adapt, and recover.
Prosperous places aren’t those untouched by climate and extreme weather—they’re the ones investing early, reducing risk, and building systems that can withstand repeated shocks.
3 of 5
Automation Readiness
Whether technology strengthens or hollow outs the economy.
Automation Readiness measures how prepared a region’s workforce and industries are for AI and technological change. It examines occupational exposure, education and skills pipelines, innovation capacity, and economic adaptability.
Regions that score well use technology to augment workers and create new opportunities. Those who don’t risk displacement, inequality, and economic stagnation.
4 of 5
Social Cohesion
The strength of trust, connection, and belonging.
Social Cohesion reflects how well people are connected to one another and to the institutions around them. It includes measures of trust, civic participation, inclusion, and social stability. High-cohesion regions are better at solving problems, absorbing newcomers, and navigating conflict. Low-cohesion regions fracture under stress—politically, economically, and socially.
Social Cohesion reflects how well people are connected to one another and to the institutions around them. It includes measures of trust, civic participation, inclusion, and social stability. High-cohesion regions are better at solving problems, absorbing newcomers, and navigating conflict. Low-cohesion regions fracture under stress—politically, economically, and socially.
5 of 5
Governance & Foresight
The capacity to plan beyond the next election cycle.
Governance & Foresight assesses the quality, competence, and long-term orientation of local leadership and institutions. It looks at planning capacity, fiscal health, coordination, and the ability to anticipate future challenges. Prosperity doesn’t happen by accident. It’s designed by places willing to think ahead, align stakeholders, and act before crisis forces their hand.