We Are An Institute For

Economic Renewal

heartland forward is a nonpartisan, nonprofit “think and do tank” focused on improving economic performance in the center of the united states.

How do we define the heartland?

Heartland by
the Numbers
Click the dots to see what we’ve said about America’s small towns (micros) and cities (metros).
Metropolitan
Micropolitan

Champaign-Urbana, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area

303rd out of 379 Most Dynamic Metros Index

Z-Score

-0.49

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Closest Z-Score Rankings

Rome, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area Mobile, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area Dayton, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area
Full Report

303rd Most Dynamic Metros Index
234th Young Firm Employment Ratio
162nd Per-Capita Personal Income
285th Medium-Term GDP Growth
304th Short-Term GDP Growth
240th Medium-Term Average Annual Pay Growth
363rd Short-Term Average Annual Pay Growth
230th Medium-Term Job Growth
225th Short-Term Job Growth
282nd Short-Term Job Momentum
191st Population

NEWS
Applications Are Open For Winter 2023 Idea Accelerator Cohort
1 MIN READ
Are you an entrepreneur who would like to help kick-start economic growth in West Tennessee?
1 MIN READ
Business Record (Iowa): Would a $4/hour pay increase for child care workers reduce attrition rates in the industry? Yes, according to one experiment in Iowa City
1 MIN READ
READ MORE
HEARTLAND SUMMIT
MEET US IN THE MIDDLE. Heartland Summit, our flagship event, brings together leading thinkers, innovators and investors - showcasing the exciting innovation happening between the coasts, sparking frank conversations about the challenges the region is facing and the opportunity to build networks to sustain economic growth and power problem solving across the country.
LEARN MORE HERE