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Cities are an essential component of the nation’s prosperity—central to the quality of life, livelihoods, and the long-term prospects of most Americans. Pew’s American Cities Project focuses on the biggest city in each of the nation’s 30 largest metropolitan areas and helps policy makers understand key challenges and promising approaches.
Why Cities Matter
Most Americans either reside or work in cities, and the policies, programs, and services of those places touch people’s lives directly. Whether cities succeed or fail will have an outsized impact on the nation’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity.
30 Focus Cities
The cities we study are: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (OR), Riverside (CA), Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, and Washington (DC).
These cities illustrate important trends developing elsewhere in the country. Together, they are home to nearly 34 million people—more than one in 10 Americans. An additional 100 million live in the regions they anchor.
Cities and the Recovery
In the aftermath of the recession, cities are contending with fiscal challenges, including lower property tax revenues and cuts in state and federal aid, as well as continuing high levels of poverty and unemployment. At the same time, they are grappling with profound demographic changes and economic shifts that predate the downturn. Federal and state lawmakers continue to debate major policy changes that will have significant local repercussions.
How We Conduct Our Work
Policy makers need more information about key challenges facing big cities and policy options for addressing them. Our project conducts original research that analyzes and compares the biggest cities in the nation’s 30 largest metropolitan areas and then uses that information to engage local, state, and federal leaders as they consider policy choices that could significantly affect localities.
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The LATEST from the Project
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- American Cities Project
Cities Squeezed by Pension and Retiree Health Care Shortfalls
This brief finds that 30 cities at the center of the nation’s most populous metropolitan areas faced more than $192 billion in unpaid commitments for pensions and other retiree benefits, primarily health care, as of fiscal 2009 and are employing a variety of strategies to address these shortfalls.
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- Data Visualizations
- American Cities Project
30 Cities: An Introductory Snapshot
Pew recently updated its 30-city snapshot interactive, with new data on population, home values, income and unemployment. Pew's American Cities Project focuses on the biggest city in the nation's 30 largest metro areas. more
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- Report
- American Cities Project
Many Major Cities Gain Population Faster Than The Rest Of Their Metro Areas
Recent Census data shows that America's largest cities are growing more rapidly than their surrounding regions, and the nation as a whole.
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- Interactive
- American Cities Project
City vs. Metro Population Growth
This interactive shows recent changes in city and metropolitan populations for biggest city in the nation's 30 largest metro areas.
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- Opinion
- American Cities Project
Squeezing Local Governments
Cities, counties and school districts are facing a one-two punch: simultaneous drops in property tax revenue and state aid. The blows come even as demand for services is growing. This fiscal squeeze—not seen since 1980—has resulted in painful choices for local governments large and small.
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