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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Download Methodology

Freight Train
News

Counties and Railroads: Shared Priorities for the Next Surface Transportation Bill

County leaders from across the country have a vital opportunity to ensure their infrastructure priorities are front and center.

Warren, Ohio
Advocacy

House reintroduces bipartisan legislation to level playing field for rural communities

House reintroduced the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act, bipartisan legislation intended to advance economic development in rural counties and overcome barriers to obtaining federal funding and resources. 

111725podcast
News

Podcast: Eastern Tennessee counties invest in tourism during shutdown

Sevier County, Tenn. refused to let the government shutdown devastate its fall tourism draw—Great Smoky Mountains National Park. County Mayor Larry Waters describes the lengths he and his neighbors went to keep the park open. And NACo Chief Government Affairs Officer Mark Ritacco offers an outlook on what counties can take away from the shutdown and into the future.