Those implementing community improvement initiatives recognize that conditions in their metropolitan areas have a powerful influence on what they can accomplish at the neighborhood level. The purpose of this report is to illustrate the wide range in conditions and trends that America's metropolitan areas have experienced over the past decade to give community planners a basis for thinking about implications for their work. To ground the research, we highlight 14 metros that have been a focus for investment by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, finding that their experiences since 2000 have been strikingly diverse.