Urban across the Country

Urban’s researchers partner with state and local leaders to provide the evidence, tools, and support they need to improve lives and strengthen communities. This work includes strategic advising to translate research into action, program evaluations to measure effectiveness, and research and data analysis to inform decisionmaking. Our experts develop custom data tools and modeling to support equitable resource allocation and lead community-engaged research and convenings to ensure policies reflect local priorities.

Use this page to explore Urban’s work. Search by region to see examples of our research, and filter by evidence and products to narrow results by topic or type of work.

Dive deeper into your state and community with our data tools. View highlighted tools below, select “Data tools” under “Filter by Product Types,” or head directly to our data tools page.

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State and community data tools
Explore our work by state
Construction site with heavy equipment and workers.
Data centers’ effects on housing vary widely based on location and local market conditions.
Row houses along a city street with a pedestrian crossing.
Three data strategies for local leaders to consider as they decide which programs and services to maintain, scale back, or cut as American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding expires in December 2026.
Close-up of a person's hand holding a smartphone and using the Opus 4 model within the Claude app from AI company Anthropic, Lafayette, California, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
Understanding where an AI solution might be falling short and implementing improvements is a core focus of the Urban Institute AI Studio.
A father and son drawing together.
The average wage isn’t enough to cover basic needs for a single parent and two children in 99 percent of counties.
Two attendees wearing conference lanyards sit at a table during a workshop or meeting. One attendee gestures while speaking to another attendee in the foreground. A laptop, notebook, pen, phone, and other participants are visible in the bright conference room.
Creating trustworthy, accurate AI tools requires investing in AI-ready data and working with subject matter experts who understand what users need and where to look for accurate answers.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 19: People leave suggestions on sticky notes over a proposed map during a public open house hosted by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority for residents and business owners to weigh in on the future of a road project, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Houston. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Our experts work with government and nonprofit leaders to help them embed responsible AI practices such as community engagement, data privacy, and citation accuracy in every step of AI tool development.
Immigrant children, families
As of October 1, many refugees are no longer eligible for Medicaid until they obtain a green card.