New video
Austin, TX: Built for wildfire
In this ten-minute video produced by Headwaters Economics, learn how leaders in Austin, TX came to realize the magnitude of the wildfire threat, and how they brought together diverse interests to protect their community.
Trails Research and Searchable Benefits Library
Headwaters Economics has created a free, curated collection of nearly 200 high-quality studies that measure the wide-ranging benefits that trails bring to communities.
Latinos face higher flood risks than other groups
Headwaters Economics and the Hispanic Access Foundation have released a report that shows that 44% of Latinos live in counties with high flood risk, as opposed to 35% of non-Latinos.
Prioritizing people in mobile home park buyouts
Many mobile home parks face higher flood risk and relocation may be the best option. A review of 12 mobile home park buyout projects illustrates how policy innovation and resident engagement can increase success.
Montana Losing Open Space
From 2000 to 2021, the number of single-family homes in Montana grew by more than 42 percent, and the popularity of large lots converted 1 million acres of undeveloped land to housing.
Conservation leaders have a role in building equitable communities
How we manage population centers is intertwined with our conservation of wild areas. The more we create equitable population centers in places people want to live, the more we can create durable, landscape-scale conservation outcomes outside of towns.
The American Community Survey in our data tools
Find the latest American Community Survey data in all of our tools, including the Economic Profile System and Neighborhoods at Risk.
The unequal impacts of flooding
Headwaters Economics has conducted an analysis of flood and socioeconomic data to illustrate where flood risks disproportionality affect vulnerable populations.
Congressional wildfire commission lays out a new approach for wildfire policy
A new report from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission recommends transformative approaches needed to overcome the wildfire crisis.
The Outdoor Recreation Economy by State
The outdoor recreation economy is large, growing faster than the overall economy, and consists of jobs in many industries. Explore data by state.
Economic impact of national parks
Millions of national park visitors generate economic opportunities for gateway communities, spending money that creates jobs and income. See the trends for every national park service unit.
The Amenity Trap: How high-amenity communities can avoid being loved to death
Amenity communities face unique challenges from waves of tourists and new residents. Proactive planning can help avoid being loved to death.
Missing the mark: Effectiveness and funding in community wildfire risk reduction
A new analysis shows that managing the built environment is the most effective strategy at reducing wildfire risk to communities, yet it receives the least funding and policy support.
A rural capacity map
A new map helps identify communities where investments in staffing and expertise are needed to support infrastructure and climate resilience projects.
Assisting communities
Headwaters Economics works directly with communities to help them become more resilient to the threats of floods and wildfire, and to economic transition.
Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) works with communities to reduce wildfire risk through improved land use planning.
FloodWise Community Assistance provides free technical assistance to decrease flood risk and strengthen communities.
Headwaters Economics’ outdoor recreation program helps communities leverage their natural amenities to diversify their economies.
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Match requirements prevent rural and low-capacity communities from accessing climate resilience funding
Many federal grant programs require communities to provide a local match, creating barriers for rural and underserved places.
Decreasing flood risk in the Midwest with regional collaborations
A regional approach to flood risk can help communities pool resources and implement effective solutions. Five case studies offer lessons.
Building for wildfire
In this video produced by Headwaters Economics, homeowner Brodey Simkins describes the tragedy of losing his home to wildfire and his commitment to rebuilding with wildfire in mind.
The unequal impacts of wildfire
See where wildfire risk intersects social and economic factors that can make it difficult for people to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfire.
About Headwaters Economics
Headwaters Economics is an independent, nonprofit research group that works to improve community development and land management decisions.
Our Data Tools
Explore our free data tools
Headwaters Economics maintains free, easy-to-use tools to help you better understand socioeconomic data and trends. Find data from dozens of sources for thousands of places in the United States.
Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire
Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) works with communities to reduce wildfire risk through improved land use planning. The program is a program of Headwaters Economics, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service.