— High worker productivity occurs across diverse counties and sectors but is not always connected with population growth and opportunity.
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Patricia Gude
Patty's interest in community development and equity started in the rural West and now includes communities across the country. Together with Ray Rasker, Patty founded Headwaters Economics with a compassion for people and landscapes born from a childhood of escaping from urban Miami into the wild ocean as often as possible. Patty’s favorite work is measuring socioeconomic trends and helping people understand their implications in terms of quality of life and prosperity. With a Master's degree in Ecology, Patty brings a commitment to rigorous research and a deep dedication to helping communities thrive in a changing world. When she’s not at work, Patty can be found dancing salsa and teaching Spanish.
Bureau of Land Management Socioeconomic Profiles
— Download socioeconomic reports for states and counties near Bureau of Land Management units.
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Neighborhoods at Risk
— Integrate socioeconomic and climate data to map neighborhoods at risk in selected cities.
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Open data for municipal planning (video)
— Video: Prioritizing climate resilience using Headwaters Economics tools.
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National Parks Economic Impacts
— Explore National Parks economic impacts from estimated visits, jobs, and labor income created by visitor spending in National Park Service lands.
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Montana Losing Open Space
— From 1990 to 2016, the number of single-family homes in Montana grew by 50 percent, and the popularity of large lots converted 1.3 million acres of undeveloped land to housing.
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Montana Losing Open Space: Sortable Data
— Review the different rates of home construction and loss of open space across Montana counties.
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Estimating Trail Use
— By pairing limited, local surveys with activity tracking app data, we are estimating trail use across large areas.
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Great Lakes Cities Vulnerability Assessment Tool
— Identify neighborhoods in six Great Lakes cities that meet socioeconomic vulnerability criteria.
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Patricia Gude
Which Counties Are Most Reliant on Medicaid?
— National interactive map and charts show Medicaid-dependent counties and populations at risk.
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Comparing Trends and Prosperity in Gunnison County
— Explore socioeconomic trends in Gunnison County and neighboring Colorado counties.
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Trail and Pathway Use in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
— Explore seasonal use—including the amount, type, and timing—for 25 regional trails and pathways.
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Patricia Gude
Trails Are Good for All But Not Available to All
— Trails are good for people, but the health and social benefits of trails are not equally available to everyone.
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Trail and Pathway Use in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
— Explore seasonal use—including the amount, type, and timing—for 25 regional trails and pathways
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Patricia Gude
Urban Areas Drive Economic Growth in the West
— Despite being known for its rural landscapes, the West is surprisingly urban.
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Three Wests: Access to Markets Affects Performance
— There are three distinct types of counties in the West—Metro, Connected, and Isolated—defined by their access to major markets and population centers.
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Three Wests
— Research shows there are three distinctly different types of counties in the West, defined by their access to major markets and population centers.
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Home Construction in the High Divide
— The High Divide region, recognized as one of the most intact biological areas in the lower 48 states, is attracting many new residents and home construction is changing the landscape.
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Land & Water Conservation Fund, 2011 – 2014
— Explore benefits of Land and Water Conservation Fund projects.
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Teton County Trails & Pathways Survey Shows Extensive Local Use
— Survey shows that nine out of 10 respondents use the pathways and trails in Teton County, Wyoming. Such surveys help community leaders, stakeholders, and citizens plan for the future of pathways and trails systems.
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Socioeconomics and Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region
— This interactive shows how the social and economic characteristics of the Great Lakes Region are impacted by regionally specific changes in climate. It was developed in partnership with the Great Lakes Adaptation Assessment for Cities at the University of Michigan.
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Three Wests Sortable Data
— Review the economic and demographic differences between Metro, Connected and Isolated counties.
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Long-Term Energy Development Has Negative Impacts on Western Counties
— This paper demonstrates that when fossil fuel development plays a prominent, long-term role in local western economies there are negative effects on per capita income, crime rates, and educational attainment.
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Atlas of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem
— This interactive website was created to help inform conservation goals and actions with knowledge of the geography and people in this unique region.
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Restoring the Clark Fork River
— Headwaters Economics worked with the Clark Fork Coalition, U.S. Forest Service, and others to create an interactive tool that describes many of the stories behind the ongoing recovery of the Clark Fork River.
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Oregon Home Building, Higher Temperatures Drive Price Tag Ever Higher
— This Headwaters Economics study analyzes the impact of housing and climate on the costs of fighting forest fires in National Forests of Oregon.
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Northern California, Homes, and Cost of Wildfires
— This Headwaters Economics study analyzes the impact of housing and climate on the costs of fighting forest fires in the twelve national forests of the Sierra Nevada.
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Yellowstone River Atlas
— This site documents the economic and demographic conditions of counties bordering the Yellowstone River, and displays maps showing past, current, and forecasted residential development along the river.
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High Divide Home Construction: 1900 – 2023
— Explore maps showing homes built in the High Divide from 1900 - 2013 plus a 2023 forecast.
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High Divide GIS Data
— Headwaters Economics developed historical and forecasted housing data for the High Divide based on county tax assessor records. Download GIS data showing 2013 home counts per Public Land Survey Section.
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