Economic Analysis Tools for Local and Regional Planning

Local economic decisions require solid data. Understanding the quantitative tools used by planners, policymakers, and community leaders is essential for effective development and resource allocation. This course transforms you from someone unfamiliar with economic planning concepts into a practitioner capable of performing foundational local economic analyses. You will be able to apply standard models to real-world data to evaluate current conditions, assess development projects, and project future growth. What you'll learn: * Understand foundational concepts like economic base theory, location quotients, and regional multipliers. * Apply shift-share analysis and input-output modeling to measure regional economic structure and change over time. * Configure cost-benefit analysis (CBA) frameworks for evaluating the viability of proposed local development projects. * Practice sourcing and processing current open demographic and economic data using standard spreadsheet techniques. * Analyze local labor market dynamics and project basic population and employment forecasts. * Evaluate the role of resilience and sustainability metrics in modern economic development planning. The course begins with core definitions and data sources, systematically introduces the major analytical tools (location quotient, shift-share, input-output), and concludes by integrating these methods into practical planning frameworks like cost-benefit analysis and forecasting. This course is designed for absolute beginners interested in urban planning, public policy, economic development, or regional studies. No prior knowledge of economics or advanced statistics is required. Start developing the quantitative skills needed to shape resilient and thriving communities.