Programs that rely on federal subsidies eventually collapse—or hollow out in slow motion. That doesn’t mean we should fight harder to protect those subsidies. It means we should build towns that don’t need them.

“The real story of Marion isn’t about decline—it’s about response.”

The Growth Ponzi Scheme encourages city governments to take on obligations they can never hope to sustain. Purcellville, Virginia, offers a stark example of where this path leads.

Conventional thought would tell us that the new commercial developments in a city should be the most productive compared to the older buildings downtown, but that’s not necessarily the case.

This year, official inflation is up 2.6% while the Christmas Cookie Inflation Index rose by 6.2%. What does that mean?

Brainerd, Minnesota’s newest addition isn't exactly cause for celebration.

Are urban areas really more financially sustainable than suburbs? Do urban areas inherently have higher infrastructure costs? Here's what Strong Towns actually says about the Suburban Experiment and infrastructure spending.

Santa Clara, CA, might be one of the wealthiest cities in the country, but it still has the same financial struggles as places like Houston.

Houston’s fiscal problems are less critical than other major cities with large budget shortfalls—yet, their mayor is correct when he said his city is broke, that the financial approach of the city is clearly not working. Here’s why.

"I have long believed that Americans are being gaslit when it comes to inflation, that official statistics understate the inflation we all experience."

Rent control is best viewed as a short-term protection against being priced out of one’s own home, not a scalable affordability policy.

I was asked how much the typical suburban development is costing this Tennessee city. Here’s what I found.

Stadium promises are seductive, but can they unlock real value in the heart of a struggling urban district?

"Cities can be so wonderful for so many people. Let’s not screw this up."

In 2019, my basket of cookie baking ingredients cost $49.94. In 2022, that same basket costs $64.48.

This new interactive map shows homeowners how their home assessment compares to other properties nearby—and has exposed that many homes of similar value are being overassessed.

Stunning new data analysis on the homes lost to tax forfeiture in Detroit shows that, in just a three-year span, $300 million in real estate transferred from homeowners living in Detroit to outside owners.

Property taxes represent the largest source of revenue for most local governments, and data shows that even unglamorous downtown areas offer more value as taxable properties than big box stores.

“Who is the first, or next, person, business, or entity that is going to come in and make something of this place? What does that wave of succession look like? And are we allowing that action to occur?”

Strong Towns interviews Dr. Christopher Berry, of the University of Chicago, on how we can begin making meaningful changes to the U.S.’s broken property tax system.

The process for appealing your property taxes can be obscure, even when the appeal is merited (and more often than not, it is). This simple guide will help prepare you for when your property is next assessed.