Research Report Topics

Potomac Yard Entertainment District

Potomac Yard Entertainment District and Economic Development: An Overview, January 2024

Housing and the Potomac Yard Entertainment District: An Assessment of Impacts and Benefits, January 2024


WMATA and the DC Region

Paper 1: Regional Economic Scenarios

Paper 2: WMATA Compact Area Sector-By-Sector Travel Typologies, Recovery Strengths and Likelihoods

Paper 3: Long-Term Considerations

MetroAccess: A Study for a Sustainable Regional Approach to Specialized Transportation Prepared for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

More Here


Regional Development

What’s Working in Washington – Ep 503 – Data Tells A Story – Terry Clower, January 2024

GO Virginia Region 7 Growth and Diversification Plan, August 2017

GO Virginia Region 5 Growth and Diversification Plan, August 2017

Fortune 500 Companies in the Washington Metro Area, July 2015

Improving the Washington Region’s Global Competitiveness, November 2014

Solving Regional Problems in the National Capital Region Without Regional Government: Who Will Lead? November 2014

Northern Virginia Drives D.C. Area’s Economic Engine, NOVA Exec Magazine, Summer 2011

Forecasts for the Reston-Dulles Rail Corridor and Route 28 Corridor: 2010 to 2050
Prepared for the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning, July 2010

The Washington Metropolitan Area 2030 Economic Outlook: Standard Forecast Prepared for the 2030 Group, April 2010

The Future of the Washington Area Economy: Alternative Forecast, Employment and Housing Implications
Prepared for the 2030 Group, April 2010

Megatrends: The Potential Effect on Growth Patterns in Greater Washington
Prepared for the 2030 Group, April 2010

The Future of the Washington Metropolitan Area Economy: Alternative Growth Scenarios and Their Regional Implications
Prepared for the 2030 Group, April 2010

Forecasts for Tysons Corner to 2050
Prepared for the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning 2008


Economic and Fiscal Policy

CRA Working Paper 2014-03: Real Property Assessment Trends in the Washington Region 2005-2014, December 2014

Economic Impact of George Mason University, October 2013

Economic Impact of Sequestration Budget Cuts to DOD and Non-DOD Agencies as Modified by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, March 2013

Coles Hill Uranium Report, September 2012

Potential Economic Impacts of Renewable Energy in Virginia, Dec 2011

Testimony of Stephen Fuller to the United States Congress, House Armed Services Committee, Oct 2011

The Impact of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area on the Economies of the Washington Metropolitan Area and District of Columbia
Prepared for The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, May 2011

The Impact of Howard University on the District of Columbia Economy
Prepared for The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, May 2011

The Impact of American University on the District of Columbia Economy
Prepared for The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, May 2011

Impact of PPTA Mega Projects on the Virginia Economy, February 2011

The Fiscal and Economic Impacts of Stafford County’s Proposed 2008 and 2010 Comprehensive Plans: Final Report
Prepared for the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, October 2010

The Economic Impact of the CAA Men’s Basketball Championship at Alternative Sites
Prepared in collaboration with PUBP 602: Regional Economic Development Policy, 2009

The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of DoD Spending on the Commonwealth of Virginia
Prepared for the Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority, 2009

The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of CAPCO-Funded Companies on the District of Columbia, 2009

The Impact of Construction Outlays for the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes on the Economies of Fairfax County, the Washington Metropolitan Area and the Commonwealth of Virginia
Prepared for Capital Beltway Express, LLC 2009

The Economic Impact of the University of Mary Washington
Prepared for the University of Mary Washington 2008

Federal Procurement Spending and Its Impact on the Washington Area Economy in 2006 and Beyond, 2006

The Potential Impact of DoD Agency Relocation on the Northern Virginia and Statewide Economies
Prepared for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission 2005

Economic Impact of GMU on the Northern Virginia Economy, 2005

The Potential Economic Impact of a Hotel Workers Strike on The District of Columbia
Prepared for The District of Columbia, Department of Employment Services 2005

The Impact of The Crushed Stone and Sand and Gravel Industry on the U.S. Economy, 2004

The Economic Impacts of a Major Terrorist Attack on the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area
Prepared for the Greater Washington Board of Trade 2004

The Fiscal and Economic Impact of Deferred Residential and Non-Residential Land Uses Due to The Building Permit and Water Moratorium in The City of Frederick, Maryland 2001-2003
Prepared for the Land Use Council of The Frederick County Builders Association Frederick, Maryland 2004

The Economic and Fiscal Impact of The Proposed Corcoran Gallery Expansion on the District of Columbia
Prepared for the Corcoran Gallery of Art 2004

The Truth about The Fiscal Impacts of Residential Development in Loudoun County, Virginia
Prepared for Citizens For Property Rights 2003


Federal Spending

The Economic Impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011 on DOD & non-DOD Agencies, July 2012

The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of DoD Spending on the Commonwealth of Virginia Prepared for the Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority, 2009

Federal Procurement Spending and Its Impact on the Washington Area Economy in 2006 and Beyond, 2006

Federal Procurement Spending In The Washington Area, 2005

Federal Procurement Spending in The Washington Area, 2004

Federal Spending, Especially Security, Kept the Washington Economy Growing in 2002
Brookings Greater Washington Research Program 2003


Housing

What’s Working in Washington – Ep 503 – Data Tells A Story – Terry Clower, January 2024

The Impact of Prohibiting Pocket-Listings on the NVAR Region, April 2020

Loudoun County Housing Needs Assessment, 2015-2040, February 2016

Economic Impact of Virginia’s Housing Industry (Full Report), August 2016

Economic Impact of Virginia’s Housing Industry (Executive Summary), August 2016

Economic Impact of Virginia’s Housing Industry (Infographic), August 2016

The Region’s Future Housing Needs: 2023, June 2015

Cognitive Dissonance and the Future of the Washington, D.C. Rental Market, May 2015

Accessing Opportunity: Housing Choice Vouchers and Affordable Housing in the Washington, DC Region, June 2014

Working Overtime: Long Commutes and Rent-burden in the Washington Metropolitan Region, May 2014

Multifamily Housing in the Washington, DC Region: Demand and Supply Trends, January 2014

Housing the Region’s Future Workforce, 2012-2032, December 2013

Impact of Local Regulatory Processes and Fees on Ability to Deliver New Housing In Fairfax County VA, September 2012

Impact of Local Regulatory Processes and Fees on Ability to Deliver New Housing In Montgomery County MD, July 2012

Housing the Region’s Future Workforce: Policy Challenges for Local Jurisdictions, Oct 2011

The Northern Virginia Housing Market…Like No Other, NOVA Exec Magazine, Summer 2011

Examining the Impact of Mixed Use/Mixed Income Housing Developments in the Richmond Region Prepared for the Partnership for Housing Affordability April 2010

Need for Affordable/Workforce Housing in Fairfax County Prepared for the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development

Policies and Programs to Preserve Affordable Housing: A Review of Incentives and Recommendations for Northern Virginia Prepared for the Alliance for Housing Solutions 2006


Transportation

Reflections on the National Capital Region: Transportation for the Past Half-Century, February 2014

CRA Working Paper 2014-01: Potential Impact of the Panama Canal Expansion on the Port of Virginia, February 2014

CRA Working Paper 2013-11: Trends and Outlook for Transit Commuting in the Washington Metropolitan Area, December 2013

CRA Working Paper 2013-08: Outlook for the I-95 Corridor in Fairfax and Prince William Counties, November 2013

CRA Working Paper 2013-06: An Assessment of Factors Affecting Air Cargo Operations at Washington Dulles International Airport, September 2013

CRA Working Paper 2013-05: Beyond the Legion Bridge: An Evaluation of the Transportation Connections between Montgomery and Fairfax Counties, June 2013

Connecting Transportation Investment and the Economy in Metropolitan Washington, October 2012

The Impact of Metrorail on Loudoun County’s Economic Future, May 2012

Impact of PPTA Mega Projects on the Virginia Economy, February 2011

The Impact of Construction Outlays for the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes on the Economies of Fairfax County, the Washington Metropolitan Area and the Commonwealth of Virginia
Prepared for Capital Beltway Express, LLC 2009

2006 Commuter Labor Study Fredericksburg Region
Prepared for the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance 2006


Roadmap for the Region’s Future Economy

Final Reports

Progress Reports to Sponsors


Migration/Mobility

What’s Working in Washington – Ep 503 – Data Tells A Story – Terry Clower, January 2024

CRA Working Paper 2013-10: Understanding of the Immigration Flow and Stock in Washington Metropolitan Area: Observations from Panel Data, December 2013

CRA Working Paper No. 2013-03: Generational Perspectives on Residential Mobility: Implications for Housing Demand, May 2013

CRA Working Paper No. 2012-01: Domestic Migration To And From The Washington DC Metropolitan Area 1985-2010, July 2012

Domestic Migration To and From the Washington DC Metropolitan Area: 1985 2007
CRA Research Paper, April 2010


Census, BEA and BLS

GDP in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, 2016, September 2017

Population Growth in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, 2015-2016, March 2017

Average Wage in the Washington Metro Area: 2014, June 2015

Population Growth in the Washington Metro Area, 2013-2014, March 2015

Per Capita Personal Income in the Washington Metro Area, 2013, November 2014

Median Earnings in the Washington Metro Area, 2009 and 2013, September 2014

Gross Regional Product in the Washington Metro Area, 2001-2013, September 2014

Real Per Capita Personal Income in the Washington Metro Area and 15 Largest Employment Metros, 2008-2012, May 2014

Population Growth in the Washington Metro Area, 2012-2013, April 2014

Characteristics of Population Change and Migration in the Washington Metro Area, November 2013

Demographic and School Enrollment Change, 2007-2012, Update from the American Community Survey, October 2013

Poverty in the Washington Metro Area, Update from the American Community Survey, September 2013

Workers per Household in the Washington Metro Area, Update from the American Community Survey, August 2013

Concentration of Boomer Homeowners in the Washington Metro Area, CRA Census Report Series, August 2013

Worker Flows in the Washington Metropolitan Area, 1990-2010, Update from the American Community Survey, May 2013

Housing Affordability in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, Update from the American Community Survey, April 2013

Commuting Behaviors in the DC Metropolitan Area, CRA Census Report Series, August 2012

Telecommuting in the DC Metropolitan Area, CRA Census Report Series, June 2012

The Washington DC Metropolitan Area Rental Market, CRA Census Report Series, March 2012

The Foreign-Born Population in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, CRA Census Report Series, January 2012

Poverty in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, CRA Census Report Series, November 2011

Commute Times in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, CRA Census Report Series, June 2011

ACS Estimates and Sources of Error, CRA Census Report Series, May 2011

Population Change in the Washington Metro Area, CRA Census Report Series, April 2011

Population Change in the District of Columbia, CRA Census Report Series, April 2011

Population Change in Northern Virginia, CRA Census Report Series, April 2011

Population Change in Suburban Maryland, CRA Census Report Series, April 2011

Educational Attainment in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, CRA Census Report Series, February 2011

The Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area Passes 8 Million in Population, 2005



Industry Studies

The Economic Impacts of the U.S. Pet Industry, 2015, February 2017

The Economic Impacts of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, November 2015

The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of CAPCO-Funded Companies on the District of Columbia, 2009

Survey of Construction/Development Industry Firms in the Washington Region Regarding the Economic Downturn, 2009

The Impact of the Crushed Stone and Sand and Gravel Industry on the U.S. Economy, 2004

Documenting the Economic Contribution of Office, Industrial, and Retail Real Estate to The Local Community
Prepared for the National Association of Office and The Industrial Properties Research Foundation 2004

The Impact of Biomedical Research Funding on Local Economies
Prepared for the Office of Science Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2003


Local Economies

Dulles Region Data Book
Prepared for the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, August 2010

DC State of Business, 2009

The Fairfax City Economy: Its Current Performance and Near-Term Outlook, 2009

2006 Commuter Labor Study Fredericksburg Region
Prepared for the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance 2006

The Evolution and Future Structure of the Fairfax County Economy, 2005

“Big Picture” Economic Development Study of Falls Church, 2005

The Employment Sectors of Washington DC and The Downtown Business Improvement District, 2004

Targeted Industry Study for Charles County, Maryland, 2004

The Evolution and Future Structure of the Fairfax County Economy, 2004

The Fiscal and Economic Impact of Deferred Residential and Non-Residential Land Uses Due to The Building Permit and Water Moratorium in The City of Frederick, Maryland 2001-2003
Prepared for the Land Use Council of The Frederick County Builders Association Frederick, Maryland 2004

Manassas Park City Economy: Its Recent Trends and Near-Term Outlook
Prepared for the City of Manassas Park, Office of the City Manager 2003

Loudoun County Finances: What Happened to the General Fund Balance and Why?
Prepared for Citizens For Property Rights 2003

Loudoun County’s Economy Since 2000: The Impact of Slower Growth

Prepared for Citizens For Property Rights 2003

The Truth about The Fiscal Impacts of Residential Development in Loudoun County, Virginia
Prepared for Citizens For Property Rights 2003


Workforce

Career pathways for middle-skill jobs in the Greater Washington region’s leading industry clusters, March 2017

Assessing Alexandria and Arlington’s Regional Labor Market, March 2017

CRA Working Paper 2014-02: A Profile of Higher Educational Institutions in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, May 2014

CRA Working Paper 2013-09: Female Labor Force Participation Trends in the Core of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, November 2013

CRA Working Paper 2013-07: The Lower-Wage Recovery in the Higher-Wage Economy of the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, October 2013

CRA Working Paper 2013-04: The Changing Labor Force and Sectoral Structure of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Economy, May 2013

CRA Working Paper No. 2013-02: New Trends in the Distribution and Characteristics of the Federal Workforce in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, March 2013

CRA Working Paper No. 2013-01: International and Foreign-Born Students in Higher Education in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, February 2013

Workforce Trends In and Occupational Forecasts For Northern Virginia, 2010-2020,
Prepared for The Northern Virginia Community College and The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, June 2011

2006 Commuter Labor Study Fredericksburg Region
Prepared for the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance 2006


Improving the Region’s Global Competitiveness

For more than 200 years the Washington DC Metropolitan Area has enjoyed economic growth and prosperity, due in large measure to the evolution of the federal government’s role in the region. Reductions to the federal workforce and contracting activity have been doing harm to the region’s economy in recent years. With further federal reductions anticipated in the next several years the Washington region faces a new imperative: the private sector must take the lead in driving economic growth. This will require the region to focus its attention on improving its competitive position in the global economy, something it has not had to do in the past. A 2013 Brookings Institution study called, “The 10 Traits of Globally Fluent Metro Areas,” examined the characteristics of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and determined commonalities among successful regions.

The George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis (CRA) has completed a detailed research study that evaluates the region’s status relative to Brookings’ “10 Traits,” documents the region’s strengths, weaknesses, and uncertainties regarding its global competitiveness, and puts forth “Agenda for Global Fluency” for the Washington region. The report may be downloaded below, along with an Executive Summary and appendices.

Improving the Washington Region’s Global Competitiveness, Full Report (90 pages)

Improving the Washington Region’s Global Competitiveness, Executive Summary

Appendix A: Global Competitiveness Case Studies

Appendix B: Benchmark Indicators for Top 20 Metro Areas


Housing Needs

CRA has produced forecasts of housing demand, for both workers and non-workers, by Area Median Income, housing type and tenure and jurisdiction for 2023:
The Greater Washington’s Future Housing Needs: 2023, June 2015

CRA has also produced detailed forecasts on the housing needed to accommodate the region’s future workers by jurisdiction:
Housing the Region’s Future Workforce, 2012-2032, December 2013
Housing the Region’s Future Workforce: Policy Challenges for Local Jurisdictions, October 2011