Anchor Economy Dashboard
Explore the economic impact of anchor institutions in 520 regions across the United States. The reliance index demonstrates how dependent regional economies are on these institutions and provides a measure of the national average.
Updated: April 2026
Data Explorer
How to use the Anchor Economy Dashboard Tool
Search and select a region or metric you would like to explore using the dropdowns below. Once selected, you can
compare.
Data Downloads
2024 Anchor Economy Full Data Set
Download anchor impacts data for 2024.
2019 Anchor Economy Full Data Set
Download anchor impacts data for 2019. Please see our FAQs for information on comparing anchor data across years.
2004 Anchor Economy Full Data Set
Download anchor impacts data for 2004. Please see our FAQs for information on comparing anchor data across years.
Workforce & Economic Development
Universities and hospitals, as anchor institutions, significantly contribute to local economies by providing jobs and services. But what happens in downturns? This study analyzes the economic performance of State College, PA, during three recessions.
Workforce & Economic Development
In addition to regional data, the Anchor Economy dashboard details state-level measures of the economic impact of anchor institutions. In this article, Deborah Diamond shares insights from three experts about using these data to support their work.
About the Dashboard
The Anchor Economy Dashboard answers two critical questions for regions in the U.S.
What is the economic impact of higher education institutions and hospitals (anchor institutions) on the regions they are in and how dependent are regions on anchor institutions for overall economic activity? The Anchor Economy Dashboard presents first-ever anchor impacts for the entire U.S. by region and a new “reliance index,” demonstrating how dependent regional economies are on these institutions.
The tool was updated in April 2026 to include the regional economic impacts of higher education institutions and hospitals separately so users can better understand the respective economic contributions of these institutions in their region.
Learn more about the Bank's Anchor Economy Initiative.
Suggested Citation:
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Anchor Economy Dashboard.
Accessed Apr. 23, 2026,
https://www.philadelphiafed.org/surveys-and-data/community-development-data/anchor-economy-dashboard.