Blog

October 29, 2026

The Tariff Meant to Help U.S. Drugmakers Is Hitting Them, Too

A 100% tariff on imported brand-name drugs may appear to benefit American drugmakers. On September 29th, the Section 232 tariff was extended to all drugmakers, following its initial…

October 28, 2026

The Economic Impact of a 15% Increase in ACA Premiums: Assessing the $60 Million GDP Reduction

As open enrollment approaches on November 1, the focus is usually on what households will pay. But rising health insurance premiums are more than a household budget issue;…

October 19, 2026

Five Decades of Economic Impact Modeling: What IMPLAN’s First 50 Years Reveal

Consequential decisions generate effects that extend beyond their immediate objectives. For example, the establishment of a new facility influences local hiring, supplier demand, household spending, and tax revenue…

October 7, 2026

Teaching the Next Generation of Economic Modelers: Bringing IMPLAN Into Student Research

Many faculty members assume that integrating economic impact analysis into student research entails a steep learning curve for all participants. However, our recent webinar, Incorporating IMPLAN into Student…

October 7, 2026

From Data to Decisions: Communities Use IMPLAN to Tell Their Region’s Story

Each community possesses a unique economic narrative. The primary challenge lies in communicating this narrative in a manner that enables city councils, county commissioners, or legislators to make…

September 30, 2026

The Daycare Drain: How Rising Childcare Costs Ripple Through Local Economies

According to a Pew Research analysis of 2025 U.S. Census Bureau data, most American households now have two earners for the first time in history. While having two…

September 3, 2026

U.S.-Canada Tariffs: When One State Gets Hit, Who Pays for It Everywhere Else?

U.S.-Canada trade talks collapsed in late August, and a 50% tariff took effect on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods. Canada has promised to match it dollar for…

August 31, 2026

Warning: Your “IMPLAN Analysis” From a Generic AI Chatbot May Be Completely Fabricated

If you ask a general AI chatbot to “run an IMPLAN analysis” for a new policy or project, it will usually go ahead and do it. Numbers show…

August 19, 2026

Forward Linkages Cross the Border: MRIO Comes to IMPLAN’s Downstream Guides

Economic changes don’t stop at regional borders. When a tariff raises input costs, a new regulation shifts industry output, or a supplier’s price jumps, the effects don’t stay…

August 13, 2026

Grounded, Not Generated: AI Now In IMPLAN

Economic impact modeling is a valuable tool, but it can come with a learning curve. As more organizations handle economic analysis themselves, this expertise has become a hurdle,…

August 12, 2026

What Happens When America Eats Less? Measuring the Economic Ripple Effects of GLP-1 Medications

GLP-1 medications have quickly become one of the biggest disruptors in healthcare. Originally developed to treat diabetes and now widely used for weight management, these medications are changing…

August 5, 2026

You Pay More at the Pump. But That’s Just the Beginning

Every summer, drivers brace for higher prices at the pump. This year, the sting is sharper than usual. But the number on the gas station sign only tells…