StimCities

How effective has the Obama economic stimulus spending been? As one informal measure, we are taking a monthly snapshot of indicators in eight cities of varying size in different parts of the country. As stimulus dollars roll out in coming months, we’ll also visit many of the cities for a firsthand report. So far, we’ve been to Elkhart and St. Cloud.

Local views: What our 40 respondents say about the economy.

StimCities
Cities Unemployment Rate
(Line is National Rate)
New Building Permits
(Year-to-date)
Jobs Gained or Lost (Net)
Survey on Local Economy
(Participants and Method)
Food Bank
(Number Served)

Atlanta
Atlanta

11.6,11.8
9.5,9.4
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11.6
Jun '09
11.8
Jul '09
 
1688.0,569.0
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1,688
Jul '08
569
Jul '09
 
-2370.0,2364.0
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-2,370
Jun '09
2,364
Jul '09
 
4.2
4.2
Out of 10
1152.0,1142.0
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1,152
Jun '09
1,142
Jul '09
 

Boston
Boston

8.7,8.9
9.5,9.4
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8.7
Jun '09
8.9
Jul '09
 
428.0,263.0
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428
Jul '08
263
Jul '09
 
2254.0,1806.0
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2,254
Jun '09
1,806
Jul '09
 
5.7
5.7
Out of 10
6891.0,7107.0
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6,891
Jun '09
7,107
Jul '09
 

Charlotte
Charlotte

10.2,10.3
9.5,9.4
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10.2
Jun '09
10.3
Jul '09
 
4380.0,1945.0
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4,380
Jul '08
1,945
Jul '09
 
-1505.0,655.0
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-1,505
Jun '09
655
Jul '09
 
5.0
5.0
Out of 10
6856.0,5863.0
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6,856
Jun '09
5,863
Jul '09
 

Elkhart
Elkhart

18.8,18.8
9.5,9.4
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18.8
Jun '09
18.8
Jul '09
 
9.0,3.0
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9
Jul '08
3
Jul '09
 
113.0,-302.0
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113
Jun '09
-302
Jul '09
 
4.7
4.7
Out of 10
2730.0,2974.0
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2,730
Jun '09
2,974
Jul '09
 

Grand_forks
Grand Forks

4.5,3.9
9.5,9.4
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4.5
Jun '09
3.9
Jul '09
 
100.0,59.0
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100
Jul '08
59
Jul '09
 
-10.0,-112.0
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-10
Jun '09
-112
Jul '09
 
6.0
6.0
Out of 10
603.0,622.0
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603
Jun '09
622
Jul '09
 

Las_vegas
Las Vegas

12.6,13.3
9.5,9.4
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12.6
Jun '09
13.3
Jul '09
 
2273.0,656.0
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2,273
Jul '08
656
Jul '09
 
-3913.0,-1816.0
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-3,913
Jun '09
-1,816
Jul '09
 
4.4
4.4
Out of 10
2257.0,2475.0
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2,257
Jun '09
2,475
Jul '09
 

Seattle
Seattle

8.2,7.7
9.5,9.4
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8.2
Jun '09
7.7
Jul '09
 
3301.0,474.0
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3,301
Jul '08
474
Jul '09
 
-2207.0,3141.0
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-2,207
Jun '09
3,141
Jul '09
 
7.2
7.2
Out of 10
2737.0,3185.0
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2,737
Jun '09
3,185
Jul '09
 

St_cloud
St. Cloud

8.3,7.7
9.5,9.4
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8.3
Jun '09
7.7
Jul '09
 
70.0,31.0
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70
Jul '08
31
Jul '09
 
-485.0,322.0
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-485
Jun '09
322
Jul '09
 
5.8
5.8
Out of 10
4794.0,5365.0
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4,794
Jun '09
5,365
Jul '09
 

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, Craigslist, ProPublica Survey, and Various Food Banks.

Credits: Sarah Slobin, Scott Klein, Jason Das, Chris Flavelle, Michael Grabell, Jennifer LaFleur, David Epstein and Jeff Larson, ProPublica, and Mary C. Curtis, Politics Daily

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StimCities is a joint project of ProPublica, the radio news program The Takeaway, and WNYC, New York’s flagship public radio station.