The $2 trillion growth opportunity hiding in small cities

The 20 states in the middle of the country have 62% of the 538 micropolitans in the United States, according to the report.

Shrinking the investment gap so the region’s share of the GDP matches its share of the population could lead to that $2 trillion bump, the report states.

For example, Ottumwa, Iowa, brought together “public, philanthropic, employer and private capital around existing assets to support continued reinvestment,” the report states.

The guide calls on cities to use a shared set of data, market information and evidence as the basis for determining their best options for attracting investment in support of economic growth.

It also provides a checklist with questions designed to get cities to dig into those three areas of economic foundation, infrastructure and community context.