UALR’s economic research group launches economic development dashboard

The Arkansas Economic Development Institute (AEDI) in Little Rock has launched a new statistical dashboard that offers key demographic and economic data in one central online location.

The institute, which is housed at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), said “Arkanstats” began as an initiative of a strategic planning process in 2017 conducted for AEDI, which was looking to develop a comprehensive way to provide helpful data to state, community and industry leaders.

Jim Youngquist, executive director of UALR’s economic research group, said the new economic development dashboard meets that mission by providing a snapshot of Arkansas to the world with data such as commute times by county, available skilled labor, population density, average weekly wages, per capita personal income, home values and percentage of high school graduates.

“We are excited to bring this new tool to Arkansas, and we know it will have an immediate impact on how we do business. We will be constantly updating and expanding data offerings on the site,” said Youngquist, noting that Arkansas is one of only a handful of states with a statewide economic dashboard.

Arkansas State Chamber President and CEO Randy Zook called the online tool “accessible and usable.”

“‘Arkanstats’ is a cutting-edge tool to help economic developers and policymakers understand and communicate Arkansas’ opportunities. It will help community leaders see clearly what must be done to become more attractive and compelling for companies looking for places to invest and grow,” said Zook.

To learn more about the new AEDI portal, click here.