States’ efforts to streamline government operations may sound like the federal model once led by Elon Musk, but when it comes to genuine government efficiency they’re getting a lot more done.

Utility bills are up by double-digit figures across much of the country and, increasingly, people can’t keep up. A quarter of U.S. households have been unable to pay their utility bill in full at ...

Homes in Atlanta’s Washington Park, a historically Black neighborhood built in the 1920s and ’30s when housing was segregated under land-use laws. (Photo: Jabari Simama) Fair and equitable zoning ...

AI investment is driving the economy, and states want a share. Here’s a look at where the data centers that do the work of AI are located.

Maryland’s awareness campaign and Urban Institute research offer a blueprint state leaders can use to increase uptake, helping residents keep more of what they’ve earned.

From heat-risk task forces to flood and wildfire planning, states are broadening their approaches to disaster preparedness.

As states and cities navigated crisis, reform and political change, these were the stories readers turned to most in 2025 — from emergency management and public safety to housing, transit and federal ...

Highly competitive, employer-backed pathways to bachelor’s degrees are fueling interest as U.S. leaders look to scale apprenticeships.

The latest report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows an 8.2 percent drop in roadway fatalities during the first half of 2025, the largest first-half decline since ...

Andrea Travnicek, assistant secretary of water and science, delivering a keynote address as seven Western states race to reach a deal over the future of the Colorado River. Her remarks underscored the ...

No national standard exists for how many officers departments should have per capita. That's in part due to the fact that population totals don't fully reflect demands placed on law enforcement ...