Our Services

Urbanomics supports economic development and municipal planning initiatives that help communities align policy, investment, and growth with local needs and long-term priorities. Our experience includes preparing Consolidated Plans, such as for Rockland County, NY, as well as supporting corridor studies, redevelopment planning, and capital improvement planning for regional transportation agencies including NJTPA and NYMTC. Across more than 40 comprehensive and master plans throughout the Northeast, we have worked with counties, cities, towns, and villages to develop integrated strategies grounded in detailed demographic, housing, economic, and fiscal analysis. 

Our approach combines data-driven insights with a deep understanding of public policy and community dynamics to deliver actionable recommendations. We evaluate local economic conditions, small business ecosystems, housing needs, and land use and zoning frameworks to identify opportunities for growth, investment, and improved service delivery. By integrating economic development strategies with community development priorities—such as housing maintenance, commercial revitalization, and infrastructure planning—we help municipalities implement policies and programs that are both financially sustainable and responsive to residents and businesses.

Urbanomics provides in-depth economic and demographic forecasting for major city and state agencies, including the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC). Our latest 40-year NYMTC forecast series, developed in collaboration with the NYC Department of City Planning and adopted by the region’s top transportation agencies in 2024, reflects our expertise in shaping long-term planning decisions.

We take an integrated approach, combining local industry employment forecasts with national and regional economic models, cohort-based population projections, and migration trends to align labor supply with demand.

Urbanomics specializes in developing customized, transparent forecast models tailored to specific geographic scales—from neighborhoods and school attendance zones to regional market areas. Our forecasts support long-term school facility planning, market demand assessments for key service sectors, and residential development strategies, equipping clients with the insights needed to anticipate growth and make informed policy and investment decisions.

Urbanomics provides expert analysis of the socioeconomic, fiscal, and public space impacts of proposed developments as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. Our data-driven approach, combined with local insights, helps developers, government agencies, and municipalities navigate regulatory approvals while understanding the broader economic implications of land use decisions.

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With expertise in economic and demographic forecasting, Urbanomics specializes in assessing development impacts under both current and future conditions using customized regional and local forecasts. We evaluate residential and business displacement, including effects on vulnerable populations, housing affordability, workforce stability, and at-risk industry clusters. Our economic assessments measure the fiscal and employment impacts of proposed actions, analyzing ripple effects on jobs, wages, and local business activity.

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Our fiscal analyses leverage project-specific models built on industry-standard methodologies, incorporating key assumptions informed by interviews with government service leaders.

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Urbanomics has extensive experience preparing EIS chapters for mixed-use developments and infrastructure projects in compliance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and the New York City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) technical manual. Our portfolio includes major projects such as the East Midtown Rezoning, Manhattan Public Health Lab, and North Shore BRT in Staten Island, supporting responsible growth and informed decision-making across the New York metropolitan area.

Urbanomics is up to date with the requirements of the Federal Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs for the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Urbanomics is highly proficient in evaluating the economic and fiscal impacts of policies, capital investments, and operations. Using industry-leading input-output modeling software—including IMPLAN, RIMS II, and REMI—we analyze how spending moves through the economy, measuring its ripple effects on local business revenues, GDP, jobs, and wages.

Beyond input-output modeling, we develop custom fiscal analysis models to assess municipal tax benefits, ensuring they reflect each client’s unique tax structure. Our models account for property taxes, retail sales and hotel taxes, and estimated income taxes from new residential developments. Unlike black-box models, our approach maintains transparent formulas for ease of external review. Additionally, our benefit-cost analyses (BCAs) incorporate broader impacts, such as travel-time savings, prevention of loss of life or injury, and qualitative effects on social and cultural institutions.

A key part of our approach is clear, accessible communication of study results. Since cost-benefit analyses often inform decision-making by committees who may not be versed in the subject matter or methodologies used, we present results in short, easy-to-understand memoranda or illustrative presentations. Our deliverables emphasize key findings while ensuring transparency in assumptions, data sources, and methodology.

Urbanomics partners with governments and developers to determine the most strategic and sustainable uses for development projects. Through real estate market, economic, and demographic analyses, we assess conditions, identify opportunities, and provide fact-based insights to guide decision-making.

Our market feasibility studies help define target markets, evaluate demand, and analyze competitive projects to establish the optimal scale, mix, and timing of development. By examining economic trends, demographic shifts, and consumer preferences, we ensure projects align with market realities and long-term growth potential.

A key aspect of our approach is fiscal analysis, which measures the financial implications of development for municipalities and investors. We estimate tax revenues and municipal expenditures to determine net fiscal impact while creating pro forma financial models that quantify financing costs, revenues, and capital requirements—helping establish project value and assess financial feasibility.

By integrating fiscal analysis with market feasibility, Urbanomics helps clients select the highest and best use for development, balancing financial viability, market demand, and economic impact to support successful, forward-thinking projects.

Urbanomics provides economic analysis to government agencies and nonprofit organizations, quantifying the contributions of workers and businesses across industries, from financial services and construction to health care, taxi services, higher education, and entertainment.

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In the construction sector, we collaborate with industry advocates and labor groups to assess trends in economic output, wages, government subsidies, and the geographic distribution of development projects. Our work supports the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in fair contract negotiations for Project Labor Agreements with local unions.

For the health care and higher education sectors, we have produced near-term economic forecasts of construction activity, drawing insights from industry leaders and stakeholders.

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Urbanomics’ industry studies help shape policy decisions that influence New York City’s economy. Our economic impact study of NYC’s taxi industry informed the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s decision on issuing additional taxicab medallions. Additionally, our analysis of New York City’s music industry for the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment highlighted the sector’s ecosystem and competitive standing, leading to stronger industry oversight and regulatory reforms.

Urbanomics has a 35-year history of demographic forecasting, market demand analysis, and real estate analysis.  Our expertise lies in integrating these disciplines to provide student enrollment forecasts that go beyond traditional cohort survival and trend models.

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We work closely with institutional governing bodies to identify the key factors influencing local student generation, from demographic shifts and real estate development to school competition. Using geospatial analysis and modeling tools, we project where future students are likely to live, delivering customized locational enrollment forecasts.

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Our forecasts support a range of institutional needs, from redistricting growing urban school systems to evaluating co-ed potential for parochial schools with declining enrollment. We also assist in selecting sites for new public schools and private school expansions. Whether for enrollment forecasting or facility planning, Urbanomics provides the insights your institution needs to plan for the future with confidence.

Economic Impact Analysis helps organizations measure the value of their sales, employment, operations, visitor spending, and capital investments on the local economy. By examining direct spending and how those purchases ripple through the economy as both indirect and induced effects, Urbanomics applies industry-leading input-output models to quantify the impacts of actions or events at the zip code, county, or regional level in terms of employment, value-added, and GDP.

Fiscal Impact Analysis estimates the potential tax revenues (e.g., property, sales, and corporate taxes) and public service costs associated with constructing a building, operating a facility, or providing a service. For tax-exempt organizations, fiscal contributions are often assessed through visitor spending at both the client organization and surrounding local businesses.

Our experience includes socioeconomic analysis for CEQR and SEQRA submissions, ranging from small-scale developments to large-scale rezonings, such as the East Midtown Rezoning Revisions EIS. We have also conducted FEMA-based Benefit-Cost Analyses for resiliency projects and assessed infrastructure investments through value-capture analysis.

A particular area of focus for Urbanomics is quantifying the number of public school students likely to emerge from multifamily developments. Recognizing the sensitivity of this issue, we work closely with municipalities and school districts to test Rutgers and PUMS multipliers against actual school enrollment data, ensuring a transparent and mutually beneficial impact assessment.

Urbanomics provides comprehensive housing needs assessments and market analyses to support public agencies, municipalities, and private developers in making informed, strategic housing decisions. Our experience spans HUD-mandated assessments and consolidated plans, as well as local, regional, and statewide housing studies across diverse markets—from the U.S. Virgin Islands and Fulton County, GA to municipalities such as Port Chester, NY and New Britain, CT, and statewide efforts in Connecticut and New Hampshire. We evaluate demographic trends, socioeconomic characteristics, housing supply and demand, and affordability challenges to identify gaps and opportunities within the housing market. 

Our team brings a deep understanding of federal and state housing programs, grant financing structures, and development pro formas, allowing us to bridge policy objectives with real-world implementation. We guide government agencies in shaping housing policies that are both compliant and actionable, while supporting developers in structuring financially viable projects—particularly for affordable housing supported by public subsidies. Through detailed fiscal and economic analysis, including revenue, cost, and long-term impact forecasting, we help communicate the full benefits of housing development to communities and stakeholders. By integrating market intelligence, policy expertise, and financial analysis, Urbanomics delivers data-driven strategies that advance feasible, equitable, and sustainable housing solutions.