Research | Cooper Center

Demographics
Delivering practical, policy-oriented analysis of census and demographic data.
Economics
Examining taxes, economic development, workforce data, and flood resilience.
Energy
Informing policy through research to facilitate solar development in Virginia.
Survey Research
Providing full-service survey design, data collection, and report preparation.

December 17, 2024

County-Level Personal Income Data Highlights Economic Trends in Virginia

João Ferreira

Cooper Center analysis of 2023 county-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), which provide valuable insights into the persistent economic disparities across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

December 15, 2024

Virginia Paid Family and Medical Leave Study (2024 Update)

Terry Rephann,

Emily Lien

An actuarial and policy analysis for a prospective Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

December 9, 2024

JLARC Report: Data Centers in Virginia

William Shobe,

João Ferreira,

Terry Rephann

A study commissioned by JLARC that assesses the economic and other impacts from the proliferation of data centers in Northern Virginia.

November 19, 2024

Transforming Rail in Virginia

Terry Rephann,

João Ferreira,

Andrew Mondschein,

Adam Stevenson

An economic study evaluating the economic effects of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s (VPRA) Transforming Rail in Virginia (TRV) initiative.

December 18, 2023

The Economic Impact of James Madison University

Terry Rephann

An economic analysis of JMU's impact on the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Area and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

A graph of the average carryover in parts 1 and 2.

September 13, 2023

The Effects of Seemingly Nonbinding Price Floors

William Shobe,

Neslihan Uler,

Stephen Salant

This study constructs a two-period model to show why the price of storable goods (commodities, bankable emissions permits, or currencies) may be determined by a price floor even though the price floor lies below the determined market price.

A bar chart showing the utility-scale solar facilities both operating and planned for installation in Virginia from 2016-2026.

April 4, 2023

Regional Economic Impacts of Land Conversions to Solar Production

Irene Cox,

William Shobe

The report looks at changes in Virginia’s approach to energy regulation in response to House Bill 206 and examines the causes and consequences of insufficient energy impact analyses on energy regulatory measures.

A picture of a defense building in Charlottesville.

February 6, 2023

The Defense Industry’s Economic Impact on the Charlottesville Region

Terry Rephann

This study examines the size, growth, features, and economic impacts of the defense industry on the Charlottesville Region, looking at impact on GDP, employment,, and other economic indicators.

A pie chart showing the share of livestock, dairy products, meat animals, poultry products, fruits/nuts, vegetables, and other crops that make up Virginia's agricultural output.

October 1, 2022

The Economic Impact of Agriculture and Forest Industries in Virginia

Terry Rephann

This 2022 study looks at the widespread impact of the forestry and agriculture industries on Virginia’s economy, examining shifts due to COVID and supply shifts in both industries.

A graph showing the long-run effects of commodity prices for a price floor imposed on either side of the laissez-faire price.

March 25, 2022

The Effects of ‘‘Nonbinding’’ Price Floors

William Shobe,

Stephen Salant,

Neslihan Uler

This paper explores the impact of price floors on cap-and-trade programs used to limit emissions of pollutants like CO2.

Economic Studies

Browse by Topic

County-Level Personal Income Data Highlights Economic Trends in Virginia

Virginia Paid Family and Medical Leave Study (2024 Update)

JLARC Report: Data Centers in Virginia

Transforming Rail in Virginia

The Economic Impact of James Madison University

The Effects of Seemingly Nonbinding Price Floors

Regional Economic Impacts of Land Conversions to Solar Production

The Defense Industry’s Economic Impact on the Charlottesville Region

The Economic Impact of Agriculture and Forest Industries in Virginia

The Effects of ‘‘Nonbinding’’ Price Floors

Browse by Topic