Economic Studies | Cooper Center

March 4, 2026

Virginia economy to slow in 2026, U.Va. experts forecast

Weldon Cooper forecast projects Virginia GDP slowing in 2026, unemployment rising and housing prices dipping before rebounding in 2027.

Virginia Business Magazine

March 3, 2026

Northern Virginia’s slowdown weighs on state economy

Virginia’s economy faces another slowdown and the loss of more jobs, Cooper Center researchers said, and Northern Virginia could once again play an outsized role in the downturn.

WTOP-Washington, D.C.

February 27, 2026

Virginia's Economic Forecast, February 2026

João Ferreira,

Matthew Scheffel,

Terry Rephann

A quarterly economic forecast for the Commonwealth of Virginia, created by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

February 8, 2026

Data center costs a burden to taxpayers

Op-Ed relying on Cooper Center research on data centers in Ohio.

Akron Beacon Journal

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December 25, 2025

Data centers raise electricity prices, economists warn. Will you see it in your bill?

Proposals to build data centers are cropping up all over Michigan; Cooper Center econ team weighs in on the impacts.

Oakland Press

January 14, 2026

The Economic Contribution of the Dairy Industry in Virginia

Matthew Scheffel

This report examines in detail the characteristics of Virginia’s dairy industry and the contributions that the industry makes to the state economy.

January 13, 2026

Madison pauses data center approvals for one year

The Madison Common Council voted Tuesday to pause approving land use for new data centers, citing Cooper Center research.

WMTV 15 News

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January 7, 2026

Report highlights the economic impact of UVA across Virginia

A report out of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service highlights the multibillion-dollar economic impact of the university across the state.

NBC29

January 13, 2026

Cooper Center Releases Comprehensive Findings on Data Centers in the Great Lakes Region

Press release regarding Cooper Center work on data centers in the Great Lakes region.

January 13, 2026

Economic, Fiscal and Energy-related Impacts of Data Centers in the Great Lakes Region

João Ferreira,

William Shobe,

Terry Rephann,

Matthew Scheffel

A white paper regarding data centers and their economic and energy impacts in the Great Lakes region, carried out by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service and supported by the Joyce Foundation.