Over the nearly 10 years since the end of the Great Recession, economic news has been largely positive.
Economic growth is heavily influenced by job growth, and the U.S. economy has added jobs for the last 100 consecutive months. The unemployment rate, too, has declined to levels not seen since the 1960s.
A rising tide does not necessarily raise all ships, however. While nationwide economic growth should come as welcome news to every American, many are not benefitting at the local level. In every state, there are counties that have reported slower economic growth or even shrinking GDPs.
