Every six months, the NLEA’s Economic Pulse Report provides a snapshot of the regional economy — capturing the perspectives and experiences of businesses and local government leaders across Northern Michigan.

The Fall 2026 Economic Pulse Report will offer a new look at where our region stands and where we may be headed.

Here’s a preview of what the data is telling us:

79% of business leaders cited attainable housing as the top barrier to growing their business.

61% of community leaders identified workforce housing as the highest-priority type of development they would like to see in their community.

42% of business leaders said Northern Michigan is a good place to grow a business.

These numbers tell part of the story. At Catalyst Conversations: Regional Economic Outlook, we’ll take a deeper look at what the data means — and hear directly from economists and regional business leaders about what they’re seeing on the ground.

The numbers tell us where we are. The conversation can help us understand where we’re going.