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America’s cities are not just surviving, they are innovating and delivering every day. Mayors remain committed to providing top-quality services to their residents. The National League of Cities’ (NLC) 13th annual State of the Cities report examines mayors’ and councilmembers’ approaches to overcoming their challenges.
From an analysis of mayoral speeches to survey data and public polling, this report reflects what is top of mind for the chief elected officials, how they are addressing their most pressing issues, remaining resilient in the face of those challenges to build thriving communities and deliver for their residents.
- Economic Development Remains a Top Priority: Local governments are focusing on job creation, supporting small businesses and fostering innovation to drive economic growth amid changing market conditions.
- Infrastructure Investment is Front and Center: Cities are prioritizing transportation infrastructure and utilities, with a focus on resilience and sustainability.
- Affordable Housing: Addressing housing supply and demand is a major concern, with mayors implementing creative solutions to increase affordable housing stock and support vulnerable populations.
While economic development, infrastructure and housing rank as the top issues for mayors, survey responses also show that budget and management, and public health and safety are also among key issues in 2026.
Economic Development and Infrastructure are the Top Mayoral Priorities in 2026
TOP MAYORAL PRIORITIES IN 2026 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESSES, BY DATA SOURCE AND PERCENTAGE (%) OF SPEECHES AND RESPONSES
Economic Development
Mayors are tackling complex economic development challenges. NLC data shows their top concerns are related to finding ways to activate their local economy and in particular raise revenue. Local leaders are expressing ongoing concerns about attracting businesses and securing federal investment. However, they are addressing these challenges with strategies focused primarily on downtown revitalization and prioritizing workforce development.
Infrastructure
For municipal officials, funding infrastructure development presents difficult challenges. With diminishing federal funds, high interest rates and inflation. Transportation stands out as the key area that local leaders are focused on. Three of the top five infrastructure priorities for respondents are transportation-related: parking lots, bridges and public transit systems.”
What Congress Needs to Hear from Local Governments
Now is a good time to reach out to your Member of Congress and their transportation staff to ensure that your communities’ transportation priorities are known. If you want to send a infrastructure support letter to Congress quickly, you can use NLC’s letter template.
Housing
While there are many issues related to housing, 75 percent of mayors identified high housing costs as a main challenge. In a close second, local leaders point out the lack of housing supply as a challenge to overcome in their communities. Mayors are implementing innovative housing solutions.
City Profiles
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is planning to invest $125 million in housing stability, with the goal of transforming its shelter system to better respond to individuals’ and families’ needs. In addition, the city will build transitional and permanent supportive housing to help people leave shelters and move into a safe, stable home.
Cary, North Carolina
Cary has developed the Healthy Homes Cary Program, which promotes safe and sanitary housing by addressing hazardous structural conditions, improving energy efficiency, enhancing accessibility for residents with disabilities and supporting aging in place.
New Haven, Conneticut
New Haven has plans to build 10,000 new units of housing over the next 10 years, with at least 30 percent of those units being affordable.
Other Priorities
Budget & Management
As community leaders, mayors understand their responsibility to navigate these challenging times through effective management of the city’s budget. Mayors and budget managers utilize a diverse range of approaches to prioritize spending on an increasingly limited budget. Fifty-eight percent of respondents use a strategic plan to primarily prioritize spending, and 54 percent allocate spending according to a breakdown of priority programs and services with performance measures.
Public Health and Safety
Public health and safetyappeared in 15 percent of mayoral speeches and was selected as a high priority by 14 percent of respondents in the mayoral survey. Public health and public safety are deeply interconnected. Just as health is more than the absence of disease, public safety is more than the absence of crime.
