Small Cities Lab
More than half of America's urban population lives in small cities—yet research, policy, and investment overwhelmingly favor big metros. Lehigh University's Small Cities Lab exists to close that gap. We partner with municipalities, nonprofits, and residents to tackle the urgent challenges facing communities under 250,000 people, building the knowledge and capacity they need to shape their own futures. Together, we're proving that small cities deserve big ideas—and a future that's obtainable, inclusive, and just.
Our booklet series offers an actionable vision for the future of small cities with insights from our partners across non-profit, government, industry, and academia.
The Small Cities Lab Co-Lab booklet series features insights across four reoccurring themes: Housing, Waterfronts, Social and Cultural Resources, and “Meds & Eds” Cities. Distilled from our first convening, these resources showcase how small cities organize and understand themselves.
What is a small city anyway?
We are often asked: “What is a small city, anyway?” While it’s tempting to start with a population range (100,000? 250,000?), we know that those numbers fail to capture the huge variety of smaller places where the majority of Americans live. These classifications also fail to reflect how these places actually operate. When that happens, the similarities and differences among small cities, their common challenges, pressures, and possibilities, get overlooked. That lack of recognition often translates into less support, less visibility, and fewer tools to tackle big issues.
Featured Project
Alley House Program
Reviving a local housing tradition to help build economic and social resilience in our community. This program offers a scalable solution to address land scarcity and increase housing stock through place-based research and community engagement.
Featured Story
Small Cities Lab Hosts Inaugural Co-Lab
Inaugural event gathered researchers and community leaders at Lehigh’s Mountaintop campus.
