The American Communities Project (ACP) is a research and reporting initiative that examines how cultural, socioeconomic, and political changes are reshaping the United States at the local level. It organizes its work around 15 types of counties, including Big Cities, College Towns, Exurbs, Rural Middle America, and Native American Lands, helping readers compare communities with different characteristics and experiences. The project combines data analysis with reporting to explore issues and developments across these places.

Its website features a map and community profiles, a storybank of articles on topics such as elections, culture, and the economy, and country reports. The ACP also provides a methodology section, a data clearinghouse, and “Listening to the Nation,” supporting further exploration of its research. A featured initiative is a 30-month study of deaths of despair across the 15 community types.

Through these resources, the project offers journalists, researchers, and the public a structured way to understand differences among American communities and the forces influencing them