Are There Enough Reporters Covering Your Community?
The 2026 national study finds the shortage of local journalists persists, and that a widening collapse in coverage has left more than 209 million people in communities where essential local reporting has all but disappeared.
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The research maps the footprint of local journalistic capacity nationwide, revealing that about 70% of U.S. counties fall below the national average, a stark illustration of how thinly stretched local journalism has become.
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Key Takeaways
In 2002: The nation had about 40 journalists per 100,000 residents.
Now: The U.S. has lost roughly 81% of its local journalists, with a national average of 7.8 Local Journalist Equivalents (LJEs) per 100,000 residents.
From January through March 2026, nearly 77% of counties produced no local education coverage and 76% had none on health, leaving many communities without essential civic information.
States with fewer local journalists pay 17% more for their municipal borrowing, a clear sign that weakened local news carries real financial costs.
States with fewer local journalists have lower rates of civic engagement and higher rates of loneliness.