Indiana Business Research Center

06/02/2026

The latest release of the Brave-Butters-Kelley Indexes (BBKI) has the coincident indicator at 0.0 for April, a modest uptick from our March estimate. This suggests the economy has continued to progress near trend despite the elevated degree of uncertainty: https://www.ibrc.indiana.edu/bbki/

The BBKI is a barometer of where the economy is and where it might be heading in the future.

05/21/2026

For many Hoosiers, the housing market has become unaffordable and new construction isn't solving the problem. Read about the housing affordability issue and its causes in the latest IBR.

Based on the $310,000 price for existing homes, approximately 39% of households in the Indianapolis MSA cannot afford the median existing home price.

05/19/2026

The Indiana Business Review recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. Celebrate with us and enjoy a look at the history of the IBRC's flagship publication.

Through economic recessions and expansions, population booms and busts, the Indiana Business Review is a Hoosier historic record.

05/11/2026

During the pandemic, non-COVID deaths in Indiana saw increases in nearly every death category, ranging from homicide to motor vehicle accidents. Has the state recovered from these increases? Find out in this issue of InContext.

Though much of the pandemic-era discussion on mortality centered on COVID-related deaths, there were also spikes in most other non-COVID causes of death, including causes seemingly unrelated to the virus.

05/08/2026

Most Indiana counties lost working-age population (ages 18-64) over the last 15 years. See how your county and READI region fared in the latest issue of InContext.

Of Indiana’s 92 counties, 20 gained working-age population (ages 18-64) and 45 gained prime working-age population (ages 25-44) between 2010 and 2024.

05/05/2026

The latest release of the Brave-Butters-Kelley Indexes (BBKI) has the coincident indicator at -0.2 for March, a slight downtick from our estimate for February of 0.1. The slight decrease in the March read in part reflects a decline in industrial production, a slowdown in the growth of real personal consumption expenditures, and a decrease in the labor force participation rate

The BBKI is a barometer of where the economy is and where it might be heading in the future.

05/01/2026

Inside the Kelley Real Estate Outlook: Proximity to natural amenities (particularly lakes, trails, parks, and streams) has a measurable and often substantial impact on home values in Indiana: https://www.ibrc.indiana.edu/realestateoutlook/2026/spring/index.html

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

04/30/2026

While there is some truth to the idea that house turnover by baby boomers will release housing supply and ease affordability pressures, the effect will vary a lot across cities. Check out the Spring issue of the Kelley Real Estate Outlook for more: https://www.ibrc.indiana.edu/realestateoutlook/2026/spring/index.html

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

Explore how natural amenities impact residential pricing, plus the impact of baby boomer downsizing on affordability.

04/13/2026

How is AI affecting the labor force, unemployment and job postings in Indiana? Check out David Waldron's new dashboard and article in InContext to find out.

Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, there has been little movement in the proportion of workers employed in AI-exposed occupations.

04/13/2026

Today's BBKI release shows the coincident indicator at 0.1 for February, an improvement from the 0.0 estimate for January. https://www.ibrc.indiana.edu/bbki/

The BBKI is a barometer of where the economy is and where it might be heading in the future.