In his travels for The Atlantic and Marketplace's American Futures project, Jim Fallows says the American economy in small cities and towns is doing all right.

One Michigan mother describes the year she went "from broke to badass" on her northern Michigan farm.

A factory in Michigan actually pays the state government to bring a public caseworker to the company to help its low-income workers.

A small business owner shares his take on the bankruptcy and his hopes for Detroit's future.

Detroit has filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, making it the largest city in U.S. history to do so.

The Midwest was once the industrial heartland of America — in many towns, local businesses and high schools were completely integrated into the industrial life of the region.

A fight over city jewels brews as the emergency manager of Detroit wants to appraise masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Michigan's new 'right-to-work' law goes into effect, stripping unions in the state of many protections and privileges.

“Pure Michigan” has been a popular tourism slogan. But the state is now using it to attract businesses by touting a new law that curbs union power.

Community college replaces unionized auto factories as landmarks of economic mobility in Flint, Mich.