HUD has published a series of reports and datasets that highlight characteristics of and changes within American cities and metropolitan areas.

Reports:

• State of the Nation’s Cities – America’s Changing Urban Life (1996)
• The State of the Cities (1997)
• The State of the Cities (1998)
• The State of the Cities (1999)

Datasets:

• State of the Cities Data Systems (SOCDS) Building Permits: This database contains data on permits for residential construction issued by nearly 20,000 jurisdictions collected in the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey. This dataset is actively updated by PD&R.
• Other State of the Cities Data Systems: These datasets are no longer updated but are available online.