Frequently asked questions.

At REMI, we are inspired by a single goal: to inform and improve the quality of public policy decisions. That's why we are dedicated to understanding how government actions and other changes affect the world around us. Our belief is that improved knowledge and information will lead to better decisions. We work to develop and support the use of economic models that inform government and corporate decisions.

REMI was founded in 1980 on the transformative idea that government decision makers should test the economic effects of their policies before they are implemented. Our commitment to a better understanding of the economy drives our unceasing process of innovation in economic theory and practice, software development and application, and the use of quantitative economic analysis to guide policy decisions.

In environmental agencies, economists use REMI models to develop policies that maintain economic growth while improving air quality. With REMI TranSight, analysts have demonstrated the economic viability of numerous highway, port, and rail projects. When states reform their tax systems, they turn to REMI to understand how business activity can be encouraged while continuing to fund public services. Economic development organizations use REMI models to guide job creation and prioritize the allocation of tax incentives.

Economic impact analysis estimates how a change in economic activity — such as a new business locating in a community, a construction project, or a policy change — will affect the wider local or regional economy. It captures not only the direct spending, but the ripple effects that follow: indirect activity as suppliers gain business, and induced activity as workers spend their earnings. Summing these effects gives the total impact on output, employment, and income for the region being studied.

Unlike most regional economic models, REMI is a dynamic model that produces integrated multiyear forecasts and accounts for the feedbacks among economic and demographic variables over time. When a policy “shock” such as a tax change occurs, firms and households adjust their behavior in response to new price signals, and the economy moves toward a new equilibrium. Because of this, a dynamic model traces the year-by-year path of a policy’s effects rather than a single static snapshot.

A traditional input-output model is static: it relies on fixed multipliers and a linear relationship between inputs and outputs, so price changes produce no substitution effects and the results do not vary over time. A dynamic model like REMI traces the time path of impacts, is non-linear — so its implicit multipliers change from year to year — and incorporates responses to price signals, labor and capital markets, migration, and trade between regions. In short, an input-output model tells you how big an effect is, while a dynamic model also tells you how it unfolds and when.

Government analysts test the effects of a policy before it is implemented by comparing two forecasts of the same economy: a control forecast that projects the economy without the change, and an alternative forecast that incorporates the policy. The difference between the two isolates the policy’s impact on jobs, output, and income. Agencies use models like REMI to evaluate tax proposals, infrastructure projects, environmental regulations, and economic development incentives — and often pair economic impact with fiscal impact analysis to understand the effect on public budgets.

Fiscal impact analysis traces the consequences of a policy on a government’s budget — both the revenue it collects and the money it spends. Using the changes in economic activity from a model simulation, analysts estimate how sales, income, and corporate tax collections shift, alongside the induced changes in government spending. Because economic impact analysis captures only the benefits of a project and not its cost to government, fiscal impact analysis is the complementary step that shows the net effect on public finances. REMI’s Tax-PI model is built to evaluate economic and fiscal impacts together.

The REMI model is a dynamic forecasting and policy analysis tool that can be variously referred to as an econometric model, an input-output model, or a dynamic structural model. In fact, REMI integrates several modeling approaches, incorporating the strengths of each methodology while overcoming its limitations. The result is a comprehensive model that answers “what if…?” questions about your economy.

It depends on your policy question, geography, and the level of detail you need. PI+ is our most comprehensive tool for broad economic and demographic analysis; TranSight is built for transportation studies; Tax-PI for tax and revenue policy; E3+ for energy and environmental analysis; and PROSERIS is a guided, browser-based platform. Explore the full lineup on our models page, or contact us and we’ll recommend a fit.

REMI models can be built at local, county, state, regional, and national geographies, and can represent single or multiple regions so you can study how impacts move between areas. The right configuration depends on the question you’re studying.

A model run accomplishes two things: it forecasts the future of a regional economy, and it predicts the effects on that same economy when the user implements a change. The first forecast is called a control forecast. The second, which incorporates the policy changes, is called the alternative forecast or the simulation. The difference between the two represents the effect of the policy.

PROSERIS is a browser-based economic impact analysis platform built on REMI methodology. It’s designed to help users produce credible, presentation-ready results more quickly, without installing or maintaining desktop modeling software. Learn more on the PROSERIS page.

PROSERIS offers a more guided, browser-based experience focused on producing clear impact results efficiently. Traditional REMI models such as PI+ support deeper, more customizable modeling workflows for analysts who need extensive control. Both are grounded in the same underlying methodology.

PROSERIS is intended for users who need credible economic impact results but don’t have deep economic modeling experience — including analysts, planners, economic developers, and consultants who want reliable answers without a long learning curve.

No. PROSERIS is designed to be guided and accessible, so you don’t need advanced economics or programming skills to use it. The results remain grounded in REMI’s established modeling methodology.

The best way to get started is to contact us or request a demo. We’ll learn about your policy question and geography and help you find the right model and licensing arrangement.

Yes. REMI supports users with onboarding, training, and ongoing guidance so your team can apply the models confidently. The support that’s available depends on your license and project needs.

Yes. In addition to licensing our models, REMI can support custom analysis and consulting depending on the scope of your project. Contact us to discuss what you’re trying to evaluate.

For media or partnership inquiries, please reach out through our contact page or email info@remi.com, and we’ll direct your message to the right person.

You can request a demo through our contact page. Let us know your policy question and geography so we can tailor the demonstration to your needs.

It helps to include your policy question, the geography you’re studying, your timeline, any model you’re already interested in, and the kinds of outputs you need. The more context you provide, the faster we can point you in the right direction.

Yes. Existing clients can contact REMI for support. Including your model, region, and project context in your message helps us respond quickly and accurately.

REMI has offices in Amherst, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. You’ll find addresses, phone numbers, and a contact form on our contact page.