150 years of the geography of innovation

Innovation has long been seen as central to long-term regional growth. Due the absence of comprehensive data on geography innovation covering time periods, quantifying innovation-development linkages challenging. We use newly available patent from United States coded consistent geographies over 150 years document changing patterns in innovation. Our analysis reveals three findings. First, high levels spatial concentration today are similar those decades after Civil War. Second, changes share top 1% locations’ drive national trends 1945. Third, leadership displays persistence, but strength persistence appears have fallen time. relate our recent findings literature and suggest promising avenues for future inquiry.