2026 Trend Report for Planners

A rigorous methodology underpins the creation of the Trend Report. The foresight team conducts ongoing horizon scanning and signals sensing throughout the year, collecting hundreds of inputs from a wide range of sources—such as academic research, industry reports, and real-world observations. The APA’s Trend Scouting community then refines and combines these inputs. This group meets regularly to talk about and confirm insights on important planning issues. This collaborative process ensures the report reflects emerging issues, technological advancements, societal shifts, and the impacts of policy changes, capturing the complexity of the planning profession.

Designed as a practical tool, the Trend Report encourages planners to engage actively with its findings. One of its key features is the use of a two-by-two matrix to map trends, helping readers focus on those that are both highly certain and potentially high-impact. This approach streamlines decision-making and enables planners to prioritize their actions based on relevance and urgency within their local context. The report categorizes trends into three distinct timeframes:

• Act Now: Trends already influencing planning and requiring immediate response. These are developments that demand prompt attention and adaptation to ensure effective outcomes.
• Prepare: Trends with emerging outcomes, where the best course of action remains uncertain. Planners should monitor these trends closely and develop flexible strategies to address potential changes.
• Learn and Watch: Early signals that may or may not develop into significant trends. These are areas where planners should stay informed and be ready to react if the signals evolve into more substantial impacts.

This structured framework allows planners to tailor their responses according to the significance and immediacy of each trend, ensuring that strategic initiatives are both relevant and timely.

The Trend Report goes beyond tracking trends by providing scenario planning tools. These tools use paired trends and critical uncertainties to create possible future scenarios, enabling planners to envision a range of outcomes and prepare for diverse possibilities. The 2026 edition features three scenario matrices, each representing distinct timeframes and thematic areas. This helps planners analyze how combinations of trends might interact and what implications they could have for communities, infrastructure, and policy.

• Deep Dives: These are thorough analyses of complex topics—such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and urban development—that bring together multiple trends under one theme. Deep dives allow planners to explore the nuances, potential uses, and drawbacks of these subjects, offering a richer understanding of their implications.
• Trend Talks: The report includes interviews with professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including students, scientists, and organizational leaders like the APA president. Trend Talks provide fresh, diverse perspectives on planning topics, particularly those undergoing rapid change or development, and help planners see issues from angles they may not have previously considered.

With five years of documented trends, the Trend Universe—APA’s searchable online database—serves as a dynamic repository for planners to track how trends have changed over time. The database describes and tags past trends, making it easy for users to search for specific issues and monitor how they evolve. It is updated biannually, reflecting both new developments within existing trends and newly identified trends from each report. By visiting the Trend Universe, planners can see the trajectory of planning trends and stay informed about emerging issues.

The Trend Report is designed for active engagement, not just passive reading. Its practical applications extend beyond the planning profession, providing helpful suggestions for nonprofit leaders, educators, researchers, and anyone involved in strategic planning. The report can guide strategic initiatives, inform academic curricula, and inspire innovative approaches to problem-solving in the workplace and beyond.

We encourage APA California — Northern members and other stakeholders to utilize the Trend Report to foster creative thinking and strategic decision-making. The report’s tools and analyses are accessible to professionals across the planning spectrum, helping them develop solutions to complex challenges and adapt to an ever-changing environment. To stay updated on upcoming webinars, trainings, and additional resources, members can visit APA’s foresight page, which provides announcements and opportunities for further learning and engagement.

Join the APA foresight team as they dive into the key trends and signals influencing 2026. The latest Trend Report for Planners highlights more than 100 important developments grouped into three practical timeframes: Act Now, Prepare, and Learn & Watch.

In this recorded video, APA discusses the most notable trends and patterns, giving you the tools to overcome challenges and play a leading role in building a brighter future for our field and communities. Gain the insights planners need to face uncertainty and help create strong, successful communities!