Dean Stansel

Research Associate Professor, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University

Dean Stansel is a Research Associate Professor at the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom in the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and a Senior Fellow of the Fraser Institute. Before entering academia, Stansel worked for seven years at the Cato Institute. He is the primary author of Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of North America annual report and sole author of an economic freedom index for U.S. metropolitan areas. Stansel’s academic publications have appeared in the Journal of Urban Economics, Public Finance Review, Journal of Housing Research, Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Review of Law and Economics, and Cato Journal. His op-eds have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and many other newspapers. Stansel earned his PhD and MA in economics from George Mason University and his BA in economics (with honors) and politics from Wake Forest University.

Recent Research by Dean Stansel

— Nov 9, 2023
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Economic Freedom of North America 2023

Economic Freedom of North America is an annual report which measures government spending, taxation and labour market restrictions across 50 U.S. states, 32 Mexican states, 10 Canadian provinces, and the US territory of Puerto Rico, and found that this year, for the first time, every Canadian province ranks in the bottom half of jurisdictions, with Alberta (the highest-ranking province) only being tied for 31st place out of 93 in the all-government index.

— Nov 15, 2022
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Economic Freedom of North America 2022

According to this year’s Economic Freedom of North America report, which measures government spending, taxation and labour market restrictions, every Canadian province now ranks in the bottom half of jurisdictions in our annual rankings of economic freedom.

— Nov 16, 2021
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Economic Freedom of North America 2021

According to this year’s Economic Freedom of North America report, which measures government spending, taxation and labour market restrictions, Canadian provinces once again lag behind U.S. states.