These are articles that rank PhD programs.  
You should look at at several of these, because there are different ways to rank programs and the rankings of a particular school can vary.

Stop by my office to pick up a copy of these and other rankings.

Generally, we advise not going too far below the top 50 programs.  
We also advise that you send to a variety of schools.  Sometimes, our students have been accepted at some pretty high ranking programs.  However, competition for the top ten programs is very intense.

Thursby, Jerry G. 
What Do We Say about Ourselves and What Does It Mean? Yet
Another Look at Economics Department Research
Journal of Economic Literature v38, n2 (June 2000): 383-404

Dusansky, Richard ; Vernon, Clayton J. 
Rankings of U.S. Economics Departments
Journal of Economic Perspectives v12, n1 (Winter 1998): 157-70