Regional Matters

Results from a recent national Fed survey show that community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and the communities they serve are facing less severe disruptions than last year. Still, staffing and other challenges are preventing CDFIs from fully meeting growing demand for their products and services.

Hispanic postsecondary enrollment has nearly doubled in the Fifth District over the past decade, contributing to increased diversity across college campuses. Organizations work to engage Hispanic youth throughout the college application and attendance process to ensure their success as college students.

While more than a third of businesses expect to expand their workforce in the coming year, some firms have started to reduce headcount by not replacing outgoing workers. Most businesses would take that approach, or keep employment steady, if demand softened in the near future.

Our Fifth District business surveys indicate that firms are paying more attention to inflation as they make price- and wage-setting decisions. But businesses also expect own-price growth and inflation to moderate in the near future.

After accounting for cost of living, teachers' salaries go further in some rural communities throughout the Fifth District.

Where people work relative to where they live is a good indicator of how connected counties are to one another. This post explores the extent to which urban and rural counties in the Fifth District are connected by exploring commuting patterns.

The Recompete Pilot Program intends to boost economic competitiveness in selected underperforming areas by dispersing grants to fund proposed infrastructure, workforce, and business development activities.

Over the past year, firms have had difficulty finding workers. Recent evidence from Fifth District business surveys indicates the difficulty is shifting from lower- to higher-skilled hires.

With assistance programs winding down, evictions are on the rise but have not surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Labor force participation in Maryland and Virginia is down considerably compared to 2019, but different age and gender groups have fallen out of the labor force in the two states.

The newly established Affordable Connectivity Program subsidizes broadband subscription for low-income households. It may better reach targeted households by learning from other federal benefit programs.

The Richmond Fed's Survey of Community College Outcomes presents a new way to measure success that includes previously underrepresented cohorts of students, including those receiving Pell grants.

Supply chain disruptions and fluctuating input costs are improving for some Fifth District firms, but the threat of a recession looms large according to August's surveys of businesses.

We're building our data products to help data users and local and state leaders gain quick insight into geographic differences across a range of indicators.

In a world where employers are struggling to find workers, facilitating meaningful work and competitive pay for previously incarcerated individuals could improve economic outcomes both for the individuals and their communities.

Fifth District firms recently reported being able to better meet customer demand. A cooling economy may be part of the story.

The New River Valley Regional Commission is an example of how a regional development organization can galvanize innovative, sustainable regional and local housing strategies to serve its small towns and rural communities.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, have people moved away from urban cores in favor of more rural areas?

This new system for measuring community college outcomes better reflects how the institutions are serving their students and communities than current data collection methods.

Housing and transportation represent the two largest living expenses in most households, but local investment can address households' travel needs.

Although U.S. employment in manufacturing has decreased since the 1980s, the industry has become a vital employer in rural areas, where it pays above-average wages.

Small businesses remained challenged throughout 2021 and those that sought financing to bridge funding gaps experienced a higher rate of denials than before the pandemic.

In our March business survey, we found that firms continue to struggle finding workers across skill levels, particularly in the low- to mid-skill range.

Revised historical monthly employment and unemployment data provide new clarity on the track of labor market recovery in Fifth District states.

Intermediary organizations, including anchor institutions, rural development hubs, and collective impact backbone organizations, play an important role in rural capacity building.

Congress allocated $65 billion for broadband in the IIJA, but bridging the digital divide will require cooperation among federal, state and local actors.

Fifth District firms report that two years into the pandemic, they still cannot provide enough goods and services to completely meet customer demand.

The GoodCare Program in Virginia helps aspiring workers complete career pathways in health care, addressing workforce shortages in a sector essential to equitable pandemic recovery.

The Fed's Community Impact Survey reveals COVID-19 disruptions to community organizations' operations and the low-income communities they serve.

Fifth District firms increase employment and raise wages in response to a changing economy.