How many more borrowers working in public services recently became eligible for student loan forgiveness in the Fifth District?

Numerous factors — including population growth, education, housing, transportation, child care, health, and broadband availability — are shaping the differences in employment outcomes between rural and urban communities.

The U.S. might benefit from replacing physical cash with central bank digital currency, but first the Fed must resolve several policy and implementation issues.

Although the Fifth District’s black population tends to have higher employment and educational attainment compared to the nation’s, there are still significant disparities relative to whites.

This gallery offers a record of some of the unprecedented economic changes that Americans experienced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The authors forecast the effects of COVID-19 on loan-delinquency rates under three scenarios for unemployment and house-price movements.

A quantitative model of college enrollment suggests that the value of college access varies greatly across individuals.

The Richmond Fed is working to understand how economic outcomes vary across different regions and different groups of people.

Northwestern University economist on firms' investment decisions, intangible capital, and the college premium

This Economic Brief evaluates the predictive capabilities of the yield curve and several other leading indicators, including the Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI), claims for unemployment insurance, manufacturing activity, consumer lending, and CEO optimism.

"Kit homes" from Sears and others were an affordable housing option

A new financing model for distressed communities offers both promise and pitfalls.

How war debts, states' rights, and a dinner table bargain created Washington, D.C.

The Fifth District's automotive entrepreneurs eventually lost out to the forces of agglomeration

Household financial distress is pervasive. Is this pattern driven by a small share of individuals experiencing persistent distress, by the majority facing more occasional distress, or something in between? Recent research indicates that over a lifetime, financial distress is unlikely for most but very persistent for some.

In 2018, the unemployment rate was at historic lows. Were employers having trouble hiring because there weren't enough workers, or because they had the wrong skills?

The Fed has developed a new reference rate to replace the troubled LIBOR. Will banks make the switch?

Jargon Alert

What role do producers’ costs play in determining inflation?

Cities and states are experimenting with a new financing model to support social and environmental programs.

Americans pay a lot for prescription drugs. Does that mean we pay too much?

There are large differences across school districts in enrollment and attendance at high-resource colleges and universities.

Are fears of a "bubble" in auto lending overstated?

The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 was a major social and economic shock

Is there still an economic case for government-supported broadcasting?

The absence of "boomerang buyers" in the housing market could have implications for near-term economic growth in the United States.

Princeton University economist on pollution, tort reform, and the effect of recessions on fertility

Overall, the government pays more for lower-income individuals than higher-income individuals, but Medicaid is not just a program for the young and the poor. It provides substantial benefits to older adults with higher incomes as well.

Poor and minority children disproportionately suffered the ravages of lead paint poisoning

Life expectancy varies considerably across demographic groups.

According to conventional wisdom, wealth redistribution boosts output by increasing aggregate consumption. However, while redistributive policies can have a short-run stimulative effect on consumption, their effect on output depends, potentially quite importantly, on the nature of household labor supply.

Why isn't the U.S. producing more college graduates? Two key — and related — factors appear to play a role in college enrollment and completion: socioeconomic status and preparedness, broadly defined to include both academic preparation and the knowledge needed to make informed choices about college.

How Congress holds monetary policymakers accountable

Why trade growth has slowed down — and what it might mean for the global economy

Scrambling for Economists: The Ph.D. Job Search

Around the Fed

Research Spotlight

The Profession

What's a Life Worth?

A secret meeting at a secluded resort led to a new central banking system

Book Review

The institution of marriage is solid -- but only for certain groups. Economics helps explain why

Harvard University economist on the history of women's employment, mapping the gender wage gap, and for-profit colleges

Legal changes have opened the door to new kinds of political spending. What does the money buy?

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Why do kids drop out of high school, and what can be done to help them finish?

The Profession

Upfront

Research Spotlight

The widening income gap is a serious problem in the United States — or is it?

Preservation programs pay farmers to forgo development

Recent research suggests that young borrowers are actually among the least likely to experience a serious credit card default. One reason why people obtain credit cards early in life may be to build a strong credit history.

One North Carolina city sought a different way of breaking up drug markets without contributing to the higher incarceration rate of black men

Minorities are less likely to climb the economic ladder than whites. Access to high-quality early childhood education plays an important role.

A new database of online job posting data sheds light on how workers search for jobs.

This Economic Brief explores the need for and challenges facing the small-dollar loan market in the United States.