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Uneven access to or use of broadband results in a digital divide. But how serious is the digital divide across the country and in the Fifth District? It depends on who you ask.

Although firms in the Fifth District received approximately $129 billion in contracts from the federal government in fiscal year 2018, some of those contracts span several years or were subcontracted out. How much did firms receive after adjusting for those factors? 

The labor force participation rate varies considerably across Fifth District jurisdictions, from West Virginia's 53.3 percent to the District of Columbia's 70.4 percent. What is driving the differences among jurisdictions? 

Recently revised payroll employment data for 2018 showed that fewer jobs were added in the Fifth District than originally reported. The largest downward revisions occurred with data for North Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia. 

As of December 2018, unemployment rates declined in every county and independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia from December 2017. But how do the most recent rates compare with previous lows?

According to a survey conducted in November 2018, many Fifth District businesses plan on increasing employment in the next year and are generally offering higher starting wages for at least some job types.

Although changes in educational attainment, employment status, and median earnings were inconsistent across Fifth District jurisdictions in 2017, most saw lower unemployment and higher median earnings.

By 2016, after the passage of the ACA and expansions to Medicaid, the share of the population with insurance increased in every state in the Fifth District. However, those improvements were not evenly distributed across states or counties and were more substantial in states where Medicaid was expanded.

In June 2018, the Richmond Fed asked its survey participants about the expected impacts of the tariffs imposed on imported steel and aluminum. While about half of the firms surveyed expected negative impacts to their own businesses and to the U.S. economy, there was a good portion of firms that believed the tariffs would be good for the overall U.S. economy, even if their firms would not directly benefit.

Ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, have become a force to be reckoned with in the taxi industry. While these services have run into regulatory spats with government agencies and continue to deal with company image issues, they have grown markedly, particularly in and around the Washington, D.C., metro area.

Natural gas production has experienced tremendous growth over the last decade in the U.S. and West Virginia and continues to grow. In West Virginia, six new pipeline projects have been proposed. How will these pipelines service the natural gas market, and how long until they are in service? What has the impact been on job growth and wages?

In April, we surveyed firms about their adoption of technology and how it might translate into prices and employment in the next few years. Most firms reported adopting new technology, although many did not anticipate the technology to notably impact their pricing or employment decisions.

Charlotte, N.C., has the most diverse industrial mix of any Fifth District city, while Bennettsville, S.C., is the least diverse. This post explores the forces that lead to industry diversity in cities.

Revised employment data show fewer jobs added in the Fifth District than originally reported. By December 2017 (the most recent month revised), total employment was revised lower by 75,300 jobs or 0.5 percent.

December 2017 marked the 10-year anniversary of the start of the economic downturn which would ultimately evolve into the Great Recession. As bad as the Great Recession was nationally, South Carolina's descent into the trough was steeper. And its recovery has been more impressive, particularly in the Charleston and Upstate regions.

Beginning with the release of our February 2018 survey results, we began to report a few new variables in our Fifth District Survey of Manufacturing Activity and Fifth District Survey of Service Sector Activity. What are they and what can they tell us?

In 2016, every Fifth District jurisdiction, along with the nation, saw an increase in the share of the over-25 population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. What else changed since 2015?

Ten years after the housing market collapse, activity in the single-family market remains somewhat subdued. Despite rising prices and low inventories, single-family construction has increased very gradually. Are there impediments to new housing supply?

A November 2017 survey of Fifth District businesses found that most firms plan on increasing hiring in the next year as well as raising wages to attract and retain workers, though not for all positions.

Payroll employment growth in eastern North Carolina has been more sluggish than in other parts of the state, on the whole, for the last several years. To learn more about why, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond worked with NCEast Alliance to facilitate a business and industry roundtable meeting in late October.

For the most part, the effects of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma on Fifth District firms were indirect and negative, although there were some businesses that reported positive economic impacts.

The Fifth District economy – like the U.S. economy – is increasingly driven by urban areas. How can we start to understand the existence, growth, and decline of cities in the context of Richmond, Va., Charlotte, N.C., and Baltimore, Md.?

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which started on Sept. 15 and continues through Oct. 15, is a time to celebrate the culture, history, and accomplishments of American citizens who trace their ancestors to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The Hispanic population in the Fifth District is significant and is growing, but a look at labor market indicators provides some insight on the disparity in outcomes for the Hispanic population relative to the population overall.

States in the Fifth Federal Reserve District struggle with the opioid epidemic that continues to plague the nation. In fact, one state in the Fifth District—West Virginia—has some of the highest rates of drug use and opioid overdose deaths in the country.

The dynamics of firm creation and exit are an important engine of economic growth. Researchers have noted that there has been a slowing in business dynamics in the United States in recent decades. Is the same true for the Fifth District and our jurisdictions?

Which industries in the Fifth District contributed the most to real GDP in 2016? How does that compare to employment by industry and which industries generate the most output per worker?

The Fifth District has a disproportionately high share of federal government employment and contract dollars, and could be more heavily affected by reductions than other comparable areas. 

It is generally stated, but somewhat disputed, that around 11 million unauthorized immigrants currently reside in the United States. Why is it important to know more about the size and characteristics of the unauthorized population? And what role should different levels of governments play in enforcing immigration laws?

Getting outdoors is healthy for individuals, and it is also healthy for the nation and the Fifth District. How large is the economic impact and who measures it?

While increased global integration required painful adjustments for some workers and communities as well as companies and even entire industries, there have also been significant benefits to this global interconnectedness, including in the Carolinas.

After the severity of the Great Recession, how has the Garrett County economy progressed? How has the labor market improved? Has business activity stabilized?

For the past few years, businesses in the Fifth District have expressed concerns over a growing skills mismatch in the local labor force. As a result, some firms have turned to apprenticeship programs to address their needs. 

On Jan. 18, the Board of Governors released the most recent installment of the Beige Book report. With this report comes a new design. What changes can you expect, and why now?

This post takes a look at the current state of educational attainment across jurisdictions and highlights some of the information available in new reports published by the Richmond Fed.

Earlier this year, we reported the results of a special survey on hiring and wages. A similar survey was conducted in November ... the results are in.

The qualitative data conveyed through surveys, or gathered at roundtable meetings with business firms or our own Bank directors are very valuable pieces of information. However, summarizing and extracting meaning out of this information are very challenging tasks. So how can we make sense out of this information?

The Richmond Fed publishes a series of diffusion indices based off of surveys of manufacturing and service sector firms across the Fifth District. These indices help us to understand business conditions in our region in a timely and more comprehensive way.

There has been a dramatic change in the energy sector in recent decades. With lower prices, what is the outlook going forward? What has the impact been on West Virginia, the Fifth District’s largest energy producer?

In 2015, nearly 4 million Virginia residents commuted to work; however, the means of transportation and average commute time varied substantially by location.

Income has been growing, but many households have not fully recovered from the recession. Income inequality persists at the national level and varies by state and metro area within the Fifth District.

Manufacturing accounted for 9.6 percent of total private sector employment and 11.8 percent of total output in the Fifth District in 2015. What kind of things are produced in the District? Where? And what are the values of those goods?

Virginia gained jobs at a brisk pace during 2015, but the pace slowed during the first five months of 2016 and has only recently picked up again. Employment growth by industry and by metro area varies substantially. 

The United States' top three trade partners are China, Canada, and Mexico. Many of the Fifth District jurisdictions also trade extensively with these nations. What goods are being exported? And what other countries are top trade partners with Fifth District states? 

The Fifth District labor market was hit hard during the recession. The recovery was slow. Which industry sectors were hit the hardest and how have they fared since? Which sectors have grown the fastest?

A look at the educational attainment in the Carolinas may yield clues as to how well the region will adjust to technological disruptions. 

How much have mortgage markets improved in recent months, and how do current foreclosure and forfeiture rates compare to before the housing crisis?

There are 12 Federal Reserve Banks across the country: How did one land in Richmond, Virginia?

In May, the Richmond Fed added questions to our regular monthly surveys to explore employer opinions on hiring, employee retention, and wage plans.

A brief update on the state of the craft brewing industry in the Fifth District.

Job opportunities for workers with different skill levels have changed in recent decades. Which skill sets are most in demand? What do wages look like for these professions?

In this new web series, we will focus on topics and data related to urban and regional economic issues, particularly those that are important to areas within the Fifth Federal Reserve District.