Topics
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When It Comes to Lead Poisoning, Prevention Is Key
Three people working to improve the prevention of lead poisoning in children share successes and challenges they see and what more is needed to protect the human capital of tomorrow. Read More -
The State of States’ Unemployment in the Fourth District
Evaluating what constitutes a “normal” level for the unemployment rate is an important issue for policymakers, who need to assess how close the economy is to full employment. We introduce a framework that enables us to calculate the normal unemployment rate for each of the four states in the Fourth District and compare that rate to the national normal rate. We conclude that these states and the District as a whole have very little labor market slack left from the Great Recession. Read More -
Broadband and High-speed Internet Access in the Fourth District
This report documents the availability of high-speed internet access in the Fourth Federal Reserve District. While our analysis clearly shows there is limited broadband access in rural parts of the Fourth District, it shows that urban low- and moderate-income (LMI) areas also have limited access. Read More -
Regional Housing Markets Continue to Strengthen, Updated Index Reveals
For the first time since the inception of the Community Stabilization Index in 2009, the median value of originations and refinances increased in all of the 15 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) tracked. Read More
Recent Articles
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Research Explores the Industrial Heartland
The industrial Midwest has long been recognized as a distinct economic region and an important contributor to the US economy. When manufacturing employment began to decline in the 1970s, the region suffered and came to be known disparagingly as the “Rust Belt.” Is the region so different from other manufacturing regions of the United States? If so, how and why? A new study explores these questions and finds some answers. Read More
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Toledo—Improving Housing Market and Employment Situation
According to the most recent data, economic growth in the Toledo metro area has been strong during the past year, with the metro area outperforming the state as a whole on a number of indicators. This is partially due to the metro area’s concentration of auto and glass manufacturing, industries that grew more strongly in 2016 than manufacturing as a whole. But that is not the whole story—Toledo also had strong growth in financial activities and professional and business services. The region’s solid employment growth since mid-2014 is also reflected in its housing market, where prices are rising almost as fast as in the nation. Read More
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Columbus—Local Labor Market Remains Robust
The labor market in the Columbus metro area continues to be strong. In March, the area’s unemployment rate fell to its second-lowest level (3.9 percent) since the early 2000s. As of third quarter 2016, year-over-year employment in the metro area expanded by 2.2 percent—twice as strong as Ohio’s rate of employment growth during the same period. The issuance of residential building permits improved in 2016 and has been strong through the first three months of 2017, while home prices rose roughly 5 percent in the area in March on a year-over-year basis. Finally, the metro area’s income and GDP growth accelerated in 2015. Read More
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Lexington—Growth Remains Solid in the Lexington Region
Economic conditions remain strong in the Lexington metro area. The most recent unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since 2001, and the region has nearly 9 percent more jobs today than it did in 2007. Read More
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Pittsburgh—Elusive Employment Gains
Employment in the Pittsburgh metro area has remained relatively flat since 2012. In 2016, employment declined slightly during the year through September, with losses concentrated in goods-producing sectors such as mining, manufacturing, and construction. These losses largely offset employment gains among some service-sector industries. Read More