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People and Households
We study and report on demographic trends in the district, the financial health of residents, and topics that affect the economic well-being of households and communities.
Recent Articles
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CRA, Racism & the Federal Reserve: A Midwest Perspective
The Community Reinvestment Act is up for its first significant revision in 25 years. It’s important we optimize this tool to address systemic disinvestment in lower-income and minority communities. Read More
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Data Updates: Measuring Evictions during the COVID-19 Crisis
Since our July report, eviction policies related to COVID-19 continue to evolve. Our updates capture weekly eviction filing counts for 63 jurisdictions across the United States—that’s approximately 13 percent of renter households in the country. Read More
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Equality Is Not Enough: Reflections on the Paycheck Protection Program
Our society often designs and implements policies that prioritize equality, but prioritizing equity or justice would better address the disparities between racial groups. Read More
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An Uphill Battle: COVID-19’s Outsized Toll on Minority-Owned Firms
Data suggest that minority-owned small businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. This report considers various data sources and examines possible explanations for race-level differences in COVID-19’s impact on businesses. Read More
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The Decline in Access to Jobs and the location of Employment Growth in US Metro Areas: Implications for Economic Opportunity and Mobility
Increasing workers’ access to jobs has been found to significantly decrease the duration of joblessness among lower-income unemployed workers. Policies that influence the location of employment growth within a metro area could impact the pace of the labor market recovery from the COVID-19-induced recession. By studying trends in job access, we discern developments that might inform our policy choices. Read More