Home Values after a Tornado: What Can St. Louis Learn from Little Rock’s 2023 Experience? (with Jack Fuller and Jeffrey P. Cohen) On the Economy, August 2025 (NEW) Media: St. Louis Business Journal, Fox2Now KTVI-TV
On May 16, 2025, a major tornado touched down in the St. Louis metro area, creating a path of destruction through St. Louis County, St. Louis city and communities in southern Illinois. The dollar valuation of damages has been estimated to be around $1.6 billion in St. Louis city alone. This blog post discusses their findings from the Little Rock tornado, which can provide a framework to understand the potential effects in the St. Louis area given relatively similar levels in median income and in housing value.
Eighth District Firms Expect Slight Acceleration of Price Pressures in 2025 (with Charles Gascon) On the Economy, March 2025 (NEW)
To gain a deeper understanding of current economic conditions, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis conducts a quarterly survey of businesses in the Eighth District. In February of 2025 survey, firms were asked to provide an estimate of the growth rate of (i) the average prices they charged customers in the previous year and (ii) the average prices they planned to charge in the year ahead. Despite the progress made toward 2% inflation over 2024, survey respondents expect this trend to reverse slightly in 2025.
U.S. Farmers Continue to Face Headwinds (with Jack Fuller) On the Economy, January 2025 (NEW)
U.S. agriculture sector is showing some signs of weakening as lower selling prices and higher costs continue to negatively impact the profits of farmers. Close attention to this sector may be needed as we go through the first quarter of 2025. Potential financial distress could be felt among some farmers not only in the Eighth Federal Reserve District states but nationwide.
Survey Examines Health and Education Conditions in the Eighth District’s LMI Communities On the Economy, May 2024
Utilizing Community Development Outlook Survey this blog delves into two important factors that contribute to labor market participation and to better economic outcomes:
Conditions in prekindergarten (pre-K) to 12th grade education, for which survey respondents reported optimistic expectations for 2024
Conditions in health care: for which 63% of survey respondents assessed their LMI communities’ health conditions to be poor or very poor in 2023 ; with a mixed outlook for 2024 in terms of overall health conditions and access to health care
Survey Shows Weakening Conditions for Economic Mobility On The Economy, March 2024
Findings from the Community Development Outlook Survey administered in October 2023 indicate that current economic mobility conditions for the District’s LMI communities remain poor for many. A strong labor market has been a positive contributor, but the cost of living has outpaced income growth, respondents noted. In particular, surging housing prices and reduced availability of affordable houses and rental properties have become major challenges for the LMI population.
Philanthropic Capital Flows in the Eight District
The goal of this research is to provide an overview of the flow of grant-based funding in the main metro areas of the Eighth district and map regional dynamics in giving by examining differences between CED nonprofits and grantmakers in size, leadership and proximity. Providing CED organizations, funders and researchers with insights into the regional dynamics around grant-based funding is crucial for assessing its effectiveness in promoting economic mobility.
Grants in the Gateway: How Is CED Funding Distributed? (with Nishesh Chalise and Mike Eggleston) Report 2023
The Funding Environment for Community and Economic Development Nonprofits in St. Louis Bridges, V4 2023
Access to Mental Health Services in the Eighth District Lags U.S. (with Sophia Scott) Bridges, V2 2023
While the residents of Eighth Federal Reserve District states face similar levels of mental illness as do residents in the rest of the U.S., they experience more barriers to accessing mental health services. Improving the affordability of mental health treatment, expanding the behavioral health workforce and removing barriers to seeking care could all affect the economy’s productive capacity.
Challenges Faced by Community-Based Organizations in the Eighth District (with Nishesh Chalise) Bridges, V1 2023
We found that organizations providing services to LMI communities within the Eighth District have experienced fewer COVID-19-related disruptions compared with what they experienced in 2021. However, only half of the entities surveyed were able to meet most of their demand in 2022. Difficulties recruiting staff and fundraising were cited as primary reasons these organizations are still experiencing disruptions.
How Is COVID-19 Impacting Eighth District LMI Communities? An Update (with Nishesh Chalise) Bridges, V4 2022
Using the 2022 Community Impact Survey (CIS), we found that low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities within the Eighth District continued recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year and experienced fewer disruptions. Respondents reported that inflation and labor shortages continued to create barriers to an inclusive recovery.
LMI Community Development Outlook for Communities of Color in the Eighth District (with Rose Shapiro) Bridges, V.4, 2021
The Community Development Outlook Survey (CDOS), conducted every two years, was administered this summer (June 15-July 6) to assess the economic conditions of low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities in the Eighth District and the impact of COVID-19 on these communities. More than 250 nonprofits, community-based organizations, government and education entities, and financial institutions serving in the region responded to the survey. This article highlights differences in responses from surveyed entities serving primarily white communities and those serving primarily communities of color.
Community Development Outlook Survey 2021
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' Community Development Outlook Survey monitors the economic factors affecting low- and moderate-income (LMI) people and communities in the Eighth Federal Reserve District. The survey is sent to a variety of community stakeholders; results represent the opinions of those organizations that respond, which may vary from survey to survey. Data received will be useful for strategic planning, community and economic development, and public policy dialogue.
Eighth District LMI Communities Respond to COVID-19’s Toll (with Nishesh Chalise) Bridges, V.1, 2021
This article highlights ways COVID-19 continues impacting low- to moderate-income communities and entities serving them within the Eight District of the Federal Reserve System.
COVID-19’s Ongoing Effects on Early Childhood Education in St. Louis (with Sam Evans) Bridges, V.4, 2020
We garnered insights from four Early childhood education providers serving LMI communities in St. Louis region about the impact COVID-19 is having on their sector. The major challenges for providers are deficiencies in public support and investments, decreases in capacity and demand for services, increases in operational costs and need for cleaning supplies, and added anxiety and trauma among children and their communities.
Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field
This is a two part report that provides an overview of economic conditions in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities and the health of the entities serving them. This unique and timely information is intended to help equip decision-makers with key insights for developing approaches to foster economic security in LMI communities.
(NEW) August 2025 (with Nishesh Chalise, Steven Howland, and Becky Kropf)
Overall, entities responding to the 2025 Community Perspectives Survey reported poor economic conditions for LMI populations: “Even among those earning just above minimum wage, the rising cost of housing, transportation and food is stretching budgets to the breaking point. Many are just one car repair or missed paycheck away from a crisis.” While the survey did not specifically ask about uncertainty, it was a broad theme raised in open-ended questions by respondents that was affecting communities, businesses, and entities negatively.
August 2024 (with Nishesh Chalise and Steven Howland)
Continued housing challenges faced by LMI communities suggest that overall conditions for economic mobility in these communities will likely remain poor over the next year. One respondent’s comments captured how these issues can negatively impact people’s economic outcomes: “Severe [housing] overcrowding, high costs and unstable living arrangements make it difficult to maintain steady employment, focus on education or improve economic stability.”
Perspectives from Main Street: The Impact of COVID-19 on Low- to Moderate-Income Communities and the Entities Serving Them
November 2022 (with Nishesh Chalise & Heidi Kaplan)
While there are signs of improvement, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities across the nation. For both communities and the organizations serving them, inflation, labor shortages and the availability of childcare were top challenges. Conducted in August 2022, this national survey of organizations that serve low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities also found signs of recovery. More than half of respondents expected the communities they serve to be largely recovered from the pandemic’s disruptions in 2023. Although disruptions persisted, there were lower levels of pandemic-related effects in many segments of the economy relative to 2021. However, housing stability has not shown signs of improvement in the past year. While the percentage of organizations serving LMI communities that reported experiencing disruptions decreased this year relative to 2021, challenges persist. More than 60% of entities reported at least some disruption, including one-third reporting significant disruptions.
October 2021 (with Nishesh Chalise)
The spread of COVID-19 and the many efforts to slow it are impacting communities throughout the nation. To best respond to this crisis, information is needed about the scope and scale of challenges in various communities. This report offers findings of a survey designed to collect information on the effects of COVID-19 on low- to moderate-income people and communities and the entities serving them. The survey was fielded by eight national partners and the Federal Reserve System’s community development function.
Throughout 2020, all 12 Reserve Banks and the Fed Board of Governors are surveying representatives of nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, government agencies, and other community organizations to understand the effects of COVID-19 on low- to moderate-income communities and the entities serving them.
Nonprofits Serving and Led by People of Color Showed Pandemic Resiliency Economic Equity Insights, September 2023
(with Nishesh Chalise and Baorong Guo)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofit organizations were at the forefront of relief and recovery efforts. This blog offers insights into how the pandemic affected nonprofits serving or led by people of color compared with other nonprofits.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to COVID-19 Relief On The Economy, July 2022
Many efforts have been made to reduce the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in LMI communities. Using data from the 2021 Community Impact Survey (CIS), this blog found that unequal access to government relief and recovery plans can help explain almost 30% of the disruption
COVID-19 Disruptions by Race, Ethnicity and Geography: An Update On The Economy, July 2022
Using data from the 2021 Community Impact Survey (CIS), this blog suggests that low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities of color continued to report more significant disruptions from the pandemic than those experienced by LMI communities that are primarily white. Additionally, the data revealed no major disruption disparities between urban and rural LMI communities once race and ethnicity were considered.
Gauging COVID-19’s Ongoing Impact on LMI Communities (with Nishesh Chalise) On The Economy, February 2022
This post is the third in a six-part series titled The State of Economic Equity. This series examines the challenges facing vulnerable workers this year and possible ways to improve their economic security and resiliency in an economy reshaped by the pandemic.
Slow Economic Recovery for LMI Communities in the Eighth District Open Vault Blog, January 2022
What is the status of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in the low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities in the St. Louis Fed’s District? While economic disruption in LMI communities had abated, more than 80% of community service providers reported their communities needing at least one year to return to pre-COVID conditions, according to the Federal Reserve’s Community Impact Survey conducted in August 2021. This blog post summarizes the main findings for the Eighth Federal Reserve District from the latest nationwide COVID survey.
How Difficult Will Economic Recovery Be for LMI Communities? (with Nishesh Chalise) Open Vault Blog, April 2021
This post analyzes how severe the impact has been for different LMI communities and how long recovery is expected to take. We use data from the survey: Perspectives from Main Street: The Impact of COVID-19 on Low- to Moderate-Income Communities and the Entities Serving Them and break it down by geography (urban and rural) and by race and ethnicity to show how the economic disruption varied.
How COVID-19's Economic Impact Varies by Geography and Race (with Nishesh Chalise) Open Vault Blog, April 2021
This post discusses what the economic impact was for different communities using data from surveys, Perspectives from Main Street: The Impact of COVID-19 on Low- to Moderate-Income Communities and the Entities Serving Them. We broke down the survey data by geography (urban and rural) and by race and ethnicity to show how the economic disruption varied.
Barriers and Opportunities in the U.S. during a Global Pandemic (with Nishesh Chalise and Heidi Kaplan) Open Vault Blog, March 2021
This blog presents the main barriers and opportunities at the federal, state, and local level raised by respondents to the national survey of community organizations conducted by the Federal Reserve banks and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in October 2020. COVID-19-related relief efforts were significant, but funding access and program capacity were challenges, survey respondents said.
Challenges and Opportunities for Advancing Economic Security among U.S. Young Adults State of Economic Equity, March 2024 (NEW)
(with Nishesh Chalise , Alice L. Kassens , Ana Hernández Kent , Lowell R. Ricketts , William M. Rodgers III , Nicole Summers-Gabr)
This year’s analysis examines the economic challenges and opportunities facing young adults (ages 18 to 24) from three perspectives—the labor market and employment, mental health, and wealth outcomes—and suggests that investments in young adults could increase their ability to interact with the economy while enhancing worker productivity, innovation and growth beneficial for fostering a healthy economy.
Gen Z’s Mental Health, Economic Distress and Technology (with Alice L. Kassens and Nicole Summers-Gabr) Open Vault, May 2024 (NEW)
A variety of reasons could be behind the worsened of mental health indicators of young adults over the past decade. This blog focuses on the contribution of economic distress, evolving technology and access to care.
The Role of Community-Based Organizations in Fostering Economic Equity (with Nishesh Chalise) On The Economy, March 2023
This post is the last in a four-part series titled The State of Economic Equity. Organizations working in LMI communities represent an essential part of the infrastructure that promotes economic resilience and mobility for all. This post highlights the continued vulnerability of LMI communities, as well as the opportunity to collaboratively pursue not only recovery to pre-pandemic conditions but also resilience against future crises.
Gauging COVID-19’s Ongoing Impact on LMI Communities (with Nishesh Chalise) On The Economy, February 2022
This post is the third in a six-part series titled The State of Economic Equity. This series examines the challenges facing vulnerable workers this year and possible ways to improve their economic security and resiliency in an economy reshaped by the pandemic.
Bank On and Its Impact in the Eighth Federal Reserve District (with Lisa Locke) Bridges, V1 2023
Analysis of Bank On data that describes how the initiative works to bring affordable banking products to unbanked and underbanked Eighth District households.
The Bank On National Data Hub (with Matuschka Lindo Briggs and Nishesh Chalise)
The St. Louis Fed and Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund established the Bank On National Data Hub to show metrics from financial institutions related to Bank On account openings, account usage and consistency, and online access.