The Richmond Fed hosted the virtual Investing in Rural America Conference in October to explore opportunities for innovation in rural parts of the Fifth District.

How did rural and urban counties compare on measures of health outcomes and drivers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Digital connections have become more important in a time of social distancing, but rural broadband access still lags behind cities.

Reston, Va., and Columbia, Md., were founded in the 1960s with similar visions for inclusive, connected communities.

The digital access “homework gap” most severely affects students in poor households and is compounded in rural areas by a lack of broadband internet infrastructure.

Research indicates that one promising strategy for rural development is maintaining and improving the quality of an area's public schools.

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.

While most businesses surveyed have suffered some negative effects and loss of revenue as result of COVID-19, most remained open and operating, at least partially.

Population decline has been a problem for many rural communities, including in the Fifth District. What are the current trends and potential strategies to address it?

Ann Macheras discusses the state of the economy in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina and South Carolina.

Matt Martin provides his take on the tumultuous year that was 2020 and how it impacted economic conditions in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Alex Marré discusses the ongoing challenges of bringing broadband Internet service to everyone who needs it. 

Renee Haltom shares what she has been hearing about Virginia's economy, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tiffany Hollin-Wright discusses how our Community Development staff is addressing the disproportionate impact of the health and economic crises on communities of color.