Cleveland Fed
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, July 2026
Communities nationwide are dealing with higher costs, limited affordable housing, workforce shifts, and less funding for training. Some workers now value stability more than advancement, while employers focus on hiring candidates with strong soft skills and offer job training.
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The Quarterly Catch-up, Q2 2026
Check out the latest community development-related research, analyses, and articles from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors. This post captures content published between April 1 and June 2026, on topics affecting communities.
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Worker Perspectives: When every dollar counts: Inside the economic struggles of workers who earn low to moderate incomes
For many lower and moderate income workers and job seekers, survival is replacing economic mobility. This research explores how individuals navigate tight budgets and a challenging job market. Despite these obstacles, many spoke of their perseverance in the face of challenges and remained confident in their ability to navigate uncertainty.
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2026 Worker Perspectives Report: When every dollar counts: Inside the economic struggles of workers who earn low to moderate incomes
The Worker Perspectives Report explores how workers are navigating rising costs, limited opportunities, and a challenging job market. To navigate these obstacles they are adapting finances and career plans, while also speaking hopefully about their personal ability to manage uncertainty. In their employment, they prioritize flexibility, work-life balance, and fair pay. Here’s what workers are…
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Worker Perspectives: Key Themes
The 2026 Worker Perspectives Report shows workers face financial instability from rising costs and inadequate wages. This instability limits their economic mobility. They struggle to find quality jobs amid new barriers, yet maintain personal confidence in their ability to persevere in the face of economic challenge despite low faith in the broader economy.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, May 2026
Rising fuel costs and slow wage growth are straining lower-income households. One contact noted that more workers are now requesting higher pay to meet basic needs. Nonprofit organizations continue to face funding shortages and higher operating costs.
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Fed’s Occupational Mobility Explorer enhances opportunities for job seekers and workforce development professionals
The Federal Reserve’s Occupational Mobility Explorer illustrates how a skills-based approach to hiring can benefit workers, workforce development professionals, employers, and human resources professionals.
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An affordable twist on investor-owned, single-family housing
Investors’ activity in the single-family rental market has raised both concerns about and interest in their approach, especially in lower-income neighborhoods. Drawing on what works, impact investors and intermediaries are adapting the model to serve affordability and preservation goals.
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![[Watch] Unlocking the Voice of Small Businesses: New Insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1920-x-1280-Nov-6-CC.jpg?w=1232)
[Watch] Unlocking the Voice of Small Businesses: New Insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
In this Connecting Communities webinar, we take a closer look at the 2026 Report on Employer Firms and key findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey. Watch or listen anytime.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, April 2026
Inflation is driving increases in the utilization of support services, spending on credit, and restructuring debt. As one contact noted, lower- and middle-income households “can’t out-budget low wages, tariffs, and inflation.”