Research

Posts about NCRC research.

Preventing Hyperscale Harm: Analyzing the Potential Impact of Opportunity Zones 2.0 in Rural Communities Experiencing Accelerating AI Data Center Construction

While hyperscale data centers are increasingly viewed as critical infrastructure for the digital economy, their rapid expansion places considerable demands on local energy grids, water supplies, land use and public services, generating growing concerns about their effects on host communities.

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Nashville Summit Series – Brief 5: Barriers & Solutions for Workforce Development

This brief maintains the previous two briefs’ narrower focus but instead distills the conversations from the participants in the workforce development ecosystem. It documents the barriers raised by practitioners and funders during the workforce development dialogues and the solutions participants raised that would work with limited federal government support.

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Bank branch trends for 2026 (2nd quarter): Continued growth in the Southeast and Southwest metros

The nation’s bank branch network changed little compared with the first three months in the second quarter of 2026, with 261 openings and 248 closings. This is the third straight quarter of net gains in branches, something that we haven’t seen since 2009. It has been a long time since we could say bank branches

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Black and Hispanic College Graduates Face a Tougher Job Market: July 2026 Race, Jobs and the Economy Update

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) June jobs report, the national economy added 57,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.2%. The former was substantially below economists’ expectations of 115,000 jobs. Monthly job gains have trended downward since March, going from 214,000 to 57,000.  The drop in the unemployment rate was

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2026 NCRC Mortgage Market Series — Part 1: A Stagnant Mortgage Market: A Shrinking CRA

2026 NCRC Mortgage Market Series PART 1: A Stagnant Mortgage Market- A Shrinking CRA The 2025 mortgage market is stagnant and increasingly not covered by the community reinvestment act July 2026 PART 1: A Stagnant Mortgage Market- A Shrinking CRA The 2025 mortgage market is stagnant and increasingly not covered by the community reinvestment act

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New Data for Clearer Answers: Tracking Gentrification and Neighborhood Change Across US Cities (1970s – 2010s)

NCRC is pleased to announce the release of a new longitudinal dataset designed to help communities, advocates and policymakers better understand how neighborhoods have changed over time and where gentrification pressures are most evident. This dataset draws on US Census data spanning multiple decades (from the 1970s through 2010s) and covering thousands of neighborhoods tracking

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Racial Wealth Snapshot Series: Economic Outlook Overview for Native Americans

  Complete the form to download the infographic: Yes, send me updates by email about NCRC research, events and news. Download Now   Complete the form to download the infographic: Download Infographic Introduction Native Americans, more formally known as American Indians and Alaska Natives, are people who are indigenous to the North American continent. They

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NCRC Analysis of the CFPB’s Section 1071 Rule of 2026

NCRC Analysis of the CFPB’s Section 1071 Rule of 2026 June 2026 Complete the form to download the pdf: Yes, send me updates by email about NCRC research, events and news. Download Now Complete the form to download the pdf: Download Analysis Josh Silver, Senior Fellow Introduction As part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform

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Black Men Face a Worsening Jobs Market: May 2026 Race, Jobs and Economy Update

As the economy roils from the shockwaves of the tariff/trade war of last year and the ongoing and intensifying energy shock from the Iran war, the unemployment rate remains low at 4.3%. 100,000 jobs were added in April, which was the first consecutive month of positive growth since April of 2025.  Despite the positives in

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Redlined Then, Burdened Now: New Research on the Connections Between Land Use and Mental Health

“LULUs” sounds like a funny word, but the health burdens tied to LULUs are no laughing matter. Locally unwanted land uses (LULUs) – industrial sites, highways, power plants and waste facilities – are essential to how cities function. However, living close to them can also mean greater exposure to pollution, excessive noise and other environmental

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