Community Investment Explorer: Rural Areas

Community Investment Explorer (CIE) is an interactive tool for examining the distribution of community and economic development capital. Use the dropdowns on the map below to filter data. Hover over an area to view additional information.

National Map St. Louis
Memphis Louisville
Little Rock Trend Graphs

Community and Economic Development Capital in Rural Areas of the Eighth District

  • Overall, New Markets Tax Credit investment in the rural areas of Eighth Federal Reserve District states declined nearly 50% between 2018 and 2022. However, it increased 40% in low- and moderate-income (LMI) rural communities during this period.
  • The Eighth District (view map) covers all of Arkansas, most of Missouri, and parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.
  • Community Development Block Grant funding fell nearly 40% in the rural areas of Eighth District states between 2018 and 2022, with an even steeper decline—67%—in LMI rural communities.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) lending in all rural areas of Eighth District states remained relatively stable from 2019 to 2023, but it increased 88% in LMI rural communities.

Learn more: 

About CIE Data Sources Definitions

For questions about CIE, email Mike Eggleston. For media inquiries, please contact mediainquiries@stls.frb.org.

Cite CIE

Please use the following to cite estimates or figures from this tool: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Community Investment Explorer, https://www.stlouisfed.org/community-development/data-tools/community-investment-explorer, accessed on [date].