Federal Reserve Districts

A total of 37 Federal Reserve Banks are pinpointed. Each of the 12 color-coded Districts has its very own Federal Reserve District Bank. The 12 District Bank cities identified on the map are: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco. Several other cities marked on the map, 25 in total, are the homes of Federal Reserve Branch Banks.

Each district is also commonly designated by number, letter, and/or location of the District Bank. From 1 to 12, A to L, the 12 banks are 1-A, Boston; 2-B New York; 3-C, Philadelphia; 4-D, Cleveland; 5-E, Richmond; 6-F, Atlanta; 7-G, Chicago; 8-H, St. Louis; 9-I, Minneapolis; 10-J, Kansas City; 11-K, Dallas; 12-L, San Francisco.

Ten of the Federal Reserve Districts contain Branch Banks. Only the Boston and Philadelphia Districts have no Branch Banks. Branch Banks tend to be more numerous in the less densely populated, larger Federal Reserve Districts in the west and South.

Cities containing the 25 Branch Banks, grouped according to their District Bank cities are: Boston (no Branch Banks); New York (Buffalo); Philadelphia (no Branch Banks); Cleveland (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh); Richmond (Baltimore, Charlotte); Atlanta (Birmingham, Jacksonville, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans); Chicago (Detroit); St. Louis (Little Rock, Louisville, Memphis); Minneapolis (Helena); Kansas City (Denver, Oklahoma City, Omaha); Dallas (El Paso, Houston, San Antonio); and San Francisco (Los Angeles, Portland, Salt Lake City).

When the Federal Reserve System was established in 1913, the United States was divided into 12 Districts, each headed by a Federal Reserve District Bank. The configuration of the United States into these 12 Districts resulted for a couple of reasons:

• One, the guiding philosophy behind the formation of the Federal Reserve System in the early 1900s was a decentralized central bank. The creators did NOT want a central bank located exclusively in New York City or Washington, D.C. Hence the system was set up with not just one bank, but 12 somewhat autonomous banks (plus 25 branch banks).


• Two, when the Federal Reserve System was established in 1913 communication and transportation systems were slower and less efficient than today. To extend assistance to and control over ALL banks in the economy, the Federal Reserve System needed facilities dispersed throughout the country. A single, centralized regulatory bank simply was not a pragmatic option.