A new study by the FDIC found steadily improving trends for small community banks. According to the report, the number banks with assets between $100 million and $1 billion in assets has actually increased since 1985, but the number of banks with under $100 million has declined. Much of that decrease was due to consolidations and mergers. The pace of consolidation has steadily increased since 2010, when Congress passed the Dodd-Frank law. Richard Brown, chief economist at the FDIC, said the slowed-down real-estate market and low interest rates have been squeezing community banks that rely on mortgage lending and net interest income for their revenue.