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THE APPALACHIAN REGION:

A DATA OVERVIEW FROM THE

2006-2010 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

Chartbook

Kelvin Pollard

Linda A. JacobsenPopulation Reference Bureau

Prepared for the Appalachian Regional Commission

Under Contract #CO-16506-09

February 2012

The authors wish to thank David Carrier and Keith Witt of ARC

for their support and guidance.


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THE APPALACHIAN REGION: A DATA OVERVIEW FROM THE 2006-2010 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

FOREWORD 3

CHAPTER 1. POPULATION BASICS

Table 1.1: Population, Land Area, and Population Density in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 4

Figure 1.1: Population Distribution in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 5

Figure 1.2: Population per Square Mile of Land Area in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 6

CHAPTER 2. AGE

Table 2.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2006-2010 7

Figure 2.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Under Age 18, 2006-2010 8

Figure 2.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 18 to 24, 2006-2010 9

Figure 2.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 25 to 64, 2006-2010 10

Figure 2.4: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 65 and Over, 2006-2010 11

Figure 2.5: Median Age of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 12

CHAPTER 3. RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGINTable 3.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2006-2010 13

Figure 3.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Minority, 2006-2010 14

Figure 3.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, not Hispanic, 2006-2010 15

Figure 3.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or Latino, 2006-2010 16

CHAPTER 4. HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE

Table 4.1: Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 17

Figure 4.1: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 2006-2010 18

Figure 4.2: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 2006-2010 18

Figure 4.3: Percent Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 20

Figure 4.4: Percent Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 21

CHAPTER 5. EDUCATION

Table 5.1: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 22

Table 5.2: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 23

Table 5.3: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 24

Figure 5.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma or More, 2006-2010 25

Figure 5.2: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma but With NoPostsecondary Degree, 2006-2010

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Figure 5.3: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelors Degree or More, 2006-2010 27

Figure 5.4: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma or More, 2006-2010 28

Figure 5.5: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelors Degree or More, 2006-2010 29

Figure 5.6: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelors Degree or More, 2006-2010 30

CHAPTER 6. LABOR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT, AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Table 6.1: Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Status of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the AppalachianRegion, 2006-2010

31

Figure 6.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In the Labor Force, 2006-2010 32

Figure 6.2: Employment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 33

Figure 6.3: Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 34

CHAPTER 7. INCOME AND POVERTY

Table 7.1: Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010 35

Table 7.2: Poverty Status of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 36


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PAGE

Figure 7.1: Mean Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010 37

Figure 7.2: Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010 38

Figure 7.3: Mean Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010 39

Figure 7.4: Median Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010 40

Figure 7.5: Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010 41

Figure 7.6: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2006-2010 42

CHAPTER 8. MIGRATION

Table 8.1: Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010 43

Figure 8.1: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Moved in the Past Year, 2006-2010 44

Figure 8.2: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside TheirCounty of Residence in the Past Year, 2006-2010

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Figure 8.3: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside TheirState of Residence in the Past Year, 2006-2010

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FOREWORD

The data contained in this chartbook come from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey. While the types ofdemographic and housing data included in Chapters 1 through 4 were also collected in the 2010 decennial census, thetypes of social and economic data included in Chapters 5 through 8 were not. This is because unlike previouscensuseswhich consisted of a short form of basic demographic and housing questions and a long form (used for a

sample of households) that also asked detailed questions about social, economic, and housing characteristicsthe2010 census only had a short form.

The decennial long form has been replaced by the American Community Survey (ACS), a nationwide study collectedcontinuously every year in every county in the United States. The ACS is designed to provide communities with reliableand timely demographic, social, economic, and housing data each year. However, the annual sample size of the ACS ismuch smaller than the sample size of the decennial census long form; therefore, data from five years must be combinedto provide reliable estimates for geographic areas with fewer than 20,000 people. Since a number of counties in the

Appalachian region have fewer than 20,000 residents, we must use the 2006-2010 ACS data to have comparablestatistics for all 420 counties in the region. (Although the data in Chapters 1 through 4 were also collected in the 2010decennial census, we use ACS data in this chartbook to create a comparable time series of data for all the counties inthe 13 Appalachian states.)

The five-year ACS estimates for 2006-2010 represent concepts that are fundamentally different from those associated

with data from the decennial census. While the main function of the census is to provide countsof people forcongressional apportionment and legislative redistricting, the primary purpose of the ACS is to measure the changingcharacteristicsof the U.S. population. Moreover, while the decennial census provides a snapshot of the U.S. populationonce every 10 years, the ACS has been described as a moving video image that is continually updated. Finally, whilethe census provides point in time estimates designed to approximate an areas characteristics on a specific date, the

ACS provides period estimates that represent data collected over a period of time. The five-year estimates in thischartbook, therefore, are data collected over the five-year (or 60-month) period from 2006 through 2010. These ACSestimates are notaverages of monthly or annual values, but rather an aggregationof data collected over the five-yearperiod.

For areas with consistent population characteristics throughout the calendar year, ACS period estimates might notdiffer much from those that would result from a point-in-time survey like the decennial census. However, ACS periodestimates might be noticeably different from point-in-time estimates for areas with seasonal populations or those that

experience a natural disaster such as a hurricane. For example, a resort community in the upper Midwest might bedominated by locals in the winter months and by temporary workers and tourists in the summer months, with acorresponding decrease in employment rates during the winter and increase in these rates during the summer. Insuch a community, the ACS period estimate of the percent of persons in the labor force, which is based on dataacross the entire calendar year, would likely be higher than the decennial census point-in-time estimate from April 1.

While five-year ACS data are needed to provide reliable estimates for areas with small populations, they can make itdifficult to track trends in these areas. The 2006-2010 ACS data illustrate this problem. The 2006-2010 time periodcovers three distinct periods of economic activity: the months of economic growth that preceded the recession ofDecember 2007 to June 2009, the recession period itself, and the beginning of the economic recovery that followed thedownturn. Since the 2006-2010 ACS pools data from all three periods, it smooths out the extreme variations in economicmeasures that would be evident in annual data from the recent severe recession.


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CHAPTER 1: POPULATION BASICS

Table 1.1: Population, Land Area, and Population Density in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

Population, Land Area, and DensityPopulation,2006-2010

Land Area(Square Miles)

Population perSquare Mile of Land

Area, 2006-2010

United States 303,965,272 3,531,905 86.1

Appalachian Region 25,002,346 204,452 122.3Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,387,792 56,980 147.2

North Central Appalachia 2,405,769 29,337 82.0

Central Appalachia 1,914,972 29,773 64.3

South Central Appalachia 4,653,980 34,997 133.0

Southern Appalachia 7,639,833 53,365 143.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,689,437 17,579 323.6

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 1.1: Population Dist ribut ion in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

Of the 304 million persons in the United States during the period from 2006-2010, 25 million lived in the Appalachianregion. Yet the population of the regions 420 counties varied greatly. On one hand, two-thirds of the counties hadpopulations of fewer than 50,000 people, and 125 counties had fewer than 20,000 residents. On the other hand,pockets of the Appalachian population lived in large and mid-sized metropolitan areas, including Pittsburgh,Birmingham, and the Atlanta suburbs. Allegheny County, Pa. (where Pittsburgh is located) had 1.2 million residents. Itis important to note that the Appalachian population has continued to grow; the 2010 census reported 25.2 millionresidents in the region (out of 308.7 million Americans nationwide).


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Figure 1.2: Population per Square Mile of Land Area in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

While Appalachias population density was noticeably greater than the United States as a whole over the 2006-2010period, less than half of the regions counties had population concentrations at or above the national average. Most ofthe high-density counties were in metropolitan areas, both large (Pittsburgh, Birmingham, suburban Atlanta) and smal(Winston-Salem, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.). Since the population in most of the region was higher in the 2010 census,population density likewise has increased in recent yearsat least for the majority of counties.


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CHAPTER 2: AGE

Table 2.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2006-2010

Population by Age GroupTotal

Population,2006-2010

Percent of Population MedianAge

(Years)Under

Age 18Ages18-24

Ages25-64

Ages 65and over

United States 303,965,272 24.4 9.9 53.0 12.7 36.9

Appalachian Region 25,002,346 22.7 9.6 52.8 14.8 39.4Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,387,792 21.3 9.9 52.1 16.6 41.2

North Central Appalachia 2,405,769 22.1 9.6 53.3 15.0 39.9

Central Appalachia 1,914,972 22.6 8.7 54.0 14.7 39.9

South Central Appalachia 4,653,980 21.7 9.7 52.8 15.8 40.3

Southern Appalachia 7,639,833 25.2 9.4 53.2 12.2 36.7

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,689,437 24.1 8.7 54.1 13.1 38.2

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 2.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Under Age 18, 2006-2010

Over the 2006-2010 period, the share of children and youth in the Appalachian population was slightly below thenational average of 24 percent. And the percentage actually fell below 20 percent in one-eighth of the regionscounties (mostly outside metropolitan areas). In another one-fifth of the counties, however, the proportion of childrenunder age 18 matched or exceeded the national average. Most of these were in southern Appalachia. Results fromthe 2010 census suggest that childrens share of the Appalachian (and U.S.) population continued to decline slightlyin recent years.


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Figure 2.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 18 to 24, 2006-2010

While the share of young adults (ages 18 to 24) in Appalachia roughly equaled the national average in the 2006-2010period (as well as in the 2010 census), there were great variations within the region. For example, persons in this agegroup made up at least 15 percent of the population in 22 countiesmost of which house colleges and universities. Incontrast, 18-to-24-year-olds made up less than 7.5 percent of the population in 111 Appalachian counties. Of thecounties in the latter group, 77 were outside metropolitan areas, suggesting a possible lack of opportunities in thesecommunities for youth making the transition to adulthood.


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Figure 2.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 25 to 64, 2006-2010

In both the United States and Appalachia, adults in the prime working ages (ages 25 to 64) made up a slight majorityof all residents in the 2006-2010 period. In more than half of Appalachian counties, the percentage of persons in thisage group exceeded the national average. But there were 36 counties in the region (30 of which were outsidemetropolitan areas) where 25-to-64-year-olds made up less than half of the population. Many of these counties housecolleges and universities (and thus had a high share of their populations in the 18-to-24 age range.)


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Figure 2.4: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 65 and Over, 2006-2010

The Appalachian regionas well as 371 of its 420 countieshad a larger proportion of residents ages 65 and over inthe 2006-2010 period than did the nation as a whole. In fact, older persons made up at least 15 percent of thepopulation in more than three-fifths of Appalachias counties, most of which were outside metropolitan areas. Incontrast, a majority of the 49 Appalachian counties with older population shares below the national average wereeither in metro areas or home to colleges and universities. And the 2010 census results indicate that the share ofresidents ages 65 and over continued to growboth in Appalachia and the nation.


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Figure 2.5: Median Age of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

On average, the Appalachian population was two-and-a-half years older than that of the United States as a wholeduring the 2006-2010 period. Indeed, the median age of the population (the point at which half the population is olderand half is younger) was at least 40 years in three-fifths of the regions counties. In 24 countiesalmost all of whichwere outside metro areasthe median age was at least 45 years. Most of the counties with populations younger thanthe national median age were in southern Appalachiathe only subregion where the overall age structureapproached that of the nation. Results from the 2010 census suggest that the Appalachian population continued toget older in recent years.


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CHAPTER 3: RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

Table 3.1: Population in t he Appalachian Region by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2006-2010

Population by Race and Hispanic OriginTotal

Population,2006-2010

Percent of Population

White Alone,Not Hispanic

Minority

TotalBlack Alone,Not Hispanic

Hispanic orLatino

Other, NotHispanic

United States 303,965,272 64.7 35.3 12.2 15.7 7.4

Appalachian Region 25,002,346 84.3 15.7 9.0 3.8 2.9

Subregions






County Types


Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 3.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Minority, 2006-2010

The Appalachian region is significantly less racially and ethnically diverse than the United States as a whole, andmost parts of the region have remained far below the national average in their minority populations. In more than two-thirds of Appalachian counties, minorities (defined as anyone who identifies with a racial or ethnic group other thanwhite alone, not Hispanic) made up less than 10 percent of the population during the 2006-2010 period. There were

just 23 countiesall but one in southern Appalachiawhere minorities share of the population matched or exceededthe national average. Yet racial and ethnic diversity is growing in Appalachia: The 2010 census reported thatminorities share of the population was nearly a percentage point higher than it was in the 2006-2010 period.


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Figure 3.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, not Hispanic, 2006-2010

Although non-Hispanic African Americans remained the largest single minority group in Appalachia during the 2006-2010 period, their share of the regions total population was still lower than in the United States as a whole. Within theregion, the largest proportions were in southern Appalachiathe only subregion where blacks share of the populationexceeded the national average. Southern Appalachia also had virtually all of the 59 counties in the region where theblack share of the population matched or surpassed that of the nation. At the other end of the spectrum, persons whoare black alone, not Hispanic accounted for less than 5 percent of the residents in nearly three-fourths of

Appalachian counties.


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Figure 3.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or Latino, 2006-2010

Although Hispanics have become the United States largest minority group, they made up less than 1 in 25 residentsin the Appalachian region during the 2006-2010 period. The county patterns reflect this fact as well, as Hispanicswere at least 5 percent of the population in just 49 of Appalachias 420 counties. Moreover, just three Appalachiancounties (Gwinnett, Hall, and Whitfieldall in Georgia) had Latino population shares that matched or exceeded thenational average. While small, the share of Hispanics in the Appalachian population almost certainly continued togrow throughout the 2000s: The 2010 census found higher Latino shares for both the United States and Appalachiathan there were in the 2006-2010 period.


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CHAPTER 4: HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE

Table 4.1: Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

Housing Occupancy and TenureTotal Numberof Housing

Units

Number ofOccupied

Housing Units

Percent of TotalHousing Units

Percent of OccupiedHousing Units

Occupied VacantOwner-

OccupiedRenter-

Occupied

United States 130,038,080 114,235,996 87.8 12.2 66.6 33.4

Appalachian Region 11,428,030 9,819,092 85.9 14.1 72.6 27.4Subregions

Northern Appalachia 3,914,861 3,370,200 86.1 13.9 72.3 27.7

North Central Appalachia 1,110,869 946,477 85.2 14.8 74.1 25.9

Central Appalachia 882,042 742,565 84.2 15.8 74.1 25.9

South Central Appalachia 2,221,559 1,897,114 85.4 14.6 71.7 28.3

Southern Appalachia 3,298,699 2,862,736 86.8 13.2 72.7 27.3

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 2,473,987 2,193,291 88.7 11.3 73.1 26.9

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 4.1: Percent o f Housing Units i n the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 2006-2010

Although the home occupancy rate during the 2006-2010 period was slightly lower in Appalachia than in the UnitedStates as a whole, rates varied within the region. On one hand, 119 of the 420 counties had occupancy rates thatwere at or above the national average. And while they were scattered throughout the region, 75 of these countieswere in metropolitan areas. Conversely, less than four-fifths of housing units were occupied in 103 Appalachiancountiesall but 13 of which lay outside metropolitan areas. It is important to note that the occupancy rates in the2006-2010 period were about a full percentage point lower than they were in the 2010 census, suggesting thathousing occupancy has increased in recent years after the end of the great recession in 2009.


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Figure 4.2: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 2006-2010

In Appalachia, 14 percent of housing units were vacant during the 2006-2010 period, which is about two percentagepoints above the national average. (The rates for both the United States and Appalachia were about a full percentagepoint higher than what was observed in the 2010 census, suggesting that vacancy rates may have dropped by 2010as the nation began to recover from the housing bust.) The vacancy rate varied within the region, however. While one-fourth of Appalachian counties (nearly all outside metropolitan areas) had vacancy rates exceeding 20 percent,another one-fourth (mostly in metro areas) had rates below the national average. It is important to note that in 152 ofthe 305 Appalachian counties with vacancy rates of 12.2 percent or more, at least one in three vacant units weredesigned for seasonal or occasional use, suggesting significant recreational, resort, or retirement activity in thecommunity.


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Figure 4.4: Percent Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

The share of renter-occupied housing units during the 2006-2010 period was well below the national averagethroughout Appalachia; in fact, it was less than 25 percent in more than half of the regions counties. Among the 20

Appalachian counties where the share of renter-occupied units matched or exceeded the national average, most arehome to colleges or universities, where students make up a fairly sizeable share of the population. It is interesting tonote that the share of renter-occupied units was lower in the 2006-2010 period than it was in the 2010 census,suggesting an increase in rentals in response to the housing crisis.


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CHAPTER 5: EDUCATION

Table 5.1: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

Education (Highest Level Attained)

TotalPopulation

Ages 25 andOver,

2006-2010

Percent of Population Ages 25 and Over

Less thanHigh School

Diploma

High School Diploma or More

TotalH.S. Grad, No

PostsecondaryDegree

Ass oci ate'sDegree

Bachelor'sDegree or

More

United States 199,726,659 15.0 85.0 49.6 7.5 27.9


Subregions






County Types


Small Metros (pop.


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Table 5.2: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010


TotalPopulation

Ages 25-64,2006-2010

Percent of Population Ages 25-64


Diploma


TotalH.S. Grad, No

PostsecondaryDegree

Ass oci ate'sDegree

Bachelor'sDegree or

More

United States 160,977,246 12.7 87.3 49.1 8.4 29.8


SubregionsNorthern Appalachia 4,372,683 8.6 91.4 57.0 10.0 24.4





County Types


Small Metros (pop.


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Table 5.3: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010


TotalPopulation

Ages 65 andOver,

2006-2010



Diploma


TotalH.S. Grad, No

PostsecondaryDegree

Ass oci ate'sDegree

Bachelor'sDegree or

More

United States 38,749,413 24.3 75.7 51.6 3.9 20.1


SubregionsNorthern Appalachia 1,391,188 23.7 76.3 60.4 3.0 12.9

North Central Appalachia 360,238 31.4 68.6 55.0 2.3 11.4

Central Appalachia 280,619 49.5 50.5 40.5 1.8 8.2

South Central Appalachia 735,325 31.5 68.5 48.7 3.4 16.4

Southern Appalachia 934,099 31.7 68.3 49.4 3.3 15.6

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 744,982 24.3 75.7 56.5 3.2 16.1

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 5.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma orMore, 2006-2010

Although the share of Appalachian adults with at least a high school diploma was slightly below the national averageover the 2006-2010 period, it exceeded the national share in 99 counties in the regiontwo-thirds of them in northern

Appalachia and three-fifths in metro areas. And both the regional and national shares were slightly higher than theywere in the 2005-2009 period, possibly suggesting a continued trend toward high school completion among enteringcohorts (at least between the non-overlapping years of 2005 and 2010). Yet in 141 counties, less than three-fourths ofadults had completed high school; 112 of those were nonmetropolitan counties located in central, south central, andsouthern Appalachia.


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Figure 5.2: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma butWith No Postsecondary Degree, 2006-2010

In nine out of 10 Appalachian counties, at least half of the adult population had a high school diploma, but nopostsecondary degree (including an associates degree) during the 2006-2010 period. Many of these adults hadattended college but did not graduate, while others acquired vocational training. Conversely, many of the adultsoutside of this group did earn an associates or bachelors degree, while others never finished high school at all.


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Figure 5.3: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelors Degree orMore, 2006-2010

In 401 of Appalachias 420 counties, the share of adults with a bachelors degree or more in the 2006-2010 periodwas lower than the national average of 28 percent. In fact, less than one-fifth of persons ages 25 and over weregraduates of a four-year college or university in 342 Appalachian counties. And in 75 countiesnearly all of whichwere outside metropolitan areas and nearly half in central Appalachialess than one in 10 adults had at least abachelors degree. The 19 counties where the percentage of college graduates matched or surpassed the nationalaverage were either in metropolitan areas or home to a well-known college or university. Most of these counties alsoexperienced higher than average residential mobility rates. It is interesting to note that the share of adults with a four-year degree was slightly higher in the 2006-2010 period than it was in 2005-2009, which possibly suggests acontinued trend toward greater educational attainment among cohorts entering this age group.


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Figure 5.4: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma or More,2006-2010

In the 2006-2010 period, the percentage of working-age adults (ages 25 to 64) in the Appalachian region with at leasta high school diploma was only slightly below the national average of just over 87 percent. (And both shares wereslightly higher than they were in the 2005-2009 period.) In 127 of Appalachias 420 counties, the share matched orexceeded the national average. Nearly half of these 127 counties were outside metropolitan areas, and most were innorthern or north central Appalachia. At the other end of the spectrum, less than three in four working-age adults hadfinished high school in 53 Appalachian countiesalmost all of which were outside metropolitan areas, and more thanhalf of which were in central Appalachia.


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Figure 5.5: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelors Degree or More,2006-2010

Only 23 percent of the working age population in Appalachia had a bachelors degree or moreseven percentagepoints lower than the U.S. average of 30 percent. This is a striking indicator of the lower educational level of the

Appalachian workforce. Just 13 percent of working-age adults in central Appalachia had a bachelors degree, as didonly 15 percent of residents of rural Appalachian counties that were not adjacent to metro areas. In just 20

Appalachian countiesall either in metropolitan areas or home to a four-year college or universitythe share ofworking-age adults ages 25 to 64 with at least a bachelors degree matched or exceeded the national average in the2006-2010 period. In contrast, there were 58 counties where less than one in 10 adults had a four-year degree. Ofthese, 48 were outside metropolitan areas, and 38 of those nonmetropolitan counties were in central, south central,and southern Appalachia. On the positive side, educational attainment levels for the United States and Appalachiawere slightly higher than they were in the 2005-2009 period.


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Figure 5.6: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelors Degree orMore, 2006-2010

While one in five older Americans (ages 65 and over) had attained at least a bachelors degree in the 2006-2010period, less than one in 10 older adults had done so in nearly half of Appalachias 420 counties. Not surprisingly, mostof these were outside metropolitan areas and nearly one-third were in central Appalachia. (Just 8 percent of central

Appalachias older adults were college graduates.) Yet in 31 Appalachian counties, the share of older adults with abachelors degree or higher was at or above the national average. Most of these were in metropolitan areas or hometo a college or university, but some others may be rural counties with significant retirement or seasonal activity, assuggested by the fact that much (if not most) of their vacant housing was for seasonal or occasional use.


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CHAPTER 6: LABOR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT, AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Table 6.1: Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Status of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the AppalachianRegion, 2006-2010

Labor Force, Employment, andUnemployment

Total Numberof Civilian

Persons Ages25-64

Total Persons Ages 25-64 inCivilian Labor Force

EmploymentRate (Pct. ofCiv. Labor

Force)

UnemploymentRate (Pct. ofCiv. Labor

Force)Number Percent

United States 160,279,913 125,059,841 78.0 93.6 6.4Appalachian Region 13,192,595 9,739,072 73.8 93.5 6.5

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 4,368,636 3,327,765 76.2 94.0 6.0

North Central Appalachia 1,280,143 897,106 70.1 93.6 6.4

Central Appalachia 1,033,570 629,652 60.9 92.7 7.3

South Central Appalachia 2,455,374 1,828,354 74.5 93.2 6.8

Southern Appalachia 4,054,872 3,056,195 75.4 93.1 6.9

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 3,072,080 2,404,360 78.3 93.8 6.2

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 6.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In the Labor Force, 2006-2010

In the 2006-2010 period (a period of both economic growth and decline), nearly 74 percent of Appalachias civilians in theprime working ages (ages 25 to 64) were in the civilian labor force, slightly below the U.S. average of 78 percent. In 44

Appalachian counties (scattered throughout the region), the share was above the national average; two-thirds of thosecounties were in metropolitan areas. On the other hand, there were 49 counties where less than 60 percent of 25-to-64-year-olds were in the civilian labor force, a full 18 percentage points below the national average. Nearly all of these counties wereoutside of metropolitan areas, with three-fourths in central Appalachia. Indeed, just 61 percent of working-age residents incentral Appalachia were in the labor force. And there are signs of a possible connection between educational attainment andlabor force participation. For example, in most of the counties with labor force participation rates matching or exceeding theU.S. average, the share of working-age adults with at least a high school diploma was also at or above the national average.


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Figure 6.2: Employment Rate for Civili an Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region,2006-2010

Among members of the civilian labor force ages 25 to 64, the employment rate in Appalachia during the 2006-2010period (which incorporates not only the recent recession, but also years of economic growth) was almost identical tothe national average. Although there were only slight differences among subregions and urban/rural county types,there was some variation among the counties. In nearly half of Appalachian counties, the employment rate matchedor exceeded the national average, with about one in six counties having employment rates of at least 95 percent. Yetin 34 counties in the region, employment among 25-to-64-year-olds was less than 90 percent. Nearly all of thesecounties were outside metropolitan areas.


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Figure 6.3: Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the AppalachianRegion, 2006-2010

Although unemployment in the Appalachian region among persons ages 25 to 64 was just above the national average duringthe 2006-2010 period, it was at least 10 percent in 36 counties. All but two of these counties were outside metropolitan areas,and nearly half were in central Appalachia. At the other end of the spectrum, unemployment was below 5 percent in 59

Appalachian counties; these were more evenly distributed among urban/rural types and subregions. There are indications of aconnection between unemployment and educational attainment: In 25 of the 36 Appalachian counties with double-digitunemployment, less than four-fifths of 25-to-64-year-olds had a high school diploma or more. It is important to note thatunemployment during the 2006-2010 period reflects not just patterns during the 2007-2009 economic downturn and post-recession recovery, but also patterns during the years of pre-recession economic growth.


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CHAPTER 7: INCOME AND POVERTY

Table 7.1: Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010

Income

Household Income, 2006-2010(2010 Dollars)

Family Income, 2006-2010(2010 Dollars)

Per CapitaIncome,

2006-2010(2010 Dollars)

Mean HHIncome

Median HHIncome

Mean FamilyIncome

MedianFamilyIncome

United States 70,883 51,914 82,446 62,982 27,334

Appalachian Region 56,458 42,498 66,724 53,191 22,727

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 57,397 44,001 68,724 55,859 23,635

North Central Appalachia 52,678 40,089 62,408 50,467 21,371

Central Appalachia 44,163 32,278 52,017 40,947 17,820

South Central Appalachia 54,568 40,537 64,939 51,100 22,638

Southern Appalachia 61,043 45,784 70,774 55,838 23,441

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 67,923 51,692 79,981 63,871 26,759

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 7.1: Mean Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010

In the 2006-2010 period (which covers the years before, during, and after the economic recession of 2007-2009), themean income of Appalachian households was $56,458, just 80 percent of the U.S. average. Patterns within the regionshow an even greater dispersion: In just nine of the regions counties, average household income matched orexceeded that of the nation as a whole. And in only 58 other counties, mean household income matched orsurpassed the Appalachian average. Almost all of these counties were in metropolitan areas. In contrast, medianincome was less than $40,000 in 45 counties; all of these counties were outside metro areas, and three-fourths ofthem were in central Appalachia.


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Figure 7.2: Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010

At $42,498, median household income in Appalachia (the level at which half the households have higher incomes andthe other half have lower incomes) was 82 percent that of the United States during the 2006-2010 period. While 19counties in the region (almost all of them in metropolitan areas) had household incomes at or above the nationalmedian, another 56 had median household incomes below $30,000. Nearly all the counties in the latter group wereoutside metropolitan areas (39 of them were not adjacent to any metro), and 37 of them were in central Appalachia.This development is not surprising: median household income was $33,387 for the most rural counties and $32,278for central Appalachia. It is useful to note that the income levels displayed here reflect income received not only duringthe years of the 2007-2009 economic downturn, but also in the years before and after it.


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Figure 7.3: Mean Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010

In only 12 Appalachian counties (all in metropolitan areas), the average income of families matched or surpassed the U.S.mean of $82,446 for the 2006-2010 period. Indeed, there were only 66 counties (55 of which were part of metro areas) wheremean family income was equal to or greater than the Appalachian regional average ($66,724). In contrast, mean familyincome was less than $50,000 in 87 Appalachian counties. Most of these counties were either in the most remote rural areasor in central Appalachiamean family income over the 2006-2010 period (a time frame that includes extended periods ofeconomic growth and decline) was less than $55,000 for both areas.


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Figure 7.4: Median Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010

In 21 Appalachian countiesnearly all in metro areasmedian family income (the level where half of all families havehigher incomes while the other half have lower incomes) was at or above the U.S. median of $62,982 during the2006-2010 period. In another 58 counties (again, mostly in metro areas), median income matched or exceeded themedian for families in the Appalachian region ($53,191). In contrast, median family income was less than $40,000 in76 counties. Of the counties in this latter group, 47 were rural counties not adjacent to a metro area (median familyincome in those counties was just over $42,000), while 42 were in central Appalachia (where median family incomewas slightly less than $41,000). It is important to note that the 2006-2010 period includes years of a booming U.S.economy, a major recession, and the beginnings of an economic recovery.


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Figure 7.5: Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2010 Dollars), 2006-2010

At $22,727, per capita income in the Appalachian region in the 2006-2010 period was 83 percent that of the U.S.average of $27,334. And there was greater variance within the region: Per capita income was the same or higher thanthe national average in 11 Appalachian counties and was at or above the regional average in 64 others. Yet in 25

Appalachian counties, per capita income was less than $15,000. As with other income measures, the counties withthe highest per capita incomes generally were in metro areas, while the ones with the lowest were in rural areas,particularly in central Appalachia. Indeed, per capita income in the 2006-2010 period (which includes both pre- andpost-recession years) was just $18,317 in rural Appalachian counties as a whole, and just $17,820 in central

Appalachia.


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CHAPTER 8: MIGRATION

Table 8.1: Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2006-2010

Mobility Status in t he Last YearTotal Population

Ages 1 and Over,2006-2010


Did NotMove in Past

Year

Moved from a Different Residence in the Past Year

Within theCounty

Outside the County

Within theState

Outside theState

United States 300,061,429 84.2 15.8 9.4 6.4 3.3 3.0Appalachian Region 24,714,726 86.0 14.0 8.1 5.9 3.3 2.6

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,300,764 87.3 12.7 7.6 5.1 2.9 2.2

North Central Appalachia 2,378,673 86.5 13.5 7.6 5.9 3.2 2.7

Central Appalachia 1,893,203 87.4 12.6 7.4 5.2 3.1 2.1

South Central Appalachia 4,601,880 85.3 14.7 8.4 6.4 3.4 3.0

Southern Appalachia 7,540,206 84.4 15.6 8.9 6.7 3.8 2.8

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,621,458 86.0 14.0 8.2 5.8 3.3 2.6

Small Metros (pop.


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Figure 8.1: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Moved in the Past Year,2006-2010

In the 2006-2010 period, mobility in both the United States and Appalachia showed signs of a slight decline from whatwas observed in the 2005-2009 period, which suggests an impact of the economic recession of 2007 to 2009.

Although residential mobility in Appalachia was below the national average, the percentage of residents who moved inthe past year exceeded the U.S. average in one-sixth of the regions counties. Most of these counties were insouthern or south central Appalachia, and nearly half were in metropolitan areas or were home to a four-year collegeor university. In one-fourth of the counties, less than 10 percent of the residents had moved in the previous 12months; most of these counties were outside metro areas.


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Figure 8.2: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From OutsideTheir Coun ty of Residence in the Past Year, 2006-2010

Although people in Appalachia were slightly less likely to have migrated from outside their county of residence in the2006-2010 period than Americans as a whole, residents in 131 of the regions counties were more likely to have doneso. These counties were scattered throughout the Appalachian region and were distributed across all urban/ruraltypes. In 192 counties, less than 5 percent of the residents had migrated from another countythree-fourths of thesecounties were outside metropolitan areas, and two-fifths of those were rural counties not adjacent to a metro area.Out-of-county migration patterns were slightly lower in 2006-2010 than they were in the 2005-2009 period, possiblysuggesting the impact of the recession of the late 2000s, which led to lower mobility rates nationwide.


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Figure 8.3: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From OutsideTheir State of Residence in the Past Year, 2006-2010

The share of Americans migrating from outside their state of residence was 3 percent in the 2006-2010 period, downslightly from 3.2 percent in 2005-2009. This suggests a possible impact of the economic downturn of the late 2000s,

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