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    HomeAbout the Appalachian RegionThe ChartbookPopulation and Age in Appalachia

        
      
Population and Age in Appalachia
	
	
				
	
	
	Appalachia had a **population of 26.3 million in 2021**, a 2.9% increase – or almost 745,000 more residents – than it had in mid-2010. Though two subregions have experienced growth, most of the Region has lost population and its overall growth is slower than the national average of 7.3%.

The Region’s population is generally aging at the same rate as the nation, with the median age rising to 41.3 years over the 2010-2021 period. However, certain portions of Appalachia are aging faster than others and the nation as a whole.

Learn more about Appalachia’s basic population and age trends through the charts below.





	


  
Population Change
          
                      Most of the Region has lost population, with the Appalachian portion offivestates – Mississippi, New York,Ohio,Virginia,and West Virginia – experiencing lossesof at least3%. However, Southern Appalachia hasadded residents. In fact, Southern Appalachia’s growth surpassed the national average, reaching 10.3%.Certain counties in Appalachian Georgia grew exponentially, with gains averaging16.3%.
          
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Population Growth
							
															The five states whose Appalachian sections have grown since 2010 were all in the South—Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Appalachian Georgia and South Carolina have grown especially rapidly since 2010.

Population Distribution



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Population Change



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Age Breakdown
          
                      Like the United States as a whole, Appalachia’s population became older between 2010 and 2021. The median age of the Region’s population is 41.3years. The share of Appalachia’s population under age 18 and the share of adults ages25 to 64 are both more than a full percentage point lower in mid-2021than they were in mid-2010.
          
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Minority Population

Minorities make up a small but growing share of Appalachia’s population. The Region’s population is **20.2% minority** while the national rate is 40.7%.




	



10.2%
              
              African Americans							  


5.8%
              
              Hispanics/Latinos							  


4.2%
              
              Other





	



Related Content    
    
    The Chartbook
																				
								

  The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey
																				
								

  Rural Appalachia Compared to the Rest of Rural America

      Abingdon, Virginia Appalachian Regional Commission

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