THE APPALACHIAN REGION:

A DATA OVERVIEW FROM THE

2007-2011 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

Chartbook

Kelvin Pollard

Linda A. Jacobsen

Population Reference Bureau

Prepared for the Appalachian Regional Commission

Under Contract #CO-16506-09

February 2013 

The authors wish to thank Keith Witt of ARC

for his support and guidance.

 
1 

THE APPALACHIAN REGION: A DATA OVERVIEW FROM THE 2007-2011 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, 2007-2011 4

Figure 1.1: Population Distribution in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 5

Figure 1.2: Population per Square Mile of Land Area in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 6

CHAPTER 2. AGE

Table 2.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2007-2011 7

Figure 2.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Under Age 18, 2007-2011 8

Figure 2.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 18 to 24, 2007-2011 9

Figure 2.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 25 to 64, 2007-2011 10

Figure 2.4: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 65 and Over, 2007-2011 11

Figure 2.5: Median Age of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 12

CHAPTER 3. RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

Table 3.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2007-2011 13

Figure 3.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Minority, 2007-2011 14

Figure 3.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, not Hispanic, 2007-2011 15

Figure 3.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or Latino, 2007-2011 16

CHAPTER 4. HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE

Table 4.1: Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 17

Figure 4.1: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 2007-2011 18

Figure 4.2: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 2007-2011 19

Figure 4.3: Percent Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 20

Figure 4.4: Percent Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 21

CHAPTER 5. EDUCATION

Table 5.1: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 22

Table 5.2: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 23

Table 5.3: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 24

Figure 5.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma or More, 2007-2011 25

Figure 5.2: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma but With No 

Postsecondary Degree, 2007-2011

26

Figure 5.3: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2007-2011 27

Figure 5.4: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma or More, 2007-2011 28

Figure 5.5: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2007-2011 29

Figure 5.6: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2007-2011 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 Appalachian 

Region, 2007-2011

31

Figure 6.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In the Labor Force, 2007-2011 32

Figure 6.2: Employment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 33

Figure 6.3: Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 34

CHAPTER 7. INCOME AND POVERTY

Table 7.1: Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011 35

Table 7.2: Poverty Status of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 36
2 

PAGE

Figure 7.1: Mean Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011 37

Figure 7.2: Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011 38

Figure 7.3: Mean Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011 39

Figure 7.4: Median Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011 40

Figure 7.5: Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011 41

Figure 7.6: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2007-2011 42

CHAPTER 8. MIGRATION

Table 8.1: Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011 43

Figure 8.1: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Moved in the Past Year, 2007-2011 44

Figure 8.2: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside Their 

County of Residence in the Past Year, 2007-2011

45

Figure 8.3: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside Their 

State of Residence in the Past Year, 2007-2011

46
3 

FOREWORD

The data contained in this chartbook come from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey. While the types of

demographic and housing data included in Chapters 1 through 4 were also collected in the 2010 decennial census, the

types of social and economic data included in Chapters 5 through 8 were not. This is because unlike previous 

censuses—which 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 characteristics—the 

2010 census only had a short form. 

The decennial long form has been replaced by the American Community Survey (ACS), a nationwide study collected 

continuously every year in every county in the United States. The ACS is designed to provide communities with reliable 

and timely demographic, social, economic, and housing data each year. However, the annual sample size of the ACS is 

much smaller than the sample size of the decennial census long form; therefore, data from five years must be combined 

to 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 2007-2011 ACS data to have comparable 

statistics for all 420 counties in the region. 

The five-year ACS estimates for 2007-2011 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 counts of people for 

congressional apportionment and legislative redistricting, the primary purpose of the ACS is to measure the changing 

characteristics of the U.S. population. Moreover, while the decennial census provides a “snapshot” of the U.S. population 

once every 10 years, the ACS has been described as a “moving video image” that is continually updated. Finally, while 

the census provides “point in time” estimates designed to approximate an area’s characteristics on a specific date, the 

ACS provides “period” estimates that represent data collected over a period of time. The five-year estimates in this 

chartbook, therefore, are data collected over the five-year (or 60-month) period from January 2007 through December 

2011. These ACS estimates are not averages of monthly or annual values, but rather an aggregation of data collected 

over the five-year period. 

For areas with consistent population characteristics throughout the calendar year, ACS period estimates might not 

differ much from those that would result from a point-in-time survey like the decennial census. However, ACS period 

estimates 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 be 

dominated by locals in the winter months and by temporary workers and tourists in the summer months, with a 

corresponding decrease in employment rates during the winter and increase in these rates during the summer. In 

such a community, the ACS period estimate of the percent of persons in the labor force, which is based on data 

across 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 it 

difficult to track trends in these areas. The 2007-2011 ACS data illustrate this problem. The 2007-2011 time period 

covers three distinct periods of economic activity: the months of economic growth in 2007 that preceded the onset of the

recession in December of that year; the recession period itself from December 2007 through June 2009; and the 

beginning of the economic recovery that followed the downturn. Since the 2007-2011 ACS pools data from all three 

periods, it smooths out the extreme variations in economic measures that would be evident in annual data from the 

recent severe recession. 
4 

CHAPTER 1: POPULATION BASICS 

Table 1.1: Population, Land Area, and Population Density in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Population, Land Area, and Density Population,

2007-2011 

Land Area

(Square Miles) 

Population per 

Square Mile of Land 

Area, 2007-2011 

United States 306,603,772 3,531,905 86.8

Appalachian Region 25,138,634 204,452 123.0

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,386,003 56,980 147.2

North Central Appalachia 2,414,961 29,337 82.3

Central Appalachia 1,916,690 29,773 64.4

South Central Appalachia 4,689,747 34,997 134.0

Southern Appalachia 7,731,233 53,365 144.9

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,739,321 17,579 326.5

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,131,903 50,179 201.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,694,488 18,822 90.0

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 5,035,983 69,090 72.9

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,536,939 48,781 52.0

Alabama 4,747,424 50,645 93.7

Appalachian Alabama 3,043,430 25,763 118.1

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,703,994 24,882 68.5

Georgia 9,600,612 57,513 166.9

Appalachian Georgia 2,899,705 11,378 254.9

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,700,907 46,135 145.2

Kentucky 4,316,040 39,486 109.3

Appalachian Kentucky 1,184,118 18,231 65.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,131,922 21,256 147.3

Maryland 5,736,545 9,707 591.0

Appalachian Maryland 252,034 1,529 164.8

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,484,511 8,178 670.6

Mississippi 2,956,700 46,923 63.0

Appalachian Mississippi 627,703 12,400 50.6

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,328,997 34,523 67.5

New York 19,302,448 47,126 409.6

Appalachian New York 1,066,767 11,681 91.3

Non-Appalachian New York 18,235,681 35,445 514.5

North Carolina 9,418,736 48,618 193.7

Appalachian North Carolina 1,686,926 11,887 141.9

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 7,731,810 36,731 210.5

Ohio 11,525,536 40,861 282.1

Appalachian Ohio 2,043,794 15,978 127.9

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,481,742 24,882 381.1

Pennsylvania 12,660,739 44,743 283.0

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,790,556 36,444 158.9

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,870,183 8,298 827.9

South Carolina 4,575,864 30,061 152.2

Appalachian South Carolina 1,160,395 3,824 303.5

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,415,469 26,237 130.2

Tennessee 6,297,991 41,235 152.7

Appalachian Tennessee 2,768,286 20,119 137.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,529,705 21,116 167.2

Virginia 7,926,192 39,490 200.7

Appalachian Virginia 768,548 11,179 68.7

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,157,644 28,311 252.8

West Virginia (entire state) 1,846,372 24,038 76.8

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
5 

Figure 1.1: Population Distribution in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Of the 306.6 million persons in the United States during the period from 2007-2011, 25.1 million lived in the 

Appalachian region. Yet the population of the region’s 420 counties varied greatly. On one hand, two-thirds of the 

counties had populations 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. It is important to note that the Appalachian population has continued to grow: the latest population 

estimates indicate the region had 25.3 million residents in 2011 (out of 311.6 million Americans nationwide), 

compared to 25.2 million in the 2010 Census.
6 

Figure 1.2: Population per Square Mile of Land Area in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

While Appalachia’s population density was noticeably greater than the United States as a whole over the 2007-2011

period, only two-fifths of the region’s counties had population concentrations at or above the national average. Most of 

the high-density counties were in metropolitan areas, both large (Pittsburgh, Birmingham, suburban Atlanta) and small 

(Winston-Salem, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.).
7 

CHAPTER 2: AGE 

Table 2.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2007-2011

Population by Age Group 

Total 

Population, 

2007-2011 

Percent of Population Median Age Under (Years) Age 18 

Ages

18-24 

Ages

25-64

Ages 65

and over

United States 306,603,772 24.2 10.0 53.0 12.9 37.0

Appalachian Region 25,138,634 22.6 9.7 52.8 15.0 39.6

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,386,003 21.1 10.0 52.2 16.7 41.4

North Central Appalachia 2,414,961 22.0 9.6 53.2 15.2 40.1

Central Appalachia 1,916,690 22.4 8.7 54.0 14.9 40.2

South Central Appalachia 4,689,747 21.5 9.8 52.6 16.1 40.5

Southern Appalachia 7,731,233 25.0 9.5 53.1 12.4 36.9

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,739,321 24.0 8.7 54.1 13.2 38.4

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,131,903 22.1 10.5 52.5 15.0 39.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,694,488 23.0 9.8 51.8 15.4 40.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 5,035,983 21.8 9.3 52.5 16.3 41.0

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,536,939 22.6 9.1 52.3 16.0 40.5

Alabama 4,747,424 23.8 10.1 52.5 13.6 37.7

Appalachian Alabama 3,043,430 23.5 9.7 53.0 13.7 38.0

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,703,994 24.4 10.6 51.4 13.6 37.0

Georgia 9,600,612 25.8 10.1 53.6 10.5 35.2

Appalachian Georgia 2,899,705 27.1 8.6 53.9 10.3 35.7

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,700,907 25.2 10.7 53.5 10.5 34.9

Kentucky 4,316,040 23.7 9.6 53.5 13.2 37.8

Appalachian Kentucky 1,184,118 22.9 9.2 53.6 14.3 39.3

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,131,922 23.9 9.7 53.5 12.8 37.3

Maryland 5,736,545 23.6 9.6 54.6 12.1 37.8

Appalachian Maryland 252,034 21.4 9.8 53.1 15.6 40.2

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,484,511 23.7 9.6 54.7 11.9 37.6

Mississippi 2,956,700 25.6 10.4 51.3 12.7 35.9

Appalachian Mississippi 627,703 24.8 10.8 50.5 14.0 36.9

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,328,997 25.8 10.3 51.6 12.3 35.7

New York 19,302,448 22.5 10.1 53.9 13.4 37.8

Appalachian New York 1,066,767 21.3 12.8 50.4 15.5 39.7

Non-Appalachian New York 18,235,681 22.6 10.0 54.1 13.3 37.7

North Carolina 9,418,736 24.0 9.8 53.4 12.8 37.3

Appalachian North Carolina 1,686,926 21.6 9.1 52.7 16.6 41.1

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 7,731,810 24.5 10.0 53.5 12.0 36.4

Ohio 11,525,536 23.8 9.5 52.8 13.9 38.5

Appalachian Ohio 2,043,794 23.2 9.0 52.4 15.5 40.2

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,481,742 23.9 9.6 52.8 13.6 38.1

Pennsylvania 12,660,739 22.1 9.8 52.7 15.4 39.9

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,790,556 20.7 9.9 52.4 16.9 41.7

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,870,183 23.3 9.8 52.8 14.0 38.4

South Carolina 4,575,864 23.5 10.3 52.8 13.5 37.7

Appalachian South Carolina 1,160,395 23.7 10.2 52.5 13.6 37.8

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,415,469 23.4 10.3 52.9 13.4 37.6

Tennessee 6,297,991 23.7 9.5 53.5 13.3 37.8

Appalachian Tennessee 2,768,286 22.0 9.3 53.1 15.7 40.3

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,529,705 25.0 9.8 53.8 11.4 35.9

Virginia 7,926,192 23.3 10.1 54.6 12.1 37.3

Appalachian Virginia 768,548 19.6 11.8 52.0 16.6 41.0

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,157,644 23.7 9.9 54.8 11.6 36.9

West Virginia (entire state) 1,846,372 21.0 9.2 53.8 15.9 41.1

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
8 

Figure 2.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Under Age 18, 2007-2011

During the 2007-2011 period, the share of children and youth in the Appalachian population was slightly below the 

national average of 24 percent. And the percentage actually fell below 20 percent in one-sixth of the region’s counties 

(mostly outside metropolitan areas). Yet in another one-fifth of the counties, the proportion under age 18 matched or 

exceeded the national average. Most of these were in southern Appalachia—the only subregion where the under-18 

share exceeded the national average. 
9 

Figure 2.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 18 to 24, 2007-2011

The share of young adults (ages 18 to 24) in Appalachia roughly equaled the national average in the 2007-2011

period. Yet there also were great variations within the region. For example, persons in this age group made up at least 

15 percent of the population in 22 counties—most of which house colleges and universities. In contrast, 18-to-24-

year-olds made up less than 7.5 percent of the population in 112 Appalachian counties. Of the counties in this latter 

group, 81 were outside metropolitan areas, suggesting a possible lack of opportunities in these communities for youth 

making the transition to adulthood.
10

Figure 2.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 25 to 64, 2007-2011

In both the United States and Appalachia, adults in the prime working ages (ages 25 to 64) made up a slight majority 

of all residents in the 2007-2011 period. In more than half of Appalachian counties, the percentage of persons in this 

age group matched or exceeded the national average. But there were 34 counties in the region (28 of which were 

outside metropolitan areas) where 25-to-64-year-olds made up less than half of the population. Many of these 

counties house colleges and universities (and thus had a high share of their populations in the 18-to-24 age range.)
11

Figure 2.4: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 65 and Over, 2007-2011

The Appalachian region had a larger proportion of residents ages 65 and over in the 2007-2011 period than did the 

nation as a whole. And in 371 of the region’s 420 counties, the share of persons in this age group matched or 

exceeded the national average. Older persons, in fact, made up at least 15 percent of the population in more than 

two-thirds of Appalachia’s counties, most of which were outside metropolitan areas. In contrast, a majority of the 49 

Appalachian counties with older population shares below the national average were either in metro areas or home to 

colleges and universities. And in Appalachia and the nation, the share of residents ages 65 and over is expected to 

increase over the coming years as the large baby boom cohorts continue to move into this age group.
12

Figure 2.5: Median Age of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

On average, the Appalachian population was more than two-and-a-half years older than that of the United States as a 

whole during the 2007-2011 period. Indeed, the median age of the population (the point at which half the population is 

older and half is younger) was at least 40 years in nearly two-thirds of the region’s counties. In 30 counties—almost all 

of which were outside metro areas—the median age was at least 45 years. Most of the counties with populations 

younger than the national median age were in southern Appalachia—the only subregion where the overall age 

structure roughly resembled that of the nation. In most Appalachian counties, median age will likely continue to rise 

with the aging of the region’s population. 
13

CHAPTER 3: RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN 

Table 3.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2007-2011

Population by Race and Hispanic Origin 

Total 

Population, 

2007-2011 

Percent of Population

White Alone, 

Not Hispanic 

Minority

Total Black Alone, 

Not Hispanic 

Hispanic or 

Latino

Other, Not 

Hispanic

United States 306,603,772 64.2 35.8 12.2 16.1 7.6

Appalachian Region 25,138,634 83.9 16.1 9.1 4.0 3.0

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,386,003 89.8 10.2 5.1 2.3 2.8

North Central Appalachia 2,414,961 93.4 6.6 2.8 1.2 2.6

Central Appalachia 1,916,690 95.5 4.5 1.9 1.1 1.5

South Central Appalachia 4,689,747 85.8 14.2 7.0 4.4 2.9

Southern Appalachia 7,731,233 70.4 29.6 18.4 7.3 3.9

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,739,321 75.3 24.7 14.6 5.5 4.6

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,131,903 83.4 16.6 9.0 4.4 3.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,694,488 88.8 11.2 4.7 3.9 2.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 5,035,983 90.2 9.8 4.9 2.9 2.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,536,939 89.1 10.9 7.8 1.6 1.6

Alabama 4,747,424 67.3 32.7 26.1 3.7 3.0

Appalachian Alabama 3,043,430 71.3 28.7 21.7 4.2 2.8

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,703,994 60.1 39.9 33.8 2.8 3.3

Georgia 9,600,612 56.3 43.7 30.1 8.6 5.0

Appalachian Georgia 2,899,705 68.8 31.2 13.0 12.4 5.8

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,700,907 50.9 49.1 37.5 6.9 4.7

Kentucky 4,316,040 86.6 13.4 7.7 2.9 2.8

Appalachian Kentucky 1,184,118 95.5 4.5 1.8 1.2 1.5

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,131,922 83.2 16.8 9.9 3.5 3.3

Maryland 5,736,545 55.2 44.8 29.0 7.9 7.9

Appalachian Maryland 252,034 86.8 13.2 7.8 2.5 2.9

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,484,511 53.8 46.2 29.9 8.1 8.2

Mississippi 2,956,700 58.2 41.8 36.9 2.6 2.3

Appalachian Mississippi 627,703 64.9 35.1 31.4 2.2 1.5

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,328,997 56.4 43.6 38.4 2.7 2.5

New York 19,302,448 58.7 41.3 14.5 17.4 9.4

Appalachian New York 1,066,767 90.3 9.7 2.5 3.0 4.2

Non-Appalachian New York 18,235,681 56.9 43.1 15.2 18.2 9.8

North Carolina 9,418,736 65.7 34.3 21.2 8.1 5.1

Appalachian North Carolina 1,686,926 81.5 18.5 8.6 6.6 3.2

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 7,731,810 62.2 37.8 23.9 8.4 5.5

Ohio 11,525,536 81.4 18.6 12.0 3.0 3.7

Appalachian Ohio 2,043,794 91.9 8.1 4.3 1.6 2.2

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,481,742 79.1 20.9 13.6 3.3 4.0

Pennsylvania 12,660,739 79.8 20.2 10.4 5.5 4.3

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,790,556 89.8 10.2 5.2 2.3 2.7

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,870,183 71.5 28.5 14.7 8.1 5.7

South Carolina 4,575,864 64.3 35.7 27.8 4.9 3.1

Appalachian South Carolina 1,160,395 74.8 25.2 16.4 5.6 3.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,415,469 60.7 39.3 31.7 4.6 3.0

Tennessee 6,297,991 75.9 24.1 16.5 4.4 3.2

Appalachian Tennessee 2,768,286 88.9 11.1 5.4 3.1 2.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,529,705 65.7 34.3 25.3 5.4 3.6

Virginia 7,926,192 65.2 34.8 19.2 7.6 8.0

Appalachian Virginia 768,548 90.4 9.6 5.4 1.8 2.3

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,157,644 62.5 37.5 20.6 8.3 8.6

West Virginia (entire state) 1,846,372 93.2 6.8 3.1 1.2 2.5

“Other” includes these racial groups: (a) American Indian and Alaska Native alone; (b) Asian alone; (c) Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

alone; (d) Some other race alone; and (e) Two or more races.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
14

Figure 3.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Minority, 2007-2011

The Appalachian region is significantly less racially and ethnically diverse than the United States as a whole, and 

most parts of the region have remained far below the national average in their minority populations. In two-thirds of 

Appalachian counties, minorities (defined as anyone who identifies with a racial or ethnic group other than “white 

alone, not Hispanic”) made up less than 10 percent of the population during the 2007-2011 period. There were just 23 

counties—all but one in southern Appalachia—where minorities’ share of the population matched or exceeded the 

national average. 
15

Figure 3.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, not Hispanic, 2007-2011

Although non-Hispanic African Americans remained the largest single minority group in Appalachia during the 2007-

2011 period, their share of the region’s total population was still lower than in the United States as a whole. Within the 

region, the largest proportions were in southern Appalachia—the only subregion where blacks’ share of the population 

exceeded the national average. Southern Appalachia also had 51 of the 57 counties in the entire Appalachian region 

where the black share of the population matched or surpassed that of the nation. At the other end of the spectrum, 

persons who are “black alone, not Hispanic” accounted for less than 5 percent of the residents in three-fourths of 

Appalachian counties.
16

Figure 3.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or Latino, 2007-2011

Although Hispanics have become the United States’ largest minority group, they made up just 1 in 25 residents in the 

Appalachian region during the 2007-2011 period. The county patterns reflect this fact as well, as Hispanics constituted

at least 5 percent of the population in just 53 of Appalachia’s 420 counties. Moreover, just three Appalachian counties 

(Gwinnett, Hall, and Whitfield—all in Georgia) had Latino population shares that matched or exceeded the national 

average. 
17

CHAPTER 4: HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE 

Table 4.1: Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Housing Occupancy and Tenure 

Total Number 

of Housing 

Units 

Number of 

Occupied 

Housing Units 

Percent of Total

Housing Units

Percent of Occupied

Housing Units

Occupied Vacant OwnerOccupied 

RenterOccupied

United States 131,034,946 114,761,359 87.6 12.4 66.1 33.9

Appalachian Region 11,490,089 9,841,725 85.7 14.3 72.2 27.8

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 3,919,105 3,370,189 86.0 14.0 72.0 28.0

North Central Appalachia 1,114,448 947,409 85.0 15.0 73.7 26.3

Central Appalachia 883,033 743,101 84.2 15.8 73.7 26.3

South Central Appalachia 2,243,622 1,903,915 84.9 15.1 71.3 28.7

Southern Appalachia 3,329,881 2,877,111 86.4 13.6 72.3 27.7

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 2,487,817 2,201,325 88.5 11.5 72.6 27.4

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 4,551,464 4,012,596 88.2 11.8 70.5 29.5

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 787,588 655,916 83.3 16.7 73.4 26.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 2,428,170 1,983,364 81.7 18.3 74.0 26.0

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,235,050 988,524 80.0 20.0 74.3 25.7

Alabama 2,161,247 1,831,269 84.7 15.3 70.7 29.3

Appalachian Alabama 1,371,750 1,178,345 85.9 14.1 71.8 28.2

Non-Appalachian Alabama 789,497 652,924 82.7 17.3 68.6 31.4

Georgia 4,063,024 3,490,754 85.9 14.1 66.8 33.2

Appalachian Georgia 1,167,385 1,015,316 87.0 13.0 73.7 26.3

Non-Appalachian Georgia 2,895,639 2,475,438 85.5 14.5 64.0 36.0

Kentucky 1,921,067 1,681,085 87.5 12.5 69.5 30.5

Appalachian Kentucky 539,703 452,719 83.9 16.1 72.5 27.5

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 1,381,364 1,228,366 88.9 11.1 68.4 31.6

Maryland 2,369,168 2,128,377 89.8 10.2 68.7 31.3

Appalachian Maryland 112,743 96,491 85.6 14.4 69.0 31.0

Non-Appalachian Maryland 2,256,425 2,031,886 90.0 10.0 68.7 31.3

Mississippi 1,266,417 1,085,062 85.7 14.3 70.6 29.4

Appalachian Mississippi 277,558 236,714 85.3 14.7 72.0 28.0

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 988,859 848,348 85.8 14.2 70.2 29.8

New York 8,081,303 7,215,687 89.3 10.7 54.8 45.2

Appalachian New York 508,925 425,969 83.7 16.3 69.6 30.4

Non-Appalachian New York 7,572,378 6,789,718 89.7 10.3 53.9 46.1

North Carolina 4,286,863 3,664,119 85.5 14.5 67.8 32.2

Appalachian North Carolina 849,340 688,752 81.1 18.9 71.8 28.2

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 3,437,523 2,975,367 86.6 13.4 66.9 33.1

Ohio 5,119,693 4,554,007 89.0 11.0 68.7 31.3

Appalachian Ohio 904,644 795,610 87.9 12.1 73.4 26.6

Non-Appalachian Ohio 4,215,049 3,758,397 89.2 10.8 67.7 32.3

Pennsylvania 5,554,939 4,952,566 89.2 10.8 70.6 29.4

Appalachian Pennsylvania 2,718,652 2,337,440 86.0 14.0 72.3 27.7

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 2,836,287 2,615,126 92.2 7.8 69.2 30.8

South Carolina 2,117,357 1,758,732 83.1 16.9 69.8 30.2

Appalachian South Carolina 513,188 446,736 87.1 12.9 70.2 29.8

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 1,604,169 1,311,996 81.8 18.2 69.6 30.4

Tennessee 2,794,990 2,457,997 87.9 12.1 69.0 31.0

Appalachian Tennessee 1,281,117 1,119,931 87.4 12.6 71.5 28.5

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 1,513,873 1,338,066 88.4 11.6 67.0 33.0

Virginia 3,345,898 2,991,025 89.4 10.6 68.4 31.6

Appalachian Virginia 364,122 307,622 84.5 15.5 72.0 28.0

Non-Appalachian Virginia 2,981,776 2,683,403 90.0 10.0 68.0 32.0

West Virginia (entire state) 880,962 740,080 84.0 16.0 74.3 25.7

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey. 
18

Figure 4.1: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 2007-2011

Although the home occupancy rate during the 2007-2011 period was slightly lower in Appalachia than in the United 

States as a whole, rates varied within the region. On one hand, 116 of the 420 counties had occupancy rates that 

were at or above the national average. And while they were scattered throughout the region, 75 of these counties 

were in metropolitan areas. Conversely, less than four-fifths of housing units were occupied in 113 Appalachian 

counties—all but 15 of which lay outside metropolitan areas. It is important to note that Appalachia’s occupancy rate 

in the 2007-2011 period was three percentage points lower than it was in the 2000 census, indicating that housing 

occupancy has not yet returned to pre-recession levels. 
19

Figure 4.2: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 2007-2011

In Appalachia, 14 percent of housing units were vacant during the 2007-2011 period, which is about two percentage 

points above the national average. (The 2007-2011 rates for both the United States and Appalachia were about a full 

percentage point higher than what was observed in the 2010 Census, which suggests that vacancy rates may have 

started to drop by 2010 as the nation began to recover from the housing bust.) Vacancy rates 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 158 of the 308 Appalachian counties with vacancy rates of 12.4 percent or more, at least one in three 

vacant units were designed for seasonal or occasional use, suggesting significant recreational, resort, or retirement 

activity in the community.
20

Figure 4.3: Percent Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

In the 2007-2011 period, homeownership was more common in the Appalachian region than in the rest of the country. 

In all but 18 counties, the share of owner-occupied housing units matched or exceeded the national average. Indeed, 

the homeownership rate was at least 75 percent in 231 of Appalachia’s 420 counties. It is important to note that for 

some parts of the region, the high homeownership rates might be related to low levels of economic and residential 

mobility, the rise in the number and share of mobile homes among the housing stock, and to a lesser extent, the older 

age structure of the Appalachian population. 
21

Figure 4.4: Percent Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Throughout Appalachia, the share of renter-occupied housing units during the 2007-2011 period was well below the 

national average; in fact, it was less than 25 percent in more than half of the region’s counties. Among the 18

Appalachian counties where the share of renter-occupied units matched or exceeded the national average, most are 

home to colleges or universities, where students make up a fairly sizeable share of the population. The share of 

renter-occupied units in Appalachia was a percentage point higher than it was in the 2000 Census, suggesting a shift 

towards rental units in response to the recession and the housing crisis. 
22

CHAPTER 5: EDUCATION 

Table 5.1: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Total 

Population 

Ages 25 and 

Over,

2007-2011 

Percent of Population Ages 25 and Over

Less than 

High School 

Diploma 

High School Diploma or More

Total 

H.S. Grad, No 

Postsecondary 

Degree 

Associate's 

Degree

Bachelor's 

Degree or 

More

United States 202,048,123 14.6 85.4 49.6 7.6 28.2

Appalachian Region 17,036,098 16.5 83.5 55.0 7.5 21.0

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 5,776,891 11.8 88.2 57.9 8.4 21.9

North Central Appalachia 1,651,606 16.5 83.5 59.3 6.5 17.7

Central Appalachia 1,319,918 27.2 72.8 55.0 5.7 12.2

South Central Appalachia 3,222,852 17.8 82.2 53.2 7.4 21.7

Southern Appalachia 5,064,831 18.3 81.7 51.5 7.2 23.0

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 3,861,361 12.2 87.8 51.7 8.0 28.1

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 6,835,850 15.3 84.7 54.5 7.6 22.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,138,814 17.2 82.8 59.1 7.6 16.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,466,949 19.6 80.4 58.0 7.3 15.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,733,124 24.0 76.0 55.7 6.4 14.0

Alabama 3,138,078 18.1 81.9 52.9 7.0 22.0

Appalachian Alabama 2,030,318 18.0 82.0 52.6 6.9 22.5

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,107,760 18.2 81.8 53.6 7.2 21.0

Georgia 6,152,481 16.0 84.0 49.9 6.6 27.5

Appalachian Georgia 1,863,055 17.6 82.4 50.7 6.9 24.8

Non-Appalachian Georgia 4,289,426 15.3 84.7 49.5 6.5 28.7

Kentucky 2,881,383 18.3 81.7 54.3 6.7 20.6

Appalachian Kentucky 803,719 27.4 72.6 54.1 5.7 12.7

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 2,077,664 14.8 85.2 54.4 7.1 23.7

Maryland 3,828,550 11.8 88.2 45.8 6.3 36.1

Appalachian Maryland 173,326 15.1 84.9 59.3 7.7 17.9

Non-Appalachian Maryland 3,655,224 11.7 88.3 45.2 6.2 36.9

Mississippi 1,892,687 19.7 80.3 52.9 7.8 19.7

Appalachian Mississippi 404,459 23.1 76.9 53.3 7.6 16.1

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,488,228 18.7 81.3 52.8 7.9 20.6

New York 12,999,473 15.4 84.6 43.9 8.2 32.5

Appalachian New York 702,920 11.7 88.3 53.1 11.4 23.7

Non-Appalachian New York 12,296,553 15.6 84.4 43.4 8.1 33.0

North Carolina 6,229,136 15.9 84.1 49.1 8.5 26.5

Appalachian North Carolina 1,167,782 17.2 82.8 51.1 8.7 23.0

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 5,061,354 15.6 84.4 48.6 8.5 27.3

Ohio 7,688,501 12.2 87.8 55.8 7.5 24.5

Appalachian Ohio 1,387,220 15.3 84.7 61.9 7.1 15.7

Non-Appalachian Ohio 6,301,281 11.5 88.5 54.5 7.6 26.4

Pennsylvania 8,611,136 12.1 87.9 53.8 7.4 26.7

Appalachian Pennsylvania 4,017,485 11.1 88.9 57.5 8.2 23.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 4,593,651 12.9 87.1 50.6 6.6 29.8

South Carolina 3,031,432 16.4 83.6 51.0 8.4 24.2

Appalachian South Carolina 766,999 17.8 82.2 49.8 8.7 23.7

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 2,264,433 16.0 84.0 51.4 8.3 24.4

Tennessee 4,205,976 16.8 83.2 54.1 6.0 23.0

Appalachian Tennessee 1,903,914 18.7 81.3 55.1 6.1 20.0

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 2,302,062 15.3 84.7 53.3 6.0 25.5

Virginia 5,279,997 13.4 86.6 45.5 6.7 34.4

Appalachian Virginia 527,163 21.8 78.2 52.6 8.0 17.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia 4,752,834 12.5 87.5 44.7 6.6 36.2

West Virginia (entire state) 1,287,738 17.4 82.6 59.0 6.0 17.6

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
23

Table 5.2: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Total 

Population 

Ages 25-64,

2007-2011 

Percent of Population Ages 25-64

Less than 

High School 

Diploma 

High School Diploma or More

Total 

H.S. Grad, No 

Postsecondary 

Degree 

Associate's 

Degree

Bachelor's 

Degree or 

More

United States 162,439,303 12.5 87.5 49.0 8.4 30.0

Appalachian Region 13,269,994 13.1 86.9 55.3 8.7 22.9

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 4,377,838 8.4 91.6 56.9 10.1 24.6

North Central Appalachia 1,285,383 12.6 87.4 60.3 7.6 19.4

Central Appalachia 1,034,698 21.5 78.5 58.6 6.8 13.2

South Central Appalachia 2,468,167 14.1 85.9 54.2 8.6 23.1

Southern Appalachia 4,103,908 15.5 84.5 51.8 8.1 24.6

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 3,104,046 9.6 90.4 50.4 9.1 30.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 5,315,478 12.2 87.8 54.5 8.7 24.5

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 878,405 13.7 86.3 59.9 9.0 17.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 2,644,096 15.5 84.5 59.6 8.6 16.2

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,327,969 19.5 80.5 58.1 7.5 14.9

Alabama 2,490,744 15.1 84.9 53.4 8.0 23.5

Appalachian Alabama 1,614,298 15.1 84.9 52.9 7.9 24.2

Non-Appalachian Alabama 876,446 15.3 84.7 54.3 8.2 22.2

Georgia 5,146,372 13.8 86.2 49.9 7.2 29.2

Appalachian Georgia 1,563,809 15.6 84.4 50.5 7.5 26.4

Non-Appalachian Georgia 3,582,563 13.0 87.0 49.6 7.1 30.4

Kentucky 2,310,527 14.3 85.7 55.6 7.7 22.4

Appalachian Kentucky 634,735 21.8 78.2 57.7 6.7 13.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 1,675,792 11.5 88.5 54.8 8.1 25.7

Maryland 3,133,932 9.7 90.3 45.5 6.8 38.0

Appalachian Maryland 133,911 11.5 88.5 60.1 8.9 19.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland 3,000,021 9.6 90.4 44.8 6.7 38.9

Mississippi 1,517,496 16.6 83.4 53.7 8.9 20.7

Appalachian Mississippi 316,858 19.4 80.6 54.8 8.9 17.0

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,200,638 15.9 84.1 53.5 8.9 21.7

New York 10,408,574 12.8 87.2 42.8 9.3 35.1

Appalachian New York 538,061 9.2 90.8 51.9 13.2 25.7

Non-Appalachian New York 9,870,513 13.0 87.0 42.3 9.1 35.6

North Carolina 5,024,997 13.2 86.8 49.0 9.5 28.3

Appalachian North Carolina 888,365 14.2 85.8 51.7 10.0 24.1

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 4,136,632 13.0 87.0 48.5 9.3 29.2

Ohio 6,081,641 9.4 90.6 55.2 8.7 26.7

Appalachian Ohio 1,071,039 11.8 88.2 62.3 8.6 17.3

Non-Appalachian Ohio 5,010,602 8.9 91.1 53.7 8.7 28.7

Pennsylvania 6,666,563 8.8 91.2 52.8 8.6 29.7

Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,037,085 7.6 92.4 56.3 9.9 26.2

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,629,478 9.9 90.1 49.9 7.5 32.6

South Carolina 2,414,936 13.6 86.4 51.8 9.3 25.3

Appalachian South Carolina 608,943 14.6 85.4 50.3 9.8 25.2

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 1,805,993 13.3 86.7 52.3 9.2 25.3

Tennessee 3,369,729 13.4 86.6 54.9 6.8 24.8

Appalachian Tennessee 1,470,350 14.7 85.3 56.6 7.1 21.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 1,899,379 12.4 87.6 53.6 6.6 27.4

Virginia 4,323,957 10.8 89.2 45.2 7.4 36.6

Appalachian Virginia 399,273 16.1 83.9 54.9 9.7 19.3

Non-Appalachian Virginia 3,924,684 10.3 89.7 44.2 7.2 38.3

West Virginia (entire state) 993,267 13.3 86.7 60.2 7.0 19.4

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
24

Table 5.3: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Total 

Population 

Ages 65 and 

Over,

2007-2011 

Percent of Population Ages 65 and Over

Less than 

High School 

Diploma 

High School Diploma or More

Total 

H.S. Grad, No 

Postsecondary 

Degree 

Associate's 

Degree

Bachelor's 

Degree or 

More

United States 39,608,820 23.2 76.8 52.0 4.1 20.7

Appalachian Region 3,766,104 28.5 71.5 54.1 3.2 14.2

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 1,399,053 22.4 77.6 61.0 3.2 13.4

North Central Appalachia 366,223 29.9 70.1 56.0 2.4 11.7

Central Appalachia 285,220 47.8 52.2 41.8 1.9 8.4

South Central Appalachia 754,685 29.9 70.1 49.8 3.5 16.8

Southern Appalachia 960,923 29.9 70.1 50.4 3.5 16.1

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 757,315 22.8 77.2 57.2 3.4 16.5

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 1,520,372 26.1 73.9 54.6 3.5 15.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 260,409 28.9 71.1 56.5 3.0 11.5

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 822,853 32.7 67.3 52.9 2.8 11.6

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 405,155 38.9 61.1 47.6 2.7 10.8

Alabama 647,334 29.5 70.5 51.2 3.3 16.0

Appalachian Alabama 416,020 29.7 70.3 51.4 3.2 15.8

Non-Appalachian Alabama 231,314 29.2 70.8 50.9 3.4 16.5

Georgia 1,006,109 27.4 72.6 49.9 3.7 19.0

Appalachian Georgia 299,246 28.4 71.6 51.4 3.6 16.6

Non-Appalachian Georgia 706,863 27.0 73.0 49.3 3.7 20.0

Kentucky 570,856 34.8 65.2 49.2 2.6 13.4

Appalachian Kentucky 168,984 48.8 51.2 40.6 1.9 8.7

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 401,872 28.8 71.2 52.8 2.9 15.4

Maryland 694,618 21.6 78.4 47.5 3.8 27.1

Appalachian Maryland 39,415 27.2 72.8 56.8 3.6 12.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland 655,203 21.3 78.7 46.9 3.8 28.0

Mississippi 375,191 31.9 68.1 49.5 3.4 15.3

Appalachian Mississippi 87,601 36.7 63.3 47.7 2.8 12.8

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 287,590 30.4 69.6 50.0 3.5 16.1

New York 2,590,899 25.5 74.5 48.4 4.1 22.0

Appalachian New York 164,859 20.0 80.0 57.0 5.6 17.4

Non-Appalachian New York 2,426,040 25.9 74.1 47.8 4.0 22.3

North Carolina 1,204,139 27.0 73.0 49.2 4.5 19.3

Appalachian North Carolina 279,417 26.8 73.2 49.4 4.3 19.6

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 924,722 27.1 72.9 49.1 4.5 19.2

Ohio 1,606,860 22.6 77.4 58.2 3.0 16.2

Appalachian Ohio 316,181 26.9 73.1 60.8 2.1 10.2

Non-Appalachian Ohio 1,290,679 21.6 78.4 57.5 3.2 17.7

Pennsylvania 1,944,573 23.3 76.7 57.3 3.1 16.3

Appalachian Pennsylvania 980,400 22.1 77.9 61.4 3.0 13.5

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 964,173 24.5 75.5 53.1 3.2 19.1

South Carolina 616,496 27.3 72.7 47.9 4.8 20.0

Appalachian South Carolina 158,056 29.7 70.3 47.6 4.7 18.0

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 458,440 26.5 73.5 48.0 4.8 20.7

Tennessee 836,247 30.6 69.4 50.8 2.8 15.8

Appalachian Tennessee 433,564 32.1 67.9 50.1 2.9 14.9

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 402,683 28.9 71.1 51.6 2.8 16.7

Virginia 956,040 25.0 75.0 47.1 3.6 24.3

Appalachian Virginia 127,890 39.6 60.4 45.5 3.0 12.0

Non-Appalachian Virginia 828,150 22.8 77.2 47.3 3.7 26.2

West Virginia (entire state) 294,471 31.1 68.9 54.8 2.6 11.5

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
25

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

More, 2007-2011

Although the share of Appalachian adults with at least a high school diploma was slightly below the national average 

over the 2007-2011 period, it matched or exceeded the national share in 102 counties in the region—two-thirds of 

them in northern Appalachia and three-fifths in metro areas. And the regional share was nearly seven percentage 

points higher than it was in the 2000 Census, suggesting a continued trend toward increased high school completion. 

Yet in 123 counties, less than three-fourths of adults had completed high school; 100 of those were nonmetropolitan 

counties located in central, south central, and southern Appalachia.
26

Figure 5.2: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma but 

With No Postsecondary Degree, 2007-2011

In nine out of 10 Appalachian counties, at least half of the adult population had a high school diploma, but no 

postsecondary degree (including an associate’s degree) during the 2007-2011 period. Many of these adults had 

attended college but did not graduate, while others acquired vocational training. Conversely, many of the adults 

outside of this group did earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, while others never finished high school at all. 
27

Figure 5.3: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or 

More, 2007-2011

In 399 of Appalachia’s 420 counties, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or more in the 2007-2011 period 

was lower than the national average of 28 percent. In fact, less than one-fifth of persons ages 25 and over were 

graduates of a four-year college or university in 339 Appalachian counties. And in 71 counties—mostly outside 

metropolitan areas and/or in central Appalachia—less than one in 10 adults had at least a bachelor’s degree. The 21

counties where the percentage of college graduates matched or surpassed the national average were either in 

metropolitan areas or home to a well-known college or university. Most of these counties also experienced higher than 

average residential mobility rates. On a positive note, the share of adults (both in Appalachia and nationwide) with a 

four-year degree was three percentage points higher in the 2007-2011 period than it was in 2000, suggesting a 

continued trend toward greater educational attainment among cohorts entering this age group.
28

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

2007-2011

In the 2007-2011 period, the percentage of working-age adults (ages 25 to 64) in the Appalachian region with at least 

a high school diploma was only slightly below the share for the United States as a whole. The share matched or 

exceeded the national average in 126 Appalachian counties; they were almost equally divided between metropolitan 

and non-metropolitan counties, and most were in northern or north central Appalachia. At the other end of the 

spectrum, less than three in four working-age adults had finished high school in 41 counties in the region. Almost all of 

these counties were outside metropolitan areas, and more than half were in central Appalachia.
29

Figure 5.5: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 

2007-2011

 

Only 23 percent of the working-age population in Appalachia had a bachelor’s degree or more in 2007-2011—seven 

percentage points 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 bachelor’s degree, 

as did only 15 percent of residents of rural Appalachian counties that were not adjacent to metro areas. In just 22 

Appalachian counties—all either in metropolitan areas or home to a four-year college or university—the share of 

working-age adults ages 25 to 64 with at least a bachelor’s degree matched or exceeded the national average. In 

contrast, there were 54 counties where less than one in 10 adults had a four-year degree, and almost all were outside 

metropolitan areas. 
30

Figure 5.6: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or 

More, 2007-2011

While one in five older Americans (ages 65 and over) had attained at least a bachelor’s degree in the 2007-2011 

period, less than one in 10 older adults had done so in nearly half of Appalachia’s 420 counties. Not surprisingly, most 

of these were outside metropolitan areas and one-third were in central Appalachia. (Just 8 percent of central 

Appalachia’s older adults were college graduates.) Yet in 34 Appalachian counties, the share of older adults with a 

bachelor’s degree or higher was at or above the national average. These were either counties in metropolitan areas, 

counties that had a college or university, or counties with significant retirement or seasonal activity (the latter 

suggested by the fact that much, if not most, of their vacant housing is for seasonal or occasional use).
31

CHAPTER 6: LABOR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT, AND UNEMPLOYMENT 

Table 6.1: Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Status of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian 

Region, 2007-2011

Labor Force, Employment, and

Unemployment 

Total Number of 

Civilian Persons 

Ages 25-64 

Total Persons Ages 25-64 in Civilian 

Labor Force Employment 

Rate (Pct. of Civ. 

Labor Force)

Unemployment 

Rate (Pct. of Civ. 

Labor Force) Number Percent

United States 161,736,741 126,293,518 78.1 92.8 7.2

Appalachian Region 13,253,025 9,767,461 73.7 92.8 7.2

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 4,373,847 3,326,217 76.0 93.6 6.4

North Central Appalachia 1,283,905 902,375 70.3 93.2 6.8

Central Appalachia 1,034,015 624,693 60.4 92.0 8.0

South Central Appalachia 2,465,273 1,832,879 74.3 92.6 7.4

Southern Appalachia 4,095,985 3,081,297 75.2 92.2 7.8

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 3,100,115 2,427,591 78.3 93.1 6.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 5,306,826 3,976,121 74.9 93.1 6.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 877,684 639,030 72.8 92.0 8.0

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 2,642,102 1,861,003 70.4 92.5 7.5

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,326,298 863,716 65.1 92.4 7.6

Alabama 2,477,896 1,808,472 73.0 92.4 7.6

Appalachian Alabama 1,610,309 1,180,616 73.3 92.6 7.4

Non-Appalachian Alabama 867,587 627,856 72.4 92.0 8.0

Georgia 5,111,728 3,932,272 76.9 92.0 8.0

Appalachian Georgia 1,561,655 1,219,157 78.1 92.2 7.8

Non-Appalachian Georgia 3,550,073 2,713,115 76.4 91.9 8.1

Kentucky 2,299,922 1,655,141 72.0 92.7 7.3

Appalachian Kentucky 634,331 385,313 60.7 91.7 8.3

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 1,665,591 1,269,828 76.2 92.9 7.1

Maryland 3,111,944 2,569,588 82.6 94.3 5.7

Appalachian Maryland 133,629 99,025 74.1 93.7 6.3

Non-Appalachian Maryland 2,978,315 2,470,563 83.0 94.3 5.7

Mississippi 1,509,059 1,090,534 72.3 92.3 7.7

Appalachian Mississippi 315,871 224,306 71.0 91.6 8.4

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,193,188 866,228 72.6 92.5 7.5

New York 10,393,903 8,134,407 78.3 93.3 6.7

Appalachian New York 537,703 412,770 76.8 93.9 6.1

Non-Appalachian New York 9,856,200 7,721,637 78.3 93.3 6.7

North Carolina 4,976,341 3,851,634 77.4 91.9 8.1

Appalachian North Carolina 887,159 667,674 75.3 92.2 7.8

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 4,089,182 3,183,960 77.9 91.9 8.1

Ohio 6,072,811 4,749,667 78.2 92.3 7.7

Appalachian Ohio 1,070,516 777,059 72.6 91.7 8.3

Non-Appalachian Ohio 5,002,295 3,972,608 79.4 92.4 7.6

Pennsylvania 6,659,205 5,221,463 78.4 93.7 6.3

Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,034,073 2,320,953 76.5 93.9 6.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,625,132 2,900,510 80.0 93.4 6.6

South Carolina 2,396,425 1,803,137 75.2 91.5 8.5

Appalachian South Carolina 608,150 457,218 75.2 91.7 8.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 1,788,275 1,345,919 75.3 91.4 8.6

Tennessee 3,356,696 2,526,611 75.3 92.3 7.7

Appalachian Tennessee 1,468,765 1,069,287 72.8 92.5 7.5

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 1,887,931 1,457,324 77.2 92.2 7.8

Virginia 4,244,031 3,374,389 79.5 95.0 5.0

Appalachian Virginia 398,918 276,218 69.2 93.7 6.3

Non-Appalachian Virginia 3,845,113 3,098,171 80.6 95.1 4.9

West Virginia (entire state) 991,946 677,865 68.3 94.0 6.0

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
32

Figure 6.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In the Labor Force, 2007-2011

In the 2007-2011 period (a period of both economic growth and decline), nearly 74 percent of Appalachia’s civilians in 

the prime working ages (ages 25 to 64) were in the civilian labor force, slightly below the U.S. average of 78 percent. In 

36 Appalachian counties (scattered throughout the region), the share was at or above the national average; two-thirds of 

those counties were in metropolitan areas. On the other hand, there were 51 counties where less than 60 percent of 25-

to-64-year-olds were in the civilian labor force. Nearly all of these counties were outside of metropolitan areas, and 40 

were in central Appalachia. Indeed, just 60 percent of working-age residents in central Appalachia and 65 percent of 

those in rural areas were in the labor force. And there are indications of a possible connection between educational 

attainment and labor force participation. For example, in most of the counties with labor force participation rates 

matching or exceeding that of the nation, the share of working-age adults with at least a high school diploma was also at 

or above the U.S. average. 
33

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

2007-2011

The employment rate in Appalachia (among members of the civilian labor force ages 25 to 64) was identical to the 

national rate during the 2007-2011 period. Although there were only slight differences among subregions and 

urban/rural county types, there was some variation at the county level. In half of Appalachian counties, the 

employment rate matched or exceeded the national average, with 42 counties having employment rates of at least 95 

percent. Yet in another 70 counties in the region, employment among 25-to-64-year-olds was less than 90 percent. 

Three-fourths of the counties in the latter group were outside metropolitan areas.
34

Figure 6.3: Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian 

Region, 2007-2011

Unemployment in the Appalachian region among persons ages 25 to 64 was at the national average during the 2007-

2011 period. Within Appalachia, unemployment was at least 10 percent in 71 counties—55 of which were outside 

metropolitan areas and 62 in central, south central, and southern Appalachia. Conversely, unemployment was less than 

5 percent in 40 other counties; two-thirds of these were in northern or north central Appalachia. There are indications of 

a connection between unemployment and educational attainment: In 67 of the 71 Appalachian counties with double-digit 

unemployment, the share of 25-to-64-year-olds with at least a high school diploma was below the national average; in 40 

of these counties, the share was less than four-fifths.
35

CHAPTER 7: INCOME AND POVERTY 

Table 7.1: Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011

Income 

Household Income, 2007-2011

(2011 Dollars)

Family Income, 2007-2011

(2011 Dollars)

Per Capita 

Income,

2007-2011

(2011 Dollars) 

Mean HH 

Income 

Median HH 

Income 

Mean Family 

Income 

Median 

Family Income 

United States 72,555 52,762 84,422 64,293 27,915

Appalachian Region 57,866 43,354 68,414 54,433 23,252

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 59,193 45,245 70,905 57,454 24,362

North Central Appalachia 54,549 41,198 64,789 52,121 22,121

Central Appalachia 45,186 32,887 53,301 41,909 18,197

South Central Appalachia 55,705 41,087 66,424 52,083 23,076

Southern Appalachia 62,109 46,462 71,926 56,641 23,763

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 69,406 52,761 81,554 65,029 27,258

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 58,874 44,070 70,305 56,075 23,911

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 52,480 41,254 61,181 50,779 20,806

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 50,532 38,830 59,475 48,613 20,467

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 46,366 34,246 54,567 43,170 18,720

Alabama 59,015 42,934 69,766 54,001 23,483

Appalachian Alabama 60,809 44,208 71,783 55,674 24,228

Non-Appalachian Alabama 55,777 40,994 66,053 51,597 22,152

Georgia 67,610 49,736 77,836 59,262 25,383

Appalachian Georgia 68,003 53,179 76,032 61,111 24,416

Non-Appalachian Georgia 67,449 48,270 78,673 58,479 25,802

Kentucky 57,451 42,248 68,045 53,151 23,033

Appalachian Kentucky 45,048 32,062 53,227 40,860 17,948

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 62,022 46,509 73,736 58,563 24,956

Maryland 94,020 72,419 109,597 87,233 35,751

Appalachian Maryland 62,395 48,393 73,485 61,215 24,705

Non-Appalachian Maryland 95,521 73,863 111,290 89,499 36,259

Mississippi 53,861 38,718 62,759 48,057 20,521

Appalachian Mississippi 47,559 34,468 56,007 43,660 18,643

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 55,619 40,103 64,654 49,586 21,027

New York 82,698 56,951 95,697 69,202 31,796

Appalachian New York 57,973 45,355 69,269 56,967 23,539

Non-Appalachian New York 84,249 58,251 97,311 70,418 32,279

North Carolina 63,298 46,291 74,432 57,171 25,256

Appalachian North Carolina 55,898 41,379 66,625 52,388 23,300

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 65,011 47,701 76,205 58,568 25,683

Ohio 63,477 48,071 75,698 60,762 25,618

Appalachian Ohio 53,893 41,927 63,170 52,340 21,531

Non-Appalachian Ohio 65,506 49,668 78,464 63,058 26,499

Pennsylvania 69,282 51,651 83,126 65,105 27,824

Appalachian Pennsylvania 60,690 46,162 73,010 58,680 25,102

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 76,962 57,514 92,073 72,164 30,119

South Carolina 60,128 44,587 70,605 55,220 23,854

Appalachian South Carolina 59,850 44,481 70,700 56,155 23,679

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 60,223 44,649 70,572 55,250 23,914

Tennessee 60,516 43,989 71,248 54,332 24,197

Appalachian Tennessee 54,988 40,341 65,365 50,982 22,665

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 65,142 47,501 76,187 58,141 25,399

Virginia 85,323 63,302 98,742 75,962 33,040

Appalachian Virginia 50,932 38,310 60,837 48,966 21,054

Non-Appalachian Virginia 89,265 67,345 103,017 80,424 34,327

West Virginia (entire state) 52,980 39,550 63,427 50,511 22,010

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
36

Table 7.2: Poverty Status of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Poverty Status Poverty Universe, 

2007-2011

Persons Below Poverty Level,

2007-2011

Number Percent

United States 298,787,998 42,739,924 14.3

Appalachian Region 24,377,459 3,930,024 16.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,056,939 1,115,831 13.8

North Central Appalachia 2,338,380 399,577 17.1

Central Appalachia 1,859,177 436,587 23.5

South Central Appalachia 4,559,135 773,070 17.0

Southern Appalachia 7,563,828 1,204,959 15.9

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,635,141 698,635 12.4

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 9,793,556 1,541,288 15.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,638,569 290,073 17.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 4,853,085 865,477 17.8

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,457,108 534,551 21.8

Alabama 4,631,432 813,385 17.6

Appalachian Alabama 2,970,650 486,228 16.4

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,660,782 327,157 19.7

Georgia 9,336,746 1,541,462 16.5

Appalachian Georgia 2,854,195 397,391 13.9

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,482,551 1,144,071 17.6

Kentucky 4,186,093 756,947 18.1

Appalachian Kentucky 1,143,841 283,169 24.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,042,252 473,778 15.6

Maryland 5,597,203 502,610 9.0

Appalachian Maryland 236,365 29,343 12.4

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,360,838 473,267 8.8

Mississippi 2,860,440 617,805 21.6

Appalachian Mississippi 611,379 140,098 22.9

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,249,061 477,707 21.2

New York 18,787,162 2,722,107 14.5

Appalachian New York 1,008,359 159,659 15.8

Non-Appalachian New York 17,778,803 2,562,448 14.4

North Carolina 9,162,147 1,473,556 16.1

Appalachian North Carolina 1,641,745 276,940 16.9

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 7,520,402 1,196,616 15.9

Ohio 11,213,528 1,654,193 14.8

Appalachian Ohio 1,981,354 331,147 16.7

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,232,174 1,323,046 14.3

Pennsylvania 12,246,520 1,548,869 12.6

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,571,308 726,574 13.0

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,675,212 822,295 12.3

South Carolina 4,433,220 753,705 17.0

Appalachian South Carolina 1,127,604 181,242 16.1

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,305,616 572,463 17.3

Tennessee 6,139,176 1,036,199 16.9

Appalachian Tennessee 2,701,981 471,679 17.5

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,437,195 564,520 16.4

Virginia 7,681,393 818,422 10.7

Appalachian Virginia 734,458 133,191 18.1

Non-Appalachian Virginia 6,946,935 685,231 9.9

West Virginia (entire state) 1,794,220 313,363 17.5

Note: Poverty status is determined by a series of income thresholds that are determined by family size and composition. In 2011, the poverty 

threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $22,811. The poverty universe does not include unrelated individuals under age 15, 

people living in college dormitories, and people living in institutional group quarters.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
37

Figure 7.1: Mean Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011

In the 2007-2011 period (which covers the years before, during, and after the economic recession of 2007-2009), the 

mean income of Appalachian households was $57,866, just 80 percent of the U.S. average. In just nine of the region’s

counties, average household income matched or exceeded that of the nation as a whole. And in only 59 other 

counties, mean household income matched or surpassed the Appalachian average. All but 11 of the counties in these 

two groups were in metropolitan areas. In contrast, mean income was less than $40,000 in 41 counties—40 of which

were outside a metro area, and 31 of which were in central Appalachia. 
38

Figure 7.2: Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011

At $43,354, median household income in Appalachia (the level at which half the households have higher incomes and 

the other half have lower incomes) was 82 percent that of the United States during the 2007-2011 period. There were

20 Appalachian counties (almost all of them in metropolitan areas) that had household incomes at or above the 

national median, while another 67 had incomes at or above the regional median. Conversely, 51 counties in the 

region had median household incomes below $30,000—48 of which were outside metropolitan areas and 35 of which

were in central Appalachia. This is not surprising given that median household income was only $34,246 for rural 

counties not adjacent to any metro area and $32,887 for central Appalachia.
39

Figure 7.3: Mean Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011

Only 12 Appalachian counties (all in metropolitan areas) had mean family incomes that matched or surpassed the 

U.S. average of $84,422 for the 2007-2011 period. Indeed, in just an additional 55 counties (41 of which were part of 

metro areas) was mean family income equal to or greater than the Appalachian regional average ($68,414). In 

contrast, mean family income was less than $50,000 in 68 Appalachian counties. Most of these counties were either 

in the most remote rural areas or in central Appalachia. Mean family income over the 2007-2011 period (a time frame 

that includes extended periods of economic growth and decline) was less than $55,000 for both of these areas.
40

Figure 7.4: Median Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011

In 21 Appalachian counties—nearly all in metro areas—median family income (the level where half of all families have 

higher incomes while the other half have lower incomes) was at or above the U.S. median of $64,293 during the 

2007-2011 period. In another 58 counties (again, mostly in metro areas), median income matched or exceeded the 

median for families in the entire Appalachian region ($54,433). In contrast, median family income was less than 

$40,000 in 66 counties. Of the counties in this latter group, most were rural counties not adjacent to a metro area 

(median family income in those counties was just over $43,000) and/or in central Appalachia (where median family 

income was slightly less than $42,000). It is important to note that the 2007-2011 period includes one year of prerecession economic growth and 18 months of slow post-recession recovery. 
41

Figure 7.5: Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2011 Dollars), 2007-2011

At $23,252, per capita income in the Appalachian region in the 2007-2011 period was 84 percent that of the U.S. 

average of $27,915. Within the region, there was substantial variation: Per capita income was the same or higher than 

the national average in 12 Appalachian counties and was at or above the regional average in 67 others. Yet in 23 

Appalachian counties, per capita income was less than $15,000. As with other income measures, the counties with 

the 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 2007-2011 period was just $18,720 in rural 

Appalachian counties as a whole, and just $18,197 in central Appalachia.
42

Figure 7.6: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2007-2011

Over the 2007-2011 period (which includes years of economic growth and downturn), about one in six Appalachian 

residents lived below the poverty level (income below $22,811 for a family of two adults and two children in 2011)—

nearly two percentage points above the U.S. average. Both rates are higher than they were in the 2000 Census, likely 

a result of the inability of incomes in the post-recovery period to fully return to pre-recession levels. Within the region, 

there is much variation: In 148 counties, at least one-fifth of persons were poor, yet in another 92 counties the poverty 

rate was below the national average. And there was a regional and urban/rural pattern: All but a handful of the 

counties with poverty rates exceeding 20 percent were outside of metropolitan areas, and most were in central, south 

central, and southern Appalachia. In contrast, most of the counties with poverty levels below the U.S. rate were in 

metropolitan areas, and about half were in northern Appalachia. 
43

CHAPTER 8: MIGRATION 

Table 8.1: Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2007-2011

Mobility Status in the Last Year 

Total Population 

Ages 1 and Over, 

2007-2011 

Percent of Population Ages 1 and Over

Did Not 

Move in Past 

Year 

Moved from a Different Residence in the Past Year

Within the 

County 

Outside the County

 Within the 

State 

Outside the 

State

United States 302,754,921 84.6 15.4 9.3 6.2 3.2 2.9

Appalachian Region 24,856,295 86.4 13.6 7.9 5.7 3.2 2.4

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,301,118 87.5 12.5 7.5 5.0 2.8 2.1

North Central Appalachia 2,388,584 86.9 13.1 7.4 5.7 3.1 2.6

Central Appalachia 1,895,202 87.9 12.1 7.1 5.0 3.0 2.0

South Central Appalachia 4,639,053 85.8 14.2 8.1 6.1 3.3 2.8

Southern Appalachia 7,632,338 84.9 15.1 8.7 6.4 3.8 2.6

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,672,384 86.3 13.7 8.1 5.6 3.2 2.4

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,019,041 85.5 14.5 8.5 6.0 3.2 2.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,675,372 86.6 13.4 8.1 5.3 3.4 1.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 4,982,051 87.3 12.7 7.2 5.5 3.4 2.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,507,447 87.9 12.1 6.9 5.1 3.1 2.0

Alabama 4,690,091 84.5 15.5 9.3 6.2 3.3 2.9

Appalachian Alabama 3,007,523 84.8 15.2 9.2 6.0 3.5 2.5

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,682,568 83.9 16.1 9.5 6.6 2.9 3.6

Georgia 9,472,294 83.0 17.0 8.6 8.4 4.9 3.5

Appalachian Georgia 2,860,564 85.1 14.9 8.0 6.9 4.3 2.6

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,611,730 82.1 17.9 8.9 9.0 5.2 3.8

Kentucky 4,261,590 84.7 15.3 8.7 6.6 3.5 3.1

Appalachian Kentucky 1,169,685 87.1 12.9 7.6 5.3 3.3 2.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,091,905 83.8 16.2 9.1 7.1 3.6 3.5

Maryland 5,665,698 86.4 13.6 7.2 6.4 2.8 3.6

Appalachian Maryland 249,108 85.9 14.1 8.3 5.8 2.8 3.0

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,416,590 86.5 13.5 7.1 6.4 2.8 3.6

Mississippi 2,917,370 85.2 14.8 8.3 6.5 3.7 2.8

Appalachian Mississippi 619,180 86.2 13.8 7.9 5.9 3.9 2.1

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,298,190 84.9 15.1 8.4 6.7 3.7 3.0

New York 19,078,454 88.5 11.5 6.8 4.7 2.5 2.2

Appalachian New York 1,056,364 85.3 14.7 8.5 6.2 3.8 2.5

Non-Appalachian New York 18,022,090 88.7 11.3 6.7 4.6 2.4 2.2

North Carolina 9,298,254 83.9 16.1 8.9 7.2 3.5 3.7

Appalachian North Carolina 1,667,538 87.0 13.0 7.4 5.6 3.1 2.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 7,630,716 83.3 16.7 9.2 7.5 3.6 3.9

Ohio 11,389,893 85.3 14.7 9.6 5.1 3.2 1.9

Appalachian Ohio 2,020,909 87.7 12.3 7.7 4.5 2.9 1.6

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,368,984 84.8 15.2 10.0 5.2 3.2 2.0

Pennsylvania 12,522,536 87.7 12.3 7.3 4.9 2.6 2.4

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,732,713 87.7 12.3 7.3 5.0 2.8 2.2

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,789,823 87.7 12.3 7.4 4.9 2.4 2.5

South Carolina 4,518,115 84.7 15.3 8.3 7.0 3.1 3.9

Appalachian South Carolina 1,145,071 84.1 15.9 9.6 6.3 3.0 3.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,373,044 84.9 15.1 7.8 7.3 3.1 4.1

Tennessee 6,221,993 84.1 15.9 9.7 6.2 3.0 3.2

Appalachian Tennessee 2,738,769 85.8 14.2 8.5 5.7 2.9 2.7

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,483,224 82.8 17.2 10.7 6.5 3.0 3.6

Virginia 7,829,090 84.3 15.7 6.6 9.0 4.9 4.1

Appalachian Virginia 761,651 85.4 14.6 7.0 7.7 4.9 2.7

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,067,439 84.2 15.8 6.6 9.2 4.9 4.3

West Virginia (entire state) 1,827,220 87.7 12.3 6.8 5.5 2.5 2.9

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey.
44

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

2007-2011

Although residential mobility in Appalachia was below the national average, the percentage of residents who moved in 

the past year exceeded the U.S. average in one-seventh of the region’s counties. Most of these counties were in 

southern or south central Appalachia. Most also were either counties in metropolitan areas, counties that housed a 

four-year college or university, or rural counties that were likely retirement or recreational destinations. Yet in onefourth of Appalachian counties, less than 10 percent of the residents had moved in the previous 12 months. Most of 

these counties were outside metro areas.
45

Figure 8.2: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside 

Their County of Residence in the Past Year, 2007-2011

Although people in Appalachia were slightly less likely to have migrated from outside their county of residence in the 

2007-2011 period than Americans as a whole, residents in 126 of the region’s counties were more likely to have done 

so. These counties were scattered throughout the Appalachian region and were distributed across all urban/rural 

types. In 191 counties, less than 5 percent of the residents had migrated from another county—three-fourths of these 

counties were outside metropolitan areas, and two-fifths of those nonmetro counties were rural counties not adjacent 

to a metro area. 
46

Figure 8.3: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside 

Their State of Residence in the Past Year, 2007-2011

The share of Americans migrating from outside their state of residence was 2.9 percent in the 2007-2011 period, 

compared to 2.4 percent in the Appalachian region. Yet in 88 of Appalachia’s 420 counties, out-of-state migration 

levels were greater than the U.S. average. Slightly more than half of these counties were in southern and south 

central Appalachia, and about half were in metropolitan areas. In 215 counties, on the other hand, less than 2 percent 

of residents had come from out of state, and three-fourths of these counties were outside metropolitan areas.