THE APPALACHIAN REGION:

A DATA OVERVIEW FROM THE

2010-2014 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

Chartbook

Kelvin Pollard

Linda A. Jacobsen

Population Reference Bureau

Prepared for the Appalachian Regional Commission

Under Contract #CO-18303-15

April 2016

The authors wish to thank Keith Witt of ARC

for his support and guidance.

 
1 

THE APPALACHIAN REGION: A DATA OVERVIEW FROM THE 2010-2014 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

FOREWORD 4

CHAPTER 1. POPULATION BASICS

Table 1.1: Population, Land Area, and Population Density in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 5

Figure 1.1: Population Distribution in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 6

Figure 1.2: Population per Square Mile of Land Area in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 7

CHAPTER 2. AGE

Table 2.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2010-2014 8

Figure 2.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Under Age 18, 2010-2014 9

Figure 2.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 18 to 24, 2010-2014 10

Figure 2.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 25 to 64, 2010-2014 11

Figure 2.4: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 65 and Over, 2010-2014 12

Figure 2.5: Median Age of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 13

Table 2.2: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region, by Age Group, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

14

Trends in Age 15

CHAPTER 3. RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

Table 3.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2010-2014 16

Figure 3.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Minority, 2010-2014 17

Figure 3.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, not Hispanic, 2010-2014 18

Figure 3.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or Latino, 2010-2014 19

Table 3.2: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region, by Race and 

Hispanic Origin, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

20

Figure 3.4: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, 

not Hispanic, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

21

Figure 3.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or 

Latino, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

22

Trends in Race and Hispanic Origin 23

CHAPTER 4. HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE

Table 4.1: Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 24

Figure 4.1: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 2010-2014 25

Figure 4.2: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 2010-2014 26

Figure 4.3: Percent Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 27

Figure 4.4: Percent Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 28

Table 4.2: Percentage Point Change in Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

29

Figure 4.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

30

Figure 4.6: Percent Point Change in the Share of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

31

Figure 4.7: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

32

Figure 4.8: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

33

Trends in Housing Occupancy and Tenure 34

CHAPTER 5. EDUCATION

Table 5.1: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 35
2 

PAGE

Table 5.2: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 36

Table 5.3: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 37

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

2010-2014

38

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

Postsecondary Degree, 2010-2014

39

Figure 5.3: Percent of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2010-2014 40

Figure 5.4: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a High School Diploma or More, 2010-2014 41

Figure 5.5: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2010-2014 42

Figure 5.6: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2010-2014 43

Table 5.4: Percentage Point Change in Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian 

Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

44

Table 5.5: Percentage Point Change in Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

45

Table 5.6: Percentage Point Change in Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

46

Figure 5.7: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a 

High School Diploma or More, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

47

Figure 5.8: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a 

Bachelor's Degree or More, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

48

Table 5.7: Bachelor’s Degree Field (First Major) for Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a 

Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2010-2014 

49

Figure 5.9: Among Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 

Percent Whose Bachelor’s Degree Field (First Major) Was Science and Engineering, 2010-2014 

50

Trends in Education 51

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, 2010-2014

52

Figure 6.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In the Labor Force, 2010-2014 53

Figure 6.2: Employment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 54

Figure 6.3: Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 55

Table 6.2: Percentage Point Change in Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Status of Persons Ages 25 to 

64 in the Appalachian Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

56

Figure 6.4: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In 

the Labor Force, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

57

Figure 6.5: Percentage Point Change in the Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 to 64 

in the Appalachian Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

58

Trends in Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment 59

CHAPTER 7. INCOME AND POVERTY

Table 7.1: Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014 60

Figure 7.1: Mean Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014 61

Figure 7.2: Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014 62

Figure 7.3: Mean Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014 63

Figure 7.4: Median Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014 64

Figure 7.5: Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014 65

Table 7.2: Change in Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 

Dollars), 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

66

Figure 7.6: Percent Change in Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

67

Table 7.3: Number of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, by Age Group, 2010-2014 68

Table 7.4: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, by Age Group, 2010-2014 69

Figure 7.7: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014 70
3 

PAGE

Figure 7.8: Percent of Persons Under Age 18 in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014 71

Figure 7.9: Percent of Persons Ages 18 to 64 in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014 72

Figure 7.10: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014 73

Table 7.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, by Age Group, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

74

Figure 7.11: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2005-2009 to 

2010-2014

75

Trends in Income and Poverty 76

CHAPTER 8. HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

Table 8.1: Number of Persons in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, by Age Group, 2010-2014 77

Table 8.2: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, by Age Group, 2010-2014 78

Figure 8.1: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 2010-2014 79

Figure 8.2: Percent of Persons Under Age 18 in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 2010-2014 80

Figure 8.3: Percent of Persons Ages 18 to 24 in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 2010-2014 81

Figure 8.4: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 2010-2014 82

CHAPTER 9. DISABILITY STATUS

Table 9.1: Number of Persons in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, by Age Group, 2010-2014 83

Table 9.2: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, by Age Group, 2010-2014 84

Figure 9.1: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014 85

Figure 9.2: Percent of Persons Under Age 18 in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014 86

Figure 9.3: Percent of Persons Ages 18 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014 87

Figure 9.4: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014 88

CHAPTER 10. MIGRATION

Table 10.1: Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014 89

Figure 10.1: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Moved in the Past Year,

2010-2014

90

Figure 10.2: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside Their 

County of Residence in the Past Year, 2010-2014

91

Figure 10.3: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside Their 

State of Residence in the Past Year, 2010-2014

92

Table 10.2: Percentage Point Change in Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region,

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

93

Figure 10.4: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who 

Had Migrated From Outside Their County of Residence in the Past Year, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

94

Trends in Migration 95

CHAPTER 11. VETERAN STATUS

Table 11.1: Veteran Status of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2010-2014 96

Table 11.2: Veteran Status of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region by Gender, 2010-2014 97

Figure 11.1: Percent of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014 98

Figure 11.2: Percent of Civilians Ages 18 to 34 in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014 99

Figure 11.3: Percent of Civilians Ages 35 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014 100

Figure 11.4: Percent of Civilians Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014 101

Table 11.3: Percentage Point Change in Veteran Status of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region by Age Group 

and Gender, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

102

Figure 11.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

103

Trends in Veteran Status 104
4 

FOREWORD

The data contained in this chartbook come from the 2010-2014 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 11 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 2010-2014 ACS data to have comparable 

statistics for all 420 counties in the Region. 

The five-year ACS estimates for 2010-2014 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 2010 through December 

2014. 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.

With the release of the 2010-2014 ACS data, we now have two non-overlapping five-year periods (the other being 2005-

2009) by which we can begin to study trends in the data. However, there are some caveats in such a comparison. For 

the purposes of this chartbook, the most relevant issue involves population controls: While the 2010-2014 ACS 

estimates use the 2010 Census as the base for the population estimates used in the ACS weighting; the 2005-2009 

ACS uses the 2000 Census as the base. For this reason, estimates of numbers (such as population size or the number 

of adults with a high school diploma or more) are not comparable between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014. However, 

estimates of rates and percentages (including income totals) are comparable between the two periods, although the 

Census Bureau recommends that many of these should be compared with caution. The ACS did not include a question 

on health insurance until 2008, which was the same year that significant changes were made to the ACS questions on 

disability status. As a result, 2005-2009 data for these two items are not available to measure trends. More information 

about comparing the 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 ACS data is available on the Web page, "Comparing 2005-2009 ACS 5-

year and 2010-2014 ACS 5-year", through the Census Bureau’s website.

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 2005-2009 ACS data illustrate this problem, as they are for a time period

that covers three distinct periods of economic activity: the years immediately preceding the “Great Recession” of 

December 2007 through June 2009; the recession itself, and the six months of economic recovery that followed the 

downturn. Since the 2005-2009 ACS pools data from all three periods, it smooths out the extreme variations in economic 

measures that would be evident in annual data from this five-year period. 
5 

CHAPTER 1: POPULATION BASICS 

Table 1.1: Population, Land Area, and Population Density in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

Population, Land Area, and Density Population,

2010-2014 

Land Area

(Square Miles) 

Population per 

Square Mile of Land 

Area, 2010-2014 

United States 314,107,084 3,531,905 88.9

Appalachian Region 25,367,886 204,452 124.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,354,698 56,980 146.6

North Central Appalachia 2,426,928 29,337 82.7

Central Appalachia 1,909,019 29,773 64.1

South Central Appalachia 4,759,012 34,997 136.0

Southern Appalachia 7,918,229 53,365 148.4

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,925,315 18,815 314.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,704,478 54,302 197.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 2,205,370 25,382 86.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,987,860 58,591 68.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,544,863 47,363 53.7

Alabama 4,817,678 50,645 95.1

Appalachian Alabama 3,084,897 25,763 119.7

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,732,781 24,882 69.6

Georgia 9,907,756 57,513 172.3

Appalachian Georgia 3,008,603 11,378 264.4

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,899,153 46,135 149.5

Kentucky 4,383,272 39,486 111.0

Appalachian Kentucky 1,182,270 18,231 64.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,201,002 21,256 150.6

Maryland 5,887,776 9,707 606.5

Appalachian Maryland 252,834 1,529 165.4

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,634,942 8,178 689.0

Mississippi 2,984,345 46,923 63.6

Appalachian Mississippi 629,211 12,400 50.7

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,355,134 34,523 68.2

New York 19,594,330 47,126 415.8

Appalachian New York 1,060,089 11,681 90.8

Non-Appalachian New York 18,534,241 35,445 522.9

North Carolina 9,750,405 48,618 200.6

Appalachian North Carolina 1,710,979 11,887 143.9

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 8,039,426 36,731 218.9

Ohio 11,560,380 40,861 282.9

Appalachian Ohio 2,029,562 15,978 127.0

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,530,818 24,882 383.0

Pennsylvania 12,758,729 44,743 285.2

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,779,733 36,444 158.6

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,978,996 8,298 841.0

South Carolina 4,727,273 30,061 157.3

Appalachian South Carolina 1,195,518 3,824 312.6

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,531,755 26,237 134.6

Tennessee 6,451,365 41,235 156.5

Appalachian Tennessee 2,814,443 20,119 139.9

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,636,922 21,116 172.2

Virginia 8,185,131 39,490 207.3

Appalachian Virginia 765,866 11,179 68.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,419,265 28,311 262.1

West Virginia (entire state) 1,853,881 24,038 77.1

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
6 

Figure 1.1: Population Distribution in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

Of the 314.1 million persons in the United States during the period from 2010-2014, 25.4 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 126 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 most recent population 

estimates indicated that the Region had nearly 25.5 million residents in 2014 (out of 318.9 million nationwide), 

compared to 25.2 million in the 2010 Census.
7 

Figure 1.2: Population per Square Mile of Land Area in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

While Appalachia’s population density was noticeably greater than the United States as a whole over the 2010-2014

period, just 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.).
8 

CHAPTER 2: AGE 

Table 2.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2010-2014

Population by Age Group 

Total 

Population, 

2010-2014 

Percent of Population Median Age Under (Years) Age 18 

Ages

18-24 

Ages

25-64

Ages 65

and over

United States 314,107,084 23.5 10.0 52.8 13.7 37.4

Appalachian Region 25,367,886 22.0 9.8 52.4 15.9 40.3

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,354,698 20.4 10.1 52.1 17.4 42.0

North Central Appalachia 2,426,928 21.5 9.7 52.8 16.1 40.7

Central Appalachia 1,909,019 21.9 8.8 53.3 15.9 41.0

South Central Appalachia 4,759,012 21.0 9.9 51.8 17.3 41.3

Southern Appalachia 7,918,229 24.4 9.6 52.6 13.4 37.6

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,925,315 23.4 8.8 53.8 14.0 39.0

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,704,478 21.5 10.5 52.1 15.9 40.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 2,205,370 22.0 9.9 51.6 16.4 40.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,987,860 21.2 9.0 51.9 17.9 42.3

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,544,863 21.7 9.9 51.6 16.8 40.9

Alabama 4,817,678 23.2 10.0 52.3 14.5 38.2

Appalachian Alabama 3,084,897 23.0 9.7 52.8 14.5 38.7

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,732,781 23.7 10.6 51.3 14.5 37.4

Georgia 9,907,756 25.1 10.2 53.2 11.5 35.8

Appalachian Georgia 3,008,603 26.4 8.9 53.1 11.5 36.5

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,899,153 24.5 10.7 53.2 11.5 35.4

Kentucky 4,383,272 23.2 9.7 53.0 14.0 38.3

Appalachian Kentucky 1,182,270 22.4 9.3 53.0 15.2 40.1

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,201,002 23.6 9.8 53.0 13.6 37.7

Maryland 5,887,776 22.9 9.6 54.5 13.0 38.1

Appalachian Maryland 252,834 20.9 9.7 53.0 16.5 41.0

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,634,942 23.0 9.6 54.6 12.8 38.0

Mississippi 2,984,345 24.9 10.4 51.1 13.5 36.3

Appalachian Mississippi 629,211 24.1 11.0 50.1 14.8 37.4

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,355,134 25.1 10.3 51.4 13.2 36.1

New York 19,594,330 21.8 10.2 54.0 14.1 38.1

Appalachian New York 1,060,089 20.4 13.2 50.1 16.3 40.1

Non-Appalachian New York 18,534,241 21.9 10.0 54.2 13.9 38.0

North Carolina 9,750,405 23.4 10.0 52.8 13.8 37.8

Appalachian North Carolina 1,710,979 21.0 9.4 51.8 17.9 41.9

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 8,039,426 23.9 10.1 53.0 12.9 37.0

Ohio 11,560,380 23.1 9.6 52.6 14.7 39.1

Appalachian Ohio 2,029,562 22.4 9.0 52.1 16.4 41.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,530,818 23.3 9.7 52.7 14.4 38.7

Pennsylvania 12,758,729 21.5 9.8 52.7 16.0 40.4

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,779,733 20.0 9.9 52.5 17.6 42.3

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,978,996 22.7 9.8 52.9 14.7 38.8

South Carolina 4,727,273 22.8 10.2 52.2 14.7 38.3

Appalachian South Carolina 1,195,518 23.3 10.3 51.8 14.6 38.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,531,755 22.7 10.2 52.3 14.7 38.3

Tennessee 6,451,365 23.1 9.7 53.0 14.2 38.3

Appalachian Tennessee 2,814,443 21.5 9.4 52.3 16.9 41.1

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,636,922 24.4 9.9 53.5 12.2 36.3

Virginia 8,185,131 22.8 10.0 54.2 13.0 37.6

Appalachian Virginia 765,866 19.1 11.9 51.2 17.8 41.8

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,419,265 23.1 9.8 54.6 12.5 37.2

West Virginia (entire state) 1,853,881 20.7 9.3 53.2 16.8 41.6

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 
9 

Figure 2.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Under Age 18, 2010-2014

Over the 2010-2014 period, the share of children and youth under age 18 in the Appalachian population was slightly 

below the national average of 23.5 percent. And the share was actually less than 20 percent in 93 of the Region’s 

counties, most of which were outside metropolitan areas. Yet in another 88 Appalachian counties, the share of 

children under age 18 matched or exceeded the national average. Most of these counties were in Southern 

Appalachia, with concentrations in Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Among the states, the Appalachian 

portions of Georgia and Mississippi were the only two in the Region where the under-18 percentage was greater than 

that of the nation as a whole. 
10

Figure 2.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 18 to 24, 2010-2014

Although the share of young adults (ages 18 to 24) in Appalachia roughly equaled the national average in the 2010-

2014 period, there were great variations within the Region. For example, persons in this age group made up at least 

15 percent of the population in 24 counties. Nearly all of these counties are home to colleges and universities such as 

Penn State University (Centre County, Pa.); the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa County, Ala.); and Clemson 

University (Pickens County, S.C.). In contrast, 18-to-24-year-olds made up less than 7.5 percent of the population in 

100 Appalachian counties. Of the counties in this latter group, 68 were outside metropolitan areas, suggesting a 

possible lack of opportunities in these communities for youth making the transition to adulthood.
11

Figure 2.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 25 to 64, 2010-2014

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 2010-2014 period. In 178 of the 420 Appalachian counties, the percentage of persons in this age 

group matched or exceeded the national average. But there were 47 counties in the Region (36 of which were outside 

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

as Oktibbeha County, Miss., home to Mississippi State University—house colleges and universities (and thus had a 

high share of their populations in the 18-to-24 age range.)
12

Figure 2.4: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region Ages 65 and Over, 2010-2014

In the 2010-2014 period, the share of residents ages 65 and over in the Appalachian Region exceeded the national 

average by two percentage points. Moreover, the percentage of persons in this age group matched or exceeded the 

U.S. share in 379 of the 420 Appalachian counties. In fact, older persons made up at least 15 percent of the 

population in 331 Appalachian counties—and at least 20 percent in 48 of them. (Most counties in both groups were 

outside metropolitan areas.) In contrast, a majority of the 41 Appalachian counties with older population shares below 

the national average were either in metro areas or home to colleges and universities. In both Appalachia and the 

nation, the share of residents ages 65 and over will continue to increase over the coming years as the large baby 

boom cohorts continue to move into this age group.
13

Figure 2.5: Median Age of Persons in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

On average, the median age of the Appalachian population was nearly three years older than that of the United 

States as a whole during the 2010-2014 period. Indeed, the median age of the population (the point at which half the 

population is older and half is younger) exceeded 40 years in the Region as a whole—and was at least 40 years in 

nearly three-fourths of Appalachian counties. And in 64 counties—all but 13 of which were outside metro areas—the 

median age was at least 45 years. Of the 34 counties with populations whose median age was younger than the 

national median, 21 were in Southern Appalachia—the only subregion where the overall age structure roughly 

resembled that of the nation. With the aging of the population in both Appalachia and the nation, median age will 

almost certainly continue to rise in most of the Region’s counties. 
14

Table 2.2: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region, by Age Group, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Population by Age Group 

Percentage Point Change in Share of Population Change in 

Median Age

(Years)

Under

Age 18 

Ages

18-24 

Ages

25-64

Ages 65

and over

United States - 1.1 + 0.1 - 0.1 + 1.1 + 0.9

Appalachian Region - 0.9 + 0.2 - 0.4 + 1.2 + 1.3

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 1.0 + 0.1 - 0.1 + 0.9 + 1.1

North Central Appalachia - 0.7 - 0.3 - 0.4 + 1.4 + 1.5

Central Appalachia - 0.7 - 0.1 - 0.9 + 1.6 + 1.8

South Central Appalachia - 0.8 + 0.1 - 1.0 + 1.7 + 1.4

Southern Appalachia - 1.1 + 0.4 - 0.6 + 1.3 + 1.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 1.0 + 0.3 - 0.3 + 1.0 + 1.1

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 0.9 + 0.2 - 0.5 + 1.2 + 1.2

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 1.0 - 0.3 - 0.2 + 1.3 + 1.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 0.9 + 0.1 - 0.8 + 1.6 + 1.6

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 1.0 - 0.1 - 0.5 + 1.6 + 1.6

Alabama - 1.1 + 0.1 + 0.0 + 1.0 + 1.0

Appalachian Alabama - 0.9 + 0.3 - 0.3 + 0.9 + 1.1

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 1.2 - 0.3 + 0.5 + 1.1 + 1.1

Georgia - 1.4 + 0.2 - 0.3 + 1.5 + 1.3

Appalachian Georgia - 1.4 + 0.5 - 0.9 + 1.8 + 1.6

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 1.4 + 0.0 - 0.1 + 1.4 + 1.1

Kentucky - 0.6 - 0.1 - 0.6 + 1.1 + 1.0

Appalachian Kentucky - 0.7 - 0.2 - 0.8 + 1.5 + 1.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 0.4 - 0.1 - 0.5 + 1.0 + 0.8

Maryland - 1.3 + 0.2 - 0.1 + 1.2 + 0.8

Appalachian Maryland - 0.8 - 0.4 + 0.3 + 1.0 + 1.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 1.4 + 0.2 + 0.0 + 1.2 + 0.8

Mississippi - 1.2 - 0.4 + 0.5 + 1.0 + 1.3

Appalachian Mississippi - 1.2 + 0.0 + 0.2 + 1.0 + 1.2

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 1.3 - 0.4 + 0.6 + 1.1 + 1.4

New York - 1.4 + 0.5 + 0.0 + 0.9 + 0.4

Appalachian New York - 1.0 - 0.1 - 0.1 + 1.2 + 0.9

Non-Appalachian New York - 1.4 + 0.5 + 0.0 + 0.8 + 0.4

North Carolina - 1.0 + 0.1 - 0.5 + 1.4 + 1.2

Appalachian North Carolina - 1.0 + 0.4 - 1.1 + 1.8 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 1.0 - 0.1 - 0.4 + 1.3 + 1.2

Ohio - 0.9 + 0.2 - 0.5 + 1.1 + 1.2

Appalachian Ohio - 0.9 - 0.2 - 0.5 + 1.4 + 1.7

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 0.8 + 0.3 - 0.5 + 1.1 + 1.1

Pennsylvania - 1.0 + 0.3 + 0.0 + 0.7 + 0.8

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 1.0 + 0.2 + 0.1 + 0.8 + 1.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 1.0 + 0.4 - 0.1 + 0.8 + 0.7

South Carolina - 1.2 + 0.2 - 0.7 + 1.6 + 1.1

Appalachian South Carolina - 0.8 + 0.6 - 1.1 + 1.3 + 0.9

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 1.3 + 0.2 - 0.6 + 1.6 + 1.2

Tennessee - 0.8 + 0.4 - 0.8 + 1.3 + 1.0

Appalachian Tennessee - 0.7 + 0.1 - 1.1 + 1.8 + 1.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 0.9 + 0.5 - 0.6 + 1.0 + 0.7

Virginia - 0.9 - 0.3 + 0.0 + 1.2 + 0.9

Appalachian Virginia - 0.6 - 0.4 - 0.7 + 1.7 + 1.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 1.1 - 0.3 + 0.2 + 1.2 + 0.8

West Virginia (entire state) - 0.7 - 0.1 - 0.5 + 1.3 + 1.2

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
15

TRENDS IN AGE

• Like the United States as a whole, Appalachia’s population has gotten older between the 2005-2009 

and 2010-2014 periods (see Table 2.2). And it’s been aging more noticeably than the national 

average in that time: The median age of the Region’s population (the point at which half the 

population is older and half is younger) has risen by more than a year between these two periods, to 

40.3 years. By comparison, the U.S. median age has risen by just less than a year.

• Some parts of the Appalachian Region are aging faster than others. For example, Central 

Appalachia’s median age has risen nearly two years between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, to 41 years. 

And the median age in the Region’s counties outside metropolitan areas has risen more than 1.5 

years, compared with just over one year for Appalachia’s metropolitan counties. Yet among all 

Appalachian subregions and county types, as well as in the Appalachian portions of most of the 

states in the Region, the median age is increasing faster than the national average. 

• In both the United States and Appalachia, the aging of the population has come largely at the 

expense of younger age groups. For example, the share of the population under age 18 is about one 

percentage point lower in 2010-2014 than it was in 2005-2009. Similarly, the share ages 25 to 64 has 

fallen by less than half a percentage point in Appalachia, particularly as older members of the baby 

boom cohorts move into the “65 and over” age category. 
16

CHAPTER 3: RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN 

Table 3.1: Population in the Appalachian Region by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2010-2014

Population by Race and Hispanic Origin 

Total 

Population,

2010-2014 

Percent of Population

White 

Alone, Not 

Hispanic 

Minority

Total Black Alone, 

Not Hispanic 

Hispanic or 

Latino

Other, Not 

Hispanic

United States 314,107,084 62.8 37.2 12.2 16.9 8.1

Appalachian Region 25,367,886 82.9 17.1 9.3 4.4 3.4

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,354,698 89.0 11.0 5.2 2.7 3.2

North Central Appalachia 2,426,928 92.9 7.1 2.8 1.3 2.9

Central Appalachia 1,909,019 95.1 4.9 1.9 1.3 1.7

South Central Appalachia 4,759,012 85.0 15.0 7.0 4.8 3.2

Southern Appalachia 7,918,229 69.1 30.9 18.8 7.8 4.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,925,315 74.0 26.0 15.0 6.0 5.0

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,704,478 82.4 17.6 9.2 5.0 3.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 2,205,370 88.9 11.1 5.2 3.4 2.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,987,860 90.1 9.9 4.5 3.1 2.3

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,544,863 88.8 11.2 7.6 1.8 1.8

Alabama 4,817,678 66.6 33.4 26.2 4.0 3.2

Appalachian Alabama 3,084,897 70.5 29.5 21.9 4.5 3.1

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,732,781 59.5 40.5 33.9 3.1 3.5

Georgia 9,907,756 55.0 45.0 30.4 9.1 5.5

Appalachian Georgia 3,008,603 66.8 33.2 13.9 13.1 6.2

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,899,153 49.9 50.1 37.6 7.3 5.2

Kentucky 4,383,272 85.8 14.2 7.8 3.2 3.3

Appalachian Kentucky 1,182,270 95.2 4.8 1.8 1.3 1.7

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,201,002 82.3 17.7 10.0 3.9 3.8

Maryland 5,887,776 53.6 46.4 29.0 8.8 8.6

Appalachian Maryland 252,834 85.5 14.5 8.2 2.8 3.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,634,942 52.1 47.9 30.0 9.0 8.9

Mississippi 2,984,345 57.6 42.4 37.2 2.8 2.4

Appalachian Mississippi 629,211 64.4 35.6 31.5 2.4 1.7

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,355,134 55.8 44.2 38.7 2.9 2.6

New York 19,594,330 57.3 42.7 14.4 18.2 10.2

Appalachian New York 1,060,089 89.4 10.6 2.7 3.3 4.6

Non-Appalachian New York 18,534,241 55.4 44.6 15.1 19.0 10.5

North Carolina 9,750,405 64.6 35.4 21.2 8.7 5.6

Appalachian North Carolina 1,710,979 80.7 19.3 8.7 7.1 3.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 8,039,426 61.1 38.9 23.8 9.0 6.0

Ohio 11,560,380 80.5 19.5 12.0 3.3 4.2

Appalachian Ohio 2,029,562 91.5 8.5 4.3 1.8 2.5

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,530,818 78.2 21.8 13.7 3.6 4.5

Pennsylvania 12,758,729 78.5 21.5 10.5 6.1 4.8

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,779,733 88.9 11.1 5.4 2.7 3.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,978,996 70.0 30.0 14.8 9.0 6.2

South Carolina 4,727,273 63.9 36.1 27.4 5.3 3.4

Appalachian South Carolina 1,195,518 73.8 26.2 16.6 6.1 3.5

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,531,755 60.6 39.4 31.1 5.0 3.4

Tennessee 6,451,365 75.0 25.0 16.7 4.8 3.5

Appalachian Tennessee 2,814,443 88.1 11.9 5.4 3.5 2.9

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,636,922 64.8 35.2 25.4 5.8 4.0

Virginia 8,185,131 63.9 36.1 18.9 8.4 8.8

Appalachian Virginia 765,866 89.9 10.1 5.5 2.1 2.6

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,419,265 61.2 38.8 20.3 9.0 9.4

West Virginia (entire state) 1,853,881 92.7 7.3 3.2 1.3 2.8

Note: “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, 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 
17

Figure 3.1: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Minority, 2010-2014

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 almost twothirds 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 2010-2014 period. There were 

just 22 counties—all but one in Southern Appalachia—where minorities’ share of the population matched or exceeded 

the national average of 37 percent.
18

Figure 3.2: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black Alone, not Hispanic, 2010-2014

Although non-Hispanic African Americans remained the largest single minority group in Appalachia during the 2010-

2014 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 52 of the Region’s 59 counties where the 

black share of the population matched or surpassed that of the nation—as well as 27 of the 29 where at least one in 

four residents was African American. At the other end of the spectrum, persons who were “black alone, not Hispanic” 

accounted for less than 5 percent of the residents in nearly three-fourths of Appalachian counties.
19

Figure 3.3: Percent of Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Hispanic or Latino, 2010-2014

While Hispanics have become the United States’ largest minority group, they made up only one in 25 residents in the 

Appalachian Region during the 2010-2014 period. The county patterns reflect this fact, as Hispanics were at least 5 

percent of the population in just 63 of Appalachia’s 420 counties, mostly in Southern and South Central Appalachia. 

Moreover, just three Appalachian counties (Gwinnett, Hall, and Whitfield—all in Georgia) had Latino population shares 

that matched or exceeded the national average.
20

Table 3.2: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region, by Race and 

Hispanic Origin, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Population by Race and Hispanic Origin 

Percentage Point Change in Share of Population

White Alone, 

Not Hispanic 

Minority

Total Black Alone, 

Not Hispanic 

Hispanic or 

Latino

Other, Not 

Hispanic

United States - 3.0 + 3.0 + 0.1 + 1.8 + 1.1

Appalachian Region - 2.1 + 2.1 + 0.4 + 1.0 + 0.6

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 1.8 + 1.8 + 0.4 + 0.8 + 0.7

North Central Appalachia - 0.8 + 0.8 - 0.1 + 0.2 + 0.5

Central Appalachia - 0.5 + 0.5 + 0.0 + 0.4 + 0.2

South Central Appalachia - 1.6 + 1.6 + 0.0 + 1.1 + 0.5

Southern Appalachia - 3.0 + 3.0 + 0.7 + 1.5 + 0.6

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 3.7 + 3.7 + 1.2 + 1.4 + 1.0

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 2.1 + 2.1 + 0.3 + 1.2 + 0.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 1.1 + 1.1 + 0.2 + 0.6 + 0.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 1.0 + 1.0 - 0.1 + 0.8 + 0.3

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 0.8 + 0.8 + 0.2 + 0.5 + 0.2

Alabama - 1.9 + 1.9 + 0.2 + 1.2 + 0.5

Appalachian Alabama - 2.0 + 2.0 + 0.3 + 1.2 + 0.5

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 1.9 + 1.9 + 0.1 + 1.1 + 0.7

Georgia - 3.4 + 3.4 + 1.0 + 1.4 + 1.0

Appalachian Georgia - 5.0 + 5.0 + 2.0 + 2.1 + 0.9

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 2.9 + 2.9 + 0.9 + 0.9 + 1.0

Kentucky - 1.9 + 1.9 + 0.4 + 0.8 + 0.8

Appalachian Kentucky - 0.5 + 0.5 + 0.0 + 0.3 + 0.2

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 2.2 + 2.2 + 0.4 + 1.0 + 0.9

Maryland - 4.1 + 4.1 + 0.5 + 2.2 + 1.5

Appalachian Maryland - 3.0 + 3.0 + 1.1 + 0.9 + 0.9

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 4.2 + 4.2 + 0.5 + 2.2 + 1.6

Mississippi - 1.2 + 1.2 + 0.3 + 0.7 + 0.2

Appalachian Mississippi - 0.9 + 0.9 + 0.2 + 0.6 + 0.1

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 1.3 + 1.3 + 0.3 + 0.7 + 0.3

New York - 3.0 + 3.0 - 0.2 + 1.9 + 1.5

Appalachian New York - 1.8 + 1.8 + 0.3 + 0.8 + 0.6

Non-Appalachian New York - 3.2 + 3.2 - 0.2 + 1.9 + 1.5

North Carolina - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.3 + 1.7 + 1.0

Appalachian North Carolina - 1.8 + 1.8 - 0.1 + 1.4 + 0.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 3.0 + 3.0 + 0.2 + 1.7 + 1.0

Ohio - 2.0 + 2.0 + 0.4 + 0.7 + 0.9

Appalachian Ohio - 0.7 + 0.7 - 0.1 + 0.5 + 0.4

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 2.2 + 2.2 + 0.5 + 0.7 + 1.0

Pennsylvania - 3.0 + 3.0 + 0.4 + 1.4 + 1.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 1.9 + 1.9 + 0.4 + 0.9 + 0.7

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 3.5 + 3.5 + 0.3 + 1.9 + 1.3

South Carolina - 1.2 + 1.2 - 0.7 + 1.3 + 0.6

Appalachian South Carolina - 1.8 + 1.8 + 0.1 + 1.2 + 0.5

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 0.9 + 0.9 - 0.9 + 1.3 + 0.6

Tennessee - 2.0 + 2.0 + 0.3 + 1.1 + 0.6

Appalachian Tennessee - 1.6 + 1.6 + 0.0 + 1.0 + 0.5

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 2.1 + 2.1 + 0.3 + 1.1 + 0.7

Virginia - 3.1 + 3.1 - 0.4 + 1.7 + 1.8

Appalachian Virginia - 0.6 + 0.6 - 0.1 + 0.4 + 0.4

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 3.2 + 3.2 - 0.5 + 1.8 + 1.8

West Virginia (entire state) - 0.8 + 0.8 - 0.1 + 0.2 + 0.6

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
21

Figure 3.4: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region That Is Black 

Alone, not Hispanic, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Although African Americans’ share of the U.S. population barely budged between the 2005-2009 and 2010-2014

periods, their share of the Appalachian population rose nearly half a percentage point, from 8.9 percent to 9.3 percent. 

And there were 38 counties—with both large and small African American concentrations—where blacks’ share of the 

population increased by at least one percentage point. Yet in nearly half of Appalachia’s 420 counties, the African 

American share of the population has either stayed the same or decreased.
22

Figure 3.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of the Population in the Appalachian Region That Is 

Hispanic or Latino, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

The Hispanic/Latino share of the Appalachian population rose by a full percentage point between 2005-2009 and 

2010-2014—although this increase was barely more than half the national average for the period. Still, there were 37 

counties (32 of which were in South Central or Southern Appalachia) where the Hispanic share of the population grew 

at or above the national rate. Opportunities in such industries as poultry processing (such as in DeKalb County, Ala.) 

and construction (in the counties surrounding Atlanta)—as well as in creating small businesses—have been given as 

possible factors fueling this growth.
23

TRENDS IN RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

• The Appalachian Region has become more racially and ethnically diverse since 2005-2009. Between 

that period and 2010-2014, the share of the population that is minority (defined as anyone who 

identifies with a racial or ethnic group other than “white alone, not Hispanic”) has risen two 

percentage points to 17 percent (see Tables 3.1 and 3.2). The pace of the increased diversity, 

however, is not as great as that of the nation as a whole. 

• Within the Region, racial diversity is increasing the most in Southern Appalachia and counties that are 

part of large metropolitan areas (1 million population or more). Since the 2005-2009 period, 

minorities’ share of Southern Appalachia’s population has risen three percentage points. Among 

counties in large metros, the minority share has grown nearly four percentage points. Not surprisingly, 

these two areas have minority concentrations in 2010-2014 (31 percent and 26 percent, respectively)

that come closest to the national minority share of 37 percent.

• Although African Americans comprise the largest minority group in Appalachia, Hispanics have fueled 

much (if not most) of the minority increase. The Hispanic/Latino share of the Appalachian population 

rose a full percentage point between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014—more than twice the increase for 

the Region’s African American share. The increase in the Latino population may be associated with

employment opportunities in such industries as poultry processing and construction, as well as in 

creating small businesses. As with the overall minority population, Southern Appalachia and large 

metropolitan areas had the greatest increases in both the black and Latino shares.
24

CHAPTER 4: HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE 

Table 4.1: Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

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 132,741,033 116,211,092 87.5 12.5 64.4 35.6

Appalachian Region 11,568,252 9,864,931 85.3 14.7 70.9 29.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 3,921,988 3,355,468 85.6 14.4 71.1 28.9

North Central Appalachia 1,118,267 948,749 84.8 15.2 72.5 27.5

Central Appalachia 882,818 743,861 84.3 15.7 72.6 27.4

South Central Appalachia 2,271,961 1,911,459 84.1 15.9 69.7 30.3

Southern Appalachia 3,373,218 2,905,394 86.1 13.9 70.6 29.4

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 2,542,453 2,255,767 88.7 11.3 71.0 29.0

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 4,799,982 4,194,613 87.4 12.6 69.3 30.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,025,615 854,079 83.3 16.7 71.6 28.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 1,950,197 1,570,638 80.5 19.5 73.5 26.5

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,250,005 989,834 79.2 20.8 72.8 27.2

Alabama 2,190,638 1,842,174 84.1 15.9 69.2 30.8

Appalachian Alabama 1,388,749 1,183,725 85.2 14.8 70.6 29.4

Non-Appalachian Alabama 801,889 658,449 82.1 17.9 66.6 33.4

Georgia 4,114,496 3,540,690 86.1 13.9 64.2 35.8

Appalachian Georgia 1,184,283 1,030,657 87.0 13.0 71.3 28.7

Non-Appalachian Georgia 2,930,213 2,510,033 85.7 14.3 61.2 38.8

Kentucky 1,938,836 1,702,235 87.8 12.2 67.7 32.3

Appalachian Kentucky 539,633 457,188 84.7 15.3 71.1 28.9

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 1,399,203 1,245,047 89.0 11.0 66.4 33.6

Maryland 2,399,375 2,155,983 89.9 10.1 67.1 32.9

Appalachian Maryland 113,279 96,110 84.8 15.2 67.3 32.7

Non-Appalachian Maryland 2,286,096 2,059,873 90.1 9.9 67.1 32.9

Mississippi 1,284,794 1,092,627 85.0 15.0 68.9 31.1

Appalachian Mississippi 279,507 236,948 84.8 15.2 70.8 29.2

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,005,287 855,679 85.1 14.9 68.4 31.6

New York 8,153,309 7,255,528 89.0 11.0 53.8 46.2

Appalachian New York 509,252 420,333 82.5 17.5 69.4 30.6

Non-Appalachian New York 7,644,057 6,835,195 89.4 10.6 52.9 47.1

North Carolina 4,385,668 3,742,514 85.3 14.7 65.8 34.2

Appalachian North Carolina 861,098 689,167 80.0 20.0 69.9 30.1

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 3,524,570 3,053,347 86.6 13.4 64.9 35.1

Ohio 5,135,173 4,570,015 89.0 11.0 66.9 33.1

Appalachian Ohio 903,218 791,140 87.6 12.4 71.9 28.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio 4,231,955 3,778,875 89.3 10.7 65.8 34.2

Pennsylvania 5,578,393 4,957,736 88.9 11.1 69.5 30.5

Appalachian Pennsylvania 2,722,997 2,331,629 85.6 14.4 71.4 28.6

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 2,855,396 2,626,107 92.0 8.0 67.8 32.2

South Carolina 2,160,383 1,795,715 83.1 16.9 68.6 31.4

Appalachian South Carolina 520,679 454,064 87.2 12.8 68.8 31.2

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 1,639,704 1,341,651 81.8 18.2 68.5 31.5

Tennessee 2,839,142 2,487,349 87.6 12.4 67.1 32.9

Appalachian Tennessee 1,296,820 1,124,425 86.7 13.3 69.9 30.1

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 1,542,322 1,362,924 88.4 11.6 64.8 35.2

Virginia 3,403,241 3,041,710 89.4 10.6 66.7 33.3

Appalachian Virginia 365,540 307,186 84.0 16.0 71.4 28.6

Non-Appalachian Virginia 3,037,701 2,734,524 90.0 10.0 66.1 33.9

West Virginia (entire state) 883,197 742,359 84.1 15.9 73.0 27.0

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 
25

Figure 4.1: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Occupied, 2010-2014

Although the home occupancy rate during the 2010-2014 period was slightly lower in Appalachia than in the United 

States as a whole, there were 111 counties in the Region that had occupancy rates matching or exceeding the 

national average. And while they were scattered throughout the Region, 75 of these counties were in metropolitan 

areas, such as Pittsburgh, the Atlanta and Birmingham suburbs, and Winston-Salem, N.C. Conversely, less than fourfifths of housing units were occupied in 116 Appalachian counties—all but 19 of which lay outside metropolitan areas.
26

Figure 4.2: Percent of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are Vacant, 2010-2014

In Appalachia, one in seven housing units were vacant during the 2010-2014 period, compared to one in eight for the 

nation as a whole. Vacancy rates varied within the Region, however. While more than one-fourth of Appalachian 

counties (nearly all outside metropolitan areas) had vacancy rates at or above 20 percent, another one-fourth (mostly

in metro areas) had rates below the national average. It is important to note that in 164 of the 316 Appalachian 

counties with vacancy rates of 12.5 percent or more, at least one-third of the vacant units were designated for 

seasonal or occasional use—suggesting significant recreational, resort, or retirement activity in the community.

Examples of such areas include the Great Smoky Mountains along the North Carolina-Tennessee border, the 

Greenbrier resort in West Virginia (Greenbrier County), and the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania.
27

Figure 4.3: Percent Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

In the 2010-2014 period, homeownership was more common in the Appalachian Region than in the rest of the 

country. In all but 19 counties, the share of owner-occupied housing units matched or exceeded the national average. 

Indeed, the homeownership rate was at least 75 percent in 195 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 the older age 

structure of the Appalachian population.
28

Figure 4.4: Percent Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

The share of renter-occupied housing units during the 2010-2014 period was well below the national average 

throughout Appalachia; in fact, it was less than 25 percent in 192 of the Region’s 420 counties. Among the 21 

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. Examples of these 

counties include Montgomery County, Va. (Virginia Tech, Radford University); Athens County, Ohio (Ohio University); 

and Watauga County, N.C. (Appalachian State University). 
29

Table 4.2: Percentage Point Change in Occupancy and Tenure of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region, 

2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Housing Occupancy and Tenure 

Percentage Point Change, Share of 

Total Housing Units

Housing Units

Percentage Point Change, Share of 

Occupied Housing Units

Housing Units

Occupied Vacant Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied

United States - 0.7 + 0.7 - 2.5 + 2.5

Appalachian Region - 0.9 + 0.9 - 1.7 + 1.7

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 0.7 + 0.7 - 1.3 + 1.3

North Central Appalachia - 0.6 + 0.6 - 1.3 + 1.3

Central Appalachia - 0.1 + 0.1 - 1.5 + 1.5

South Central Appalachia - 1.7 + 1.7 - 2.2 + 2.2

Southern Appalachia - 1.0 + 1.0 - 2.0 + 2.0

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 0.1 + 0.1 - 2.2 + 2.2

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 1.0 + 1.0 - 1.9 + 1.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 0.8 + 0.8 - 1.7 + 1.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 1.7 + 1.7 - 1.2 + 1.2

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 1.2 + 1.2 - 1.0 + 1.0

Alabama - 0.9 + 0.9 - 1.6 + 1.6

Appalachian Alabama - 1.2 + 1.2 - 1.4 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 0.5 + 0.5 - 2.0 + 2.0

Georgia - 0.5 + 0.5 - 3.3 + 3.3

Appalachian Georgia - 0.9 + 0.9 - 3.0 + 3.0

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 0.4 + 0.4 - 3.6 + 3.6

Kentucky + 0.0 + 0.0 - 2.5 + 2.5

Appalachian Kentucky + 0.7 - 0.7 - 2.0 + 2.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 0.3 + 0.3 - 2.7 + 2.7

Maryland - 0.6 + 0.6 - 2.5 + 2.5

Appalachian Maryland - 2.0 + 2.0 - 1.3 + 1.3

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 0.5 + 0.5 - 2.5 + 2.5

Mississippi - 1.5 + 1.5 - 1.6 + 1.6

Appalachian Mississippi - 1.2 + 1.2 - 1.3 + 1.3

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 1.5 + 1.5 - 1.7 + 1.7

New York - 0.8 + 0.8 - 1.9 + 1.9

Appalachian New York - 1.7 + 1.7 - 0.6 + 0.6

Non-Appalachian New York - 0.7 + 0.7 - 1.9 + 1.9

North Carolina - 0.7 + 0.7 - 2.3 + 2.3

Appalachian North Carolina - 2.4 + 2.4 - 2.5 + 2.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 0.2 + 0.2 - 2.2 + 2.2

Ohio - 0.4 + 0.4 - 2.6 + 2.6

Appalachian Ohio - 0.9 + 0.9 - 1.8 + 1.8

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 0.3 + 0.3 - 2.8 + 2.8

Pennsylvania - 0.4 + 0.4 - 2.0 + 2.0

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 0.5 + 0.5 - 1.3 + 1.3

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 0.3 + 0.3 - 2.5 + 2.5

South Carolina - 0.7 + 0.7 - 1.7 + 1.7

Appalachian South Carolina - 0.2 + 0.2 - 2.1 + 2.1

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 0.8 + 0.8 - 1.6 + 1.6

Tennessee - 1.1 + 1.1 - 2.6 + 2.6

Appalachian Tennessee - 1.4 + 1.4 - 2.2 + 2.2

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 0.7 + 0.7 - 2.9 + 2.9

Virginia - 0.6 + 0.6 - 2.5 + 2.5

Appalachian Virginia - 1.3 + 1.3 - 1.0 + 1.0

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 0.6 + 0.6 - 2.7 + 2.7

West Virginia (entire state) - 0.2 + 0.2 - 1.3 + 1.3

Note: Since occupied units and vacant units sum to the total number of housing units, the sum of the percentage point changes for the two 

categories will equal zero. The same principle holds for the sum of the percentage point changes for owner-occupied units and renter-occupied 

units, since these two categories sum to the total number of occupied housing units. 

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
30

Figure 4.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are 

Occupied, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Appalachia’s home occupancy rate in 2010-2014 was nearly a full percentage point lower than it was in 2005-2009, a 

slightly greater decline than the nation as a whole. While this might reflect the effects of the Great Recession, other 

factors may also be at play. For example, severe weather events like the “Super Outbreak” of tornadoes that swept 

parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee in April 2011, caused extreme structural damage and 

displaced families and (in some cases) entire communities. In 138 Appalachian counties, however, the occupancy 

rate actually increased between the two periods, and the rate rose at least two percentage points in 57 of these 

counties. One-third of the 57 counties in the latter group were in Kentucky; in that state’s Appalachian section, the 

occupancy rate increased nearly three-quarters of a percentage point during the period. 
31

Figure 4.6: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Housing Units in the Appalachian Region That Are 

Vacant, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, the percentage of vacant housing units grew slightly more in Appalachia than in 

the nation as a whole. And in 228 of the Region’s 420 counties, the increase was greater than or equal to the U.S. 

average. While this at least partly suggests the failure of occupancy rates to return to pre-recessionary levels, another 

possible factor could be an increase in the share of vacant units that were designed for seasonal or occasional use

(which would suggest significant recreational or retirement activity). In 138 of the 228 Appalachian counties where 

overall vacancy rates rose at or above the national average, the percentage of vacant units designed for seasonal use 

increased. 
32

Figure 4.7: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Owner-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian 

Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

The share of owner-occupied housing units fell by nearly two percentage points in the Appalachian Region between 

2005-2009 and 2010-2014. The decline was even greater for the nation, as well as in 126 Appalachian counties 

where homeownership rates fell by at least 2.5 percentage points. Still, there were 119 counties in the Region—91 of 

which were outside metropolitan areas—where homeownership actually increased during the period. While these 119 

counties were scattered throughout Appalachia, 54 of them were in four states—West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, 

and Ohio. (West Virginia alone had 23 of these counties.)
33

Figure 4.8: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Renter-Occupied Housing Units in the Appalachian 

Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Although the share of renter-occupied housing units didn’t increase as much in Appalachia as it did nationwide 

between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, there were variations within the Region. In 126 Appalachian counties, for 

example, the increases in rental rates matched or exceeded the national average. More than half of the counties in 

this group were in South Central and Southern Appalachia; in Georgia’s Appalachian counties, the share increased 

three percentage points. Conversely, the percentage of units occupied by renters either stayed the same or 

decreased in 122 counties. 
34

TRENDS IN HOUSING OCCUPANCY AND TENURE

• At just over 85 percent in 2010-2014, Appalachia’s home occupancy rate is nearly a full percentage 

point lower than it was in 2005-2009 (see Tables 4.1 and 4.2). This decrease—present among all 

subregions, county types, and the Appalachian portions of nearly every state—suggests that 

occupancy rates have not yet returned to pre-recession levels. However, other factors, such as the 

displacement caused by severe weather events like the April 2011 Super Outbreak of tornadoes that 

devastated parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, may also be at play,

• Among the subregions, the occupancy rate declined nearly two percentage points in South Central 

Appalachia, while it barely dipped in Central Appalachia. And in large metropolitan areas, occupancy 

rates only fell a tenth of a percentage point, while the decline was significantly greater among the 

other county types. One factor in the decrease in occupancy rates, however, might be an increase in 

the percentage of vacant units that were designed for seasonal or occasional use. In both Appalachia 

and the nation as a whole, the share of such units rose nearly three percentage points between 2005-

2009 and 2010-2014.

• Homeownership rates in Appalachia fell nearly two percentage points between 2005-2009 and 2010-

2014. Among subregions, the declines were greatest in South Central and Southern Appalachia, 

while there was an urban/rural pattern among county types (with the drop in homeownership being 

greatest among counties in large metropolitan areas). As with the drop in the occupancy rate, the 

decrease in homeownership suggests the continued effects of the 2007-2009 recession and the slow 

economic recovery that followed.
35

CHAPTER 5: EDUCATION 

Table 5.1: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Total 

Population 

Ages 25 and 

Over,

2010-2014 

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 209,056,129 13.7 86.3 49.1 7.9 29.3

Appalachian Region 17,320,560 14.9 85.1 54.9 8.0 22.2

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 5,810,016 10.6 89.4 57.3 9.0 23.2

North Central Appalachia 1,671,350 14.9 85.1 59.1 7.2 18.8

Central Appalachia 1,322,335 24.3 75.7 56.6 6.2 13.0

South Central Appalachia 3,290,236 16.1 83.9 53.4 7.8 22.8

Southern Appalachia 5,226,623 16.7 83.3 51.5 7.8 24.0

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 4,017,403 11.1 88.9 51.2 8.4 29.3

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 7,279,771 14.0 86.0 54.4 8.0 23.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,499,964 16.3 83.7 59.0 8.3 16.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 2,783,387 17.8 82.2 59.0 7.6 15.6

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,740,035 21.8 78.2 55.7 7.3 15.2

Alabama 3,217,902 16.3 83.7 53.1 7.6 23.1

Appalachian Alabama 2,078,151 16.2 83.8 52.6 7.6 23.6

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,139,751 16.4 83.6 53.9 7.6 22.1

Georgia 6,410,416 15.0 85.0 49.7 7.0 28.3

Appalachian Georgia 1,945,523 16.5 83.5 50.6 7.3 25.5

Non-Appalachian Georgia 4,464,893 14.3 85.7 49.3 6.9 29.5

Kentucky 2,939,709 16.5 83.5 54.4 7.3 21.8

Appalachian Kentucky 807,377 24.5 75.5 55.6 6.3 13.6

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 2,132,332 13.5 86.5 54.0 7.7 24.9

Maryland 3,973,193 11.0 89.0 45.4 6.3 37.3

Appalachian Maryland 175,481 13.4 86.6 59.8 7.9 18.9

Non-Appalachian Maryland 3,797,712 10.9 89.1 44.7 6.3 38.1

Mississippi 1,929,591 18.1 81.9 53.0 8.5 20.4

Appalachian Mississippi 408,212 21.3 78.7 53.4 8.2 17.1

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,521,379 17.2 82.8 52.9 8.6 21.3

New York 13,329,734 14.6 85.4 43.2 8.5 33.7

Appalachian New York 703,822 10.8 89.2 52.8 11.8 24.5

Non-Appalachian New York 12,625,912 14.8 85.2 42.7 8.3 34.2

North Carolina 6,495,047 14.6 85.4 48.8 8.8 27.8

Appalachian North Carolina 1,191,973 16.0 84.0 50.6 8.9 24.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 5,303,074 14.3 85.7 48.4 8.8 28.5

Ohio 7,781,111 11.2 88.8 55.1 8.1 25.6

Appalachian Ohio 1,390,859 14.1 85.9 61.4 8.1 16.4

Non-Appalachian Ohio 6,390,252 10.5 89.5 53.8 8.1 27.6

Pennsylvania 8,764,740 11.0 89.0 53.1 7.7 28.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania 4,050,549 9.9 90.1 56.7 8.8 24.6

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 4,714,191 12.0 88.0 50.1 6.8 31.1

South Carolina 3,163,095 15.0 85.0 51.0 8.7 25.3

Appalachian South Carolina 794,737 16.2 83.8 49.7 9.1 25.0

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 2,368,358 14.6 85.4 51.4 8.6 25.5

Tennessee 4,336,243 15.1 84.9 54.1 6.5 24.4

Appalachian Tennessee 1,946,990 16.7 83.3 55.7 6.6 21.0

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 2,389,253 13.7 86.3 52.8 6.3 27.2

Virginia 5,501,125 12.1 87.9 45.0 7.1 35.8

Appalachian Virginia 528,272 19.3 80.7 53.9 8.4 18.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia 4,972,853 11.4 88.6 44.1 7.0 37.6

West Virginia (entire state) 1,298,614 15.6 84.4 59.3 6.4 18.7

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 
36

Table 5.2: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Total 

Population 

Ages 25-64,

2010-2014 

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 165,878,168 12.0 88.0 48.4 8.7 30.9

Appalachian Region 13,286,008 12.2 87.8 54.7 9.2 23.9

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 4,356,717 8.0 92.0 55.7 10.6 25.7

North Central Appalachia 1,281,012 11.7 88.3 59.4 8.4 20.5

Central Appalachia 1,018,214 19.1 80.9 59.7 7.3 13.9

South Central Appalachia 2,466,419 13.0 87.0 54.1 8.9 24.1

Southern Appalachia 4,163,646 14.6 85.4 51.3 8.6 25.4

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 3,188,383 9.2 90.8 49.5 9.5 31.8

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 5,577,979 11.5 88.5 54.0 9.2 25.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,137,416 13.5 86.5 59.4 9.7 17.5

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 2,068,639 14.4 85.6 60.1 8.9 16.5

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,313,591 17.8 82.2 57.5 8.6 16.0

Alabama 2,518,641 14.0 86.0 53.1 8.6 24.4

Appalachian Alabama 1,629,780 14.0 86.0 52.4 8.6 25.0

Non-Appalachian Alabama 888,861 14.0 86.0 54.3 8.6 23.1

Georgia 5,272,180 13.2 86.8 49.4 7.7 29.8

Appalachian Georgia 1,598,803 14.9 85.1 50.2 8.0 26.9

Non-Appalachian Georgia 3,673,377 12.4 87.6 49.1 7.5 31.0

Kentucky 2,325,213 13.1 86.9 55.1 8.3 23.4

Appalachian Kentucky 627,183 19.4 80.6 58.5 7.5 14.6

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 1,698,030 10.9 89.1 53.8 8.7 26.7

Maryland 3,209,136 9.3 90.7 44.8 6.9 39.0

Appalachian Maryland 133,887 10.9 89.1 59.5 9.2 20.4

Non-Appalachian Maryland 3,075,249 9.3 90.7 44.1 6.8 39.9

Mississippi 1,526,423 15.5 84.5 53.6 9.7 21.2

Appalachian Mississippi 315,268 18.2 81.8 54.5 9.5 17.7

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,211,155 14.8 85.2 53.4 9.7 22.1

New York 10,574,562 12.5 87.5 42.0 9.4 36.1

Appalachian New York 530,711 8.8 91.2 51.7 13.5 26.0

Non-Appalachian New York 10,043,851 12.7 87.3 41.5 9.2 36.6

North Carolina 5,148,955 12.6 87.4 48.3 9.7 29.4

Appalachian North Carolina 886,242 13.7 86.3 50.9 10.1 25.4

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 4,262,713 12.3 87.7 47.8 9.6 30.3

Ohio 6,076,512 9.0 91.0 54.1 9.3 27.7

Appalachian Ohio 1,058,300 11.5 88.5 61.0 9.7 17.9

Non-Appalachian Ohio 5,018,212 8.5 91.5 52.6 9.2 29.7

Pennsylvania 6,723,182 8.5 91.5 51.6 8.9 30.9

Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,034,425 7.2 92.8 54.8 10.4 27.6

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,688,757 9.6 90.4 49.0 7.7 33.7

South Carolina 2,467,644 12.7 87.3 51.4 9.6 26.2

Appalachian South Carolina 619,795 13.7 86.3 49.9 10.1 26.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 1,847,849 12.4 87.6 52.0 9.5 26.2

Tennessee 3,418,025 12.2 87.8 54.5 7.3 26.1

Appalachian Tennessee 1,472,503 13.2 86.8 56.9 7.6 22.3

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 1,945,522 11.4 88.6 52.7 7.0 28.9

Virginia 4,440,077 9.9 90.1 44.5 7.7 37.9

Appalachian Virginia 392,122 14.0 86.0 55.9 9.8 20.3

Non-Appalachian Virginia 4,047,955 9.5 90.5 43.4 7.5 39.6

West Virginia (entire state) 986,989 12.2 87.8 59.8 7.5 20.6

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
37

Table 5.3: Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Total 

Population 

Ages 65 and 

Over,

2010-2014 

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 43,177,961 20.0 80.0 51.9 4.8 23.2

Appalachian Region 4,034,552 24.0 76.0 55.6 4.0 16.4

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 1,453,299 18.4 81.6 62.0 4.0 15.6

North Central Appalachia 390,338 25.4 74.6 58.3 3.1 13.2

Central Appalachia 304,121 41.7 58.3 45.9 2.4 10.0

South Central Appalachia 823,817 25.4 74.6 51.2 4.5 19.0

Southern Appalachia 1,062,977 25.0 75.0 52.1 4.4 18.5

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 829,020 18.8 81.2 57.6 4.3 19.3

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 1,701,792 22.2 77.8 55.6 4.2 18.0

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 362,548 25.3 74.7 57.6 3.9 13.2

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 714,748 27.6 72.4 55.8 3.6 13.0

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 426,444 33.9 66.1 49.9 3.4 12.8

Alabama 699,261 24.6 75.4 53.1 4.0 18.4

Appalachian Alabama 448,371 24.4 75.6 53.5 4.0 18.1

Non-Appalachian Alabama 250,890 24.9 75.1 52.3 4.0 18.8

Georgia 1,138,236 23.3 76.7 50.9 4.2 21.6

Appalachian Georgia 346,720 23.9 76.1 52.5 4.4 19.1

Non-Appalachian Georgia 791,516 23.0 77.0 50.3 4.1 22.6

Kentucky 614,496 29.4 70.6 51.7 3.3 15.6

Appalachian Kentucky 180,194 42.2 57.8 45.2 2.4 10.2

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 434,302 24.0 76.0 54.4 3.7 17.8

Maryland 764,057 18.0 82.0 47.8 4.2 30.0

Appalachian Maryland 41,594 21.3 78.7 60.9 3.8 14.1

Non-Appalachian Maryland 722,463 17.8 82.2 47.1 4.2 30.9

Mississippi 403,168 27.7 72.3 50.8 4.0 17.4

Appalachian Mississippi 92,944 31.6 68.4 49.8 3.7 14.9

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 310,224 26.6 73.4 51.1 4.1 18.2

New York 2,755,172 22.8 77.2 47.8 4.9 24.5

Appalachian New York 173,111 17.0 83.0 56.2 6.7 20.0

Non-Appalachian New York 2,582,061 23.2 76.8 47.2 4.8 24.8

North Carolina 1,346,092 22.3 77.7 50.7 5.4 21.6

Appalachian North Carolina 305,731 22.6 77.4 50.0 5.2 22.1

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 1,040,361 22.2 77.8 50.9 5.5 21.4

Ohio 1,704,599 18.9 81.1 58.9 3.8 18.3

Appalachian Ohio 332,559 22.4 77.6 62.6 3.1 11.9

Non-Appalachian Ohio 1,372,040 18.1 81.9 58.1 4.0 19.9

Pennsylvania 2,041,558 19.3 80.7 58.1 3.8 18.7

Appalachian Pennsylvania 1,016,124 18.1 81.9 62.3 3.8 15.8

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 1,025,434 20.5 79.5 53.9 3.9 21.7

South Carolina 695,451 23.0 77.0 49.2 5.5 22.3

Appalachian South Carolina 174,942 25.4 74.6 48.8 5.4 20.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 520,509 22.2 77.8 49.3 5.5 22.9

Tennessee 918,218 25.7 74.3 52.6 3.5 18.2

Appalachian Tennessee 474,487 27.4 72.6 52.0 3.7 16.9

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 443,731 23.8 76.2 53.3 3.2 19.6

Virginia 1,061,048 21.3 78.7 47.1 4.5 27.0

Appalachian Virginia 136,150 34.4 65.6 48.0 4.2 13.3

Non-Appalachian Virginia 924,898 19.4 80.6 47.0 4.5 29.1

West Virginia (entire state) 311,625 26.4 73.6 57.6 3.0 13.0

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
38

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

More, 2010-2014

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

over the 2010-2014 period, it matched or exceeded the national share in 120 counties in the Region—104 of which 

were either in Northern Appalachia or in metropolitan areas. The rates were especially high in the Appalachian 

sections of Pennsylvania and New York, where the share of adults who had completed high school was 90 percent 

and 89 percent, respectively. Yet in 71 counties, less than three-fourths of adults had completed high school; all but 

three of those counties were in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia. Nearly half of these 71 counties 

were in Kentucky alone; just 76 percent of adults in the state’s Appalachian counties had a high school diploma or 

more in 2010-2014.
39

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

With No Postsecondary Degree, 2010-2014

During the 2010-2014 period, 55 percent of adults in the Appalachian Region had a high school diploma, but no 

postsecondary degree (including an associate’s degree). And the share was at least 60 percent in a full one-third 

(140) of the Region’s 420 counties—most of them in three states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. 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 even finished high 

school.
40

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

More, 2010-2014

The share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or more was seven percentage points lower in Appalachia during the 

2010-2014 period than in the nation as a whole. Indeed, the rate was lower than the national average in 399 of the 

Region’s 420 counties. In fact, less than one in five residents ages 25 and over were graduates of a four-year college 

or university in 330 Appalachian counties. And in 43 counties—nearly all of which were either outside metropolitan 

areas or in Central Appalachia—the share was less than one in 10. The 21 counties where the percentage of college 

graduates matched or surpassed the national average were mostly either in metro areas (e.g., Pittsburgh and 

Birmingham) or home to a college or university (such as Monongalia County, W.Va., where West Virginia University is 

located). 
41

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

2010-2014

In 2010-2014, the percentage of working-age adults (ages 25 to 64) in the Appalachian Region with at least a high 

school diploma was almost at the national average of 88 percent, and the share matched or exceeded the national 

rate in 143 counties. These counties were almost equally divided between metropolitan and non-metropolitan 

counties, and most were in Northern or North Central Appalachia. In the Appalachian sections of New York and 

Pennsylvania, the share with a high school diploma or more exceeded 90 percent. At the other end of the spectrum, 

less than three-fourths of working-age adults had finished high school in 22 Appalachian counties. Almost all of these 

counties were outside metropolitan areas, and two-thirds were in Kentucky.
42

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

2010-2014

Just 24 percent of Appalachia’s working age population had a bachelor’s degree or more in 2010-2014—seven 

percentage points lower than the U.S. average of nearly 31 percent. This is a striking indicator of the lower 

educational level of the Appalachian workforce. Indeed, just 14 percent of working-age adults in Central Appalachia 

had a bachelor’s degree, as did only 16 percent of residents of rural Appalachian counties that were not adjacent to 

metro areas. There were only 20 Appalachian counties—all either in metro areas (e.g., suburban Atlanta) or home to 

a four-year college or university (such as Knox County, Tenn., home of the University of Tennessee)—where 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, less than one in 10 adults had a four-year degree in 36 counties. Of the counties in the latter 

group, 27 were outside metropolitan areas, suggesting a lack of opportunities for college-educated adults. 
43

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

More, 2010-2014

While nearly one in four older Americans (ages 65 and over) had at least a bachelor’s degree in the 2010-2014 

period, less than one in 10 older adults had one in 148 of Appalachia’s 420 counties. Three-fourths of these counties 

were outside metropolitan areas, and two-fifths were in Central Appalachia--Kentucky alone had one-fourth of these 

counties. Yet in 34 Appalachian counties, the share of older adults with a four-year degree was at or above the 

national average. These were either counties in metropolitan areas (like suburban Atlanta), counties that had a 

college or university (such as Tompkins County, N.Y., home to Cornell University and Ithaca College), or counties with 

significant retirement or seasonal activity (the latter suggested by the fact that much of their vacant housing is for 

seasonal or occasional use—such as Rabun and Towns counties in Georgia, home of the Chattahoochee-Oconee 

National Forest).
44

Table 5.4: Percentage Point Change in Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the 

Appalachian Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Percentage Point Change in Share 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 - 1.7 + 1.7 - 0.5 + 0.5 + 1.8

Appalachian Region - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.2 + 0.8 + 1.8

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 2.2 + 2.2 - 0.5 + 0.9 + 2.0

North Central Appalachia - 2.6 + 2.6 - 0.2 + 1.1 + 1.7

Central Appalachia - 4.6 + 4.6 + 3.0 + 0.7 + 1.1

South Central Appalachia - 3.3 + 3.3 + 0.8 + 0.8 + 1.9

Southern Appalachia - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.4 + 0.9 + 1.5

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 1.8 + 1.8 - 1.0 + 0.7 + 2.1

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 2.7 + 2.7 + 0.0 + 0.8 + 1.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 3.3 + 3.3 + 0.6 + 1.1 + 1.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 3.4 + 3.4 + 1.4 + 0.9 + 1.2

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 3.9 + 3.9 + 1.7 + 1.0 + 1.2

Alabama - 2.9 + 2.9 + 0.5 + 0.9 + 1.6

Appalachian Alabama - 3.0 + 3.0 + 0.5 + 1.0 + 1.5

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 2.7 + 2.7 + 0.5 + 0.6 + 1.6

Georgia - 2.1 + 2.1 + 0.3 + 0.6 + 1.2

Appalachian Georgia - 2.2 + 2.2 + 0.2 + 0.6 + 1.3

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 2.0 + 2.0 + 0.3 + 0.6 + 1.1

Kentucky - 3.2 + 3.2 + 0.6 + 0.8 + 1.8

Appalachian Kentucky - 4.6 + 4.6 + 2.7 + 0.8 + 1.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 2.5 + 2.5 - 0.1 + 0.8 + 1.9

Maryland - 1.5 + 1.5 - 0.7 + 0.0 + 2.1

Appalachian Maryland - 2.9 + 2.9 + 1.1 + 0.2 + 1.6

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 1.4 + 1.4 - 0.8 + 0.1 + 2.1

Mississippi - 3.0 + 3.0 + 0.6 + 1.0 + 1.3

Appalachian Mississippi - 3.7 + 3.7 + 1.1 + 1.3 + 1.3

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.5 + 1.0 + 1.3

New York - 1.2 + 1.2 - 1.0 + 0.4 + 1.9

Appalachian New York - 1.8 + 1.8 - 0.1 + 0.8 + 1.1

Non-Appalachian New York - 1.2 + 1.2 - 1.1 + 0.3 + 1.9

North Carolina - 2.4 + 2.4 - 0.2 + 0.6 + 2.0

Appalachian North Carolina - 2.8 + 2.8 - 0.1 + 0.6 + 2.3

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 2.3 + 2.3 - 0.2 + 0.6 + 1.9

Ohio - 2.0 + 2.0 - 1.0 + 1.0 + 2.0

Appalachian Ohio - 2.3 + 2.3 - 0.5 + 1.3 + 1.5

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 2.0 + 2.0 - 1.0 + 0.9 + 2.2

Pennsylvania - 2.1 + 2.1 - 0.6 + 0.5 + 2.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 2.3 + 2.3 - 0.8 + 0.8 + 2.2

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 2.0 + 2.0 - 0.3 + 0.3 + 2.0

South Carolina - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.4 + 0.5 + 1.8

Appalachian South Carolina - 3.1 + 3.1 + 0.2 + 0.9 + 1.9

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 2.7 + 2.7 + 0.5 + 0.4 + 1.9

Tennessee - 3.1 + 3.1 + 0.5 + 0.7 + 2.0

Appalachian Tennessee - 3.7 + 3.7 + 1.4 + 0.8 + 1.5

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 2.7 + 2.7 - 0.2 + 0.5 + 2.4

Virginia - 2.1 + 2.1 - 0.7 + 0.5 + 2.4

Appalachian Virginia - 4.4 + 4.4 + 2.0 + 0.6 + 1.9

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 1.8 + 1.8 - 0.9 + 0.5 + 2.3

West Virginia (entire state) - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.5 + 0.7 + 1.6

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
45

Table 5.5: Percentage Point Change in Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian 

Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Percentage Point Change in Share 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 - 1.0 + 1.0 - 0.8 + 0.4 + 1.4

Appalachian Region - 1.6 + 1.6 - 0.7 + 0.8 + 1.5

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 0.9 + 0.9 - 1.6 + 0.8 + 1.7

North Central Appalachia - 1.6 + 1.6 - 1.4 + 1.2 + 1.8

Central Appalachia - 3.8 + 3.8 + 2.1 + 0.7 + 1.0

South Central Appalachia - 2.3 + 2.3 + 0.0 + 0.7 + 1.7

Southern Appalachia - 1.6 + 1.6 - 0.5 + 0.8 + 1.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 0.6 + 0.6 - 1.8 + 0.6 + 1.8

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 1.6 + 1.6 - 0.8 + 0.8 + 1.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 2.2 + 2.2 - 0.2 + 1.1 + 1.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 2.2 + 2.2 + 0.2 + 0.9 + 1.0

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 2.9 + 2.9 + 0.8 + 1.1 + 0.9

Alabama - 1.5 + 1.5 - 0.4 + 0.8 + 1.1

Appalachian Alabama - 1.4 + 1.4 - 0.6 + 1.0 + 1.0

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 1.6 + 1.6 - 0.2 + 0.6 + 1.2

Georgia - 1.2 + 1.2 - 0.3 + 0.7 + 0.9

Appalachian Georgia - 1.3 + 1.3 - 0.5 + 0.7 + 1.1

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 1.3 + 1.3 - 0.2 + 0.7 + 0.8

Kentucky - 2.1 + 2.1 - 0.3 + 0.8 + 1.6

Appalachian Kentucky - 3.8 + 3.8 + 1.8 + 1.0 + 1.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 1.3 + 1.3 - 1.1 + 0.8 + 1.7

Maryland - 0.6 + 0.6 - 1.1 + 0.0 + 1.6

Appalachian Maryland - 1.4 + 1.4 - 0.4 + 0.0 + 1.7

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 0.5 + 0.5 - 1.2 + 0.0 + 1.7

Mississippi - 1.9 + 1.9 - 0.2 + 1.2 + 0.9

Appalachian Mississippi - 2.4 + 2.4 + 0.2 + 1.2 + 0.9

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 1.8 + 1.8 - 0.2 + 1.1 + 0.9

New York - 0.5 + 0.5 - 1.2 + 0.2 + 1.5

Appalachian New York - 0.9 + 0.9 - 0.2 + 0.7 + 0.5

Non-Appalachian New York - 0.4 + 0.4 - 1.3 + 0.2 + 1.5

North Carolina - 1.3 + 1.3 - 1.0 + 0.5 + 1.8

Appalachian North Carolina - 1.6 + 1.6 - 0.6 + 0.4 + 1.9

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 1.3 + 1.3 - 1.0 + 0.5 + 1.8

Ohio - 1.1 + 1.1 - 1.7 + 1.0 + 1.9

Appalachian Ohio - 1.2 + 1.2 - 1.6 + 1.6 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 1.1 + 1.1 - 1.8 + 0.9 + 1.9

Pennsylvania - 0.8 + 0.8 - 1.6 + 0.4 + 1.8

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 0.8 + 0.8 - 2.0 + 0.7 + 2.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 0.8 + 0.8 - 1.1 + 0.2 + 1.6

South Carolina - 1.8 + 1.8 - 0.3 + 0.5 + 1.5

Appalachian South Carolina - 2.0 + 2.0 - 0.5 + 0.9 + 1.6

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 1.7 + 1.7 - 0.1 + 0.4 + 1.5

Tennessee - 2.2 + 2.2 - 0.3 + 0.7 + 1.9

Appalachian Tennessee - 2.8 + 2.8 + 0.6 + 0.9 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 1.7 + 1.7 - 1.0 + 0.5 + 2.1

Virginia - 1.4 + 1.4 - 1.2 + 0.4 + 2.2

Appalachian Virginia - 3.6 + 3.6 + 1.3 + 0.3 + 2.0

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 1.1 + 1.1 - 1.4 + 0.4 + 2.0

West Virginia (entire state) - 1.6 + 1.6 - 0.8 + 0.7 + 1.8

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
46

Table 5.6: Percentage Point Change in Educational Attainment of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the 

Appalachian Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Education (Highest Level Attained) 

Percentage Point Change in Share 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 - 5.8 + 5.8 + 0.7 + 1.0 + 3.9

Appalachian Region - 7.8 + 7.8 + 3.4 + 1.2 + 3.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 6.8 + 6.8 + 2.5 + 1.2 + 3.1

North Central Appalachia - 7.3 + 7.3 + 4.3 + 0.9 + 2.1

Central Appalachia - 10.0 + 10.0 + 7.5 + 0.7 + 1.8

South Central Appalachia - 8.0 + 8.0 + 3.5 + 1.4 + 3.3

Southern Appalachia - 9.2 + 9.2 + 4.2 + 1.4 + 3.6

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 7.3 + 7.3 + 2.0 + 1.4 + 3.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 7.5 + 7.5 + 2.9 + 1.2 + 3.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 7.7 + 7.7 + 3.4 + 1.4 + 2.9

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 8.6 + 8.6 + 5.4 + 1.1 + 2.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 8.8 + 8.8 + 5.4 + 1.1 + 2.3

Alabama - 8.8 + 8.8 + 4.1 + 1.2 + 3.6

Appalachian Alabama - 9.5 + 9.5 + 4.6 + 1.3 + 3.6

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 7.6 + 7.6 + 3.1 + 0.9 + 3.6

Georgia - 7.9 + 7.9 + 3.0 + 0.9 + 4.0

Appalachian Georgia - 8.7 + 8.7 + 3.8 + 1.1 + 3.8

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 7.6 + 7.6 + 2.7 + 0.8 + 4.1

Kentucky - 8.8 + 8.8 + 4.7 + 1.1 + 3.1

Appalachian Kentucky - 9.9 + 9.9 + 7.4 + 0.9 + 1.7

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 8.3 + 8.3 + 3.5 + 1.2 + 3.6

Maryland - 6.4 + 6.4 + 0.8 + 0.7 + 5.0

Appalachian Maryland - 8.8 + 8.8 + 6.2 + 1.0 + 1.7

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 6.3 + 6.3 + 0.5 + 0.6 + 5.1

Mississippi - 8.3 + 8.3 + 4.0 + 0.9 + 3.3

Appalachian Mississippi - 9.7 + 9.7 + 5.0 + 1.6 + 3.1

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 7.8 + 7.8 + 3.7 + 0.7 + 3.4

New York - 4.6 + 4.6 - 0.6 + 1.1 + 4.0

Appalachian New York - 5.5 + 5.5 + 0.1 + 1.7 + 3.5

Non-Appalachian New York - 4.5 + 4.5 - 0.7 + 1.1 + 4.1

North Carolina - 8.0 + 8.0 + 3.0 + 1.4 + 3.6

Appalachian North Carolina - 7.7 + 7.7 + 1.9 + 1.4 + 4.2

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 8.1 + 8.1 + 3.3 + 1.4 + 3.4

Ohio - 6.4 + 6.4 + 1.7 + 1.1 + 3.5

Appalachian Ohio - 6.9 + 6.9 + 3.1 + 1.1 + 2.7

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 6.2 + 6.2 + 1.5 + 1.2 + 3.7

Pennsylvania - 7.0 + 7.0 + 2.5 + 1.1 + 3.4

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 6.9 + 6.9 + 2.5 + 1.2 + 3.2

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 7.2 + 7.2 + 2.5 + 1.1 + 3.7

South Carolina - 8.0 + 8.0 + 3.0 + 1.2 + 3.8

Appalachian South Carolina - 8.2 + 8.2 + 3.1 + 1.3 + 3.7

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 7.9 + 7.9 + 3.0 + 1.1 + 3.7

Tennessee - 8.5 + 8.5 + 4.2 + 0.9 + 3.4

Appalachian Tennessee - 8.5 + 8.5 + 4.8 + 1.1 + 2.7

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 8.6 + 8.6 + 3.7 + 0.7 + 4.2

Virginia - 6.6 + 6.6 + 1.3 + 1.1 + 4.2

Appalachian Virginia - 8.8 + 8.8 + 4.9 + 1.7 + 2.1

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 6.1 + 6.1 + 0.8 + 0.9 + 4.5

West Virginia (entire state) - 7.8 + 7.8 + 5.1 + 0.8 + 2.0

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
47

Figure 5.7: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region 

With a High School Diploma or More, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Since the 2005-2009 period, the share of Appalachian adults who have completed high school or more has increased 

nearly three percentage points. This rise, which is a full percentage point above the national average, has continued a 

longstanding trend in the Region. And that increase has been even greater in some places: The share of adults with 

at least a high school diploma rose by more than four percentage points in the Appalachian counties of Kentucky and 

Virginia. In 115 Appalachian counties—mostly in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia—the share of 

adults with a high school diploma or more rose by at least five percentage points (three times the national average) 

between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014. In most of these counties, however, less than 80 percent of adult residents have 

completed high school. 
48

Figure 5.8: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region 

With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Although the percentage of Appalachian adults with at least a bachelor’s degree is considerably lower than the 

national average, that share has been increasing. Both in Appalachia and nationwide, it was nearly two percentage 

points higher in 2010-2014 than it was in 2005-2009, suggesting a continued trend toward greater educational 

attainment among cohorts entering this age group. And in 156 of the Region’s 420 counties (distributed throughout 

the Region), the increased share matched or exceeded the national average. Conversely, the share of adults with at 

least a four-year degree either remained the same or decreased in 84 counties. Although spread throughout the 

Region, two-thirds of the counties in the latter group were outside metropolitan areas. 
49

Table 5.7: Bachelor’s Degree Field (First Major) for Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a 

Bachelor’s Degree or More, 2010-2014

Bachelor's Degree Field (First Major) 

Total 

Population Ages 

25 and Over 

With a 

Bachelor's 

Degree or More,

2010-2014 

Percent of Population Ages 25 and Over With a Bachelor's Degree or More 

Science and 

Engineering 

Science- and 

EngineeringRelated 

Fields 

Business Education

Arts, 

Humanities, 

and Other

United States 61,206,147 34.6 9.1 20.4 13.4 22.5

Appalachian Region 3,837,499 30.5 10.5 20.3 18.7 20.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 1,346,760 31.5 11.1 18.0 19.2 20.3

North Central Appalachia 314,529 28.1 12.2 18.8 21.6 19.4

Central Appalachia 171,388 26.3 11.3 16.0 27.6 18.7

South Central Appalachia 750,273 31.6 10.3 19.1 17.1 22.0

Southern Appalachia 1,254,549 29.9 9.5 24.3 17.1 19.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 1,175,326 31.6 10.0 23.6 14.9 19.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 1,716,820 31.9 10.5 19.6 17.6 20.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 246,433 26.1 11.1 17.7 25.3 19.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 434,004 27.4 11.4 17.5 24.3 19.4

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 264,916 25.3 10.8 17.0 27.3 19.7

Alabama 741,813 29.1 10.1 23.5 18.2 19.2

Appalachian Alabama 489,573 29.8 10.0 23.9 17.2 19.1

Non-Appalachian Alabama 252,240 27.8 10.3 22.7 20.0 19.3

Georgia 1,814,893 31.8 8.7 24.6 14.0 20.8

Appalachian Georgia 496,706 30.3 9.2 26.0 15.9 18.7

Non-Appalachian Georgia 1,318,187 32.4 8.5 24.1 13.3 21.7

Kentucky 640,032 29.4 11.0 19.9 17.8 22.0

Appalachian Kentucky 110,031 24.6 11.9 15.0 28.2 20.3

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 530,001 30.4 10.8 20.9 15.6 22.3

Maryland 1,481,778 41.1 8.3 18.0 10.5 22.1

Appalachian Maryland 33,101 33.2 8.8 17.4 19.1 21.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland 1,448,677 41.2 8.3 18.1 10.3 22.1

Mississippi 393,764 24.9 11.4 22.0 22.8 18.9

Appalachian Mississippi 69,655 22.4 10.3 21.0 27.9 18.5

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 324,109 25.4 11.6 22.2 21.7 19.0

New York 4,489,413 34.1 8.6 18.9 12.0 26.5

Appalachian New York 172,433 36.2 9.5 12.5 19.2 22.6

Non-Appalachian New York 4,316,980 34.0 8.5 19.1 11.7 26.6

North Carolina 1,805,259 33.8 9.0 20.4 14.0 22.8

Appalachian North Carolina 292,431 31.0 10.5 17.6 16.3 24.6

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 1,512,828 34.4 8.8 21.0 13.5 22.4

Ohio 1,993,863 30.7 10.3 21.5 17.1 20.4

Appalachian Ohio 228,722 25.3 12.7 18.8 24.1 19.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio 1,765,141 31.4 10.0 21.9 16.2 20.5

Pennsylvania 2,462,801 33.3 10.0 19.6 15.8 21.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania 996,753 31.6 11.1 18.8 18.4 20.2

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 1,466,048 34.5 9.3 20.2 14.1 21.8

South Carolina 801,638 31.8 8.7 22.5 16.1 20.9

Appalachian South Carolina 198,615 31.8 8.8 22.4 16.4 20.7

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 603,023 31.8 8.7 22.6 16.0 21.0

Tennessee 1,057,517 29.9 9.8 22.7 16.0 21.5

Appalachian Tennessee 408,257 31.0 10.4 20.7 18.3 19.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 649,260 29.2 9.4 24.0 14.6 22.8

Virginia 1,967,572 40.3 7.3 19.0 10.3 23.2

Appalachian Virginia 97,756 35.5 9.1 16.5 17.8 21.1

Non-Appalachian Virginia 1,869,816 40.5 7.2 19.1 9.9 23.3

West Virginia (entire state) 243,466 28.2 12.2 19.2 21.6 18.9

Note: Examples of "Science- and Engineering-Related Fields" include nursing, architecture, and mathematics teacher education.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
50

Figure 5.9: Among Persons Ages 25 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Bachelor’s Degree or More, 

Percent Whose Bachelor’s Degree Field (First Major) Was Science and Engineering, 2010-2014

Among the 3.8 million adults in the Appalachian Region with a bachelor’s degree or more, 31 percent held a degree in 

the science and engineering field—slightly lower than the national share of 35 percent. But there was much variation 

within the Region. In 37 Appalachian counties, for example, the share of BA/BS holders with science and engineering 

degrees matched or exceeded the national average. Yet in another 66 counties in the Region, less than one-fifth of 

adult college graduates had a science and engineering degree. Science and engineering jobs are becoming 

increasingly important in keeping the United States competitive in the global economy. The field of science and 

engineering includes the following detailed fields and majors: computers, mathematics, and statistics; biological, 

agricultural, and environmental sciences; physical and related science; psychology; social sciences; and engineering.
51

TRENDS IN EDUCATION

• Since the 2005-2009 period, the share of adults in Appalachia with at least a high school diploma has 

risen nearly three percentage points, to 85 percent in 2010-2014 (see Tables 5.1 and 5.4). The 

increase is a full percentage point greater than the national average, placing the Region’s high school 

completion prevalence almost equal to that of the country. Most of this increase is due to the rising 

share of adults attaining a bachelor’s degree or more.

• Within the Region, the high school completion prevalence increased the most in Central Appalachia 

(an improvement of more than four percentage points) and in Appalachia’s most rural counties (an 

increase of almost four points). With these improvements, the share of adults completing high school 

in these areas has surpassed 75 percent as of 2010-2014. The Appalachian sections of Kentucky 

and Virginia had the largest increases among the states.

• The share of adults in the Region with at least a bachelor’s degree also has increased since 2005-

2009—in this case, by nearly two percentage points to 22 percent. The increase has been greatest in 

Northern and South Central Appalachia, in metropolitan areas, and in the Appalachian portions of 

North Carolina and Pennsylvania. In Central Appalachia, the Region’s most rural counties, and in 

Appalachian Kentucky, the improvement has been smaller.

• The pattern of improvement among working-age adults ages 25 to 64 has been similar to that of all 

adults, except that the overall improvement was about 1.5 percentage points for both high school and 

college completion (see Table 5.5). Central Appalachia, Appalachian Kentucky and Virginia, and the 

Region’s most rural counties still had the greatest improvement in the share with at least a high 

school diploma. With the exception of Appalachian Virginia, these geographic areas showed the 

smallest gains in the share with a bachelor’s degree.

• The greatest improvement since 2005-2009 has been among adults ages 65 and over. The share of 

older adults in Appalachia with at least a high school diploma has risen nearly eight percentage 

points; the share with at least a bachelor’s degree has increased three points (see Table 5.6). 

Possible factors fueling this increase include both the influx of younger, more educated cohorts into 

the older ages, and the arrival of well-educated older adults moving into the Region upon retirement. 

Within Appalachia’s subregions, county types, and states, the patterns of improvement that were 

present among working-age adults generally held among older adults as well. (In Central Appalachia, 

for example, the share of older adults with at least a high school diploma rose 10 percentage points, 

while the share with a bachelor’s degree or more increased less than two points.)
52

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, 2010-2014

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 165,245,617 128,142,180 77.5 92.3 7.7

Appalachian Region 13,273,124 9,678,436 72.9 92.4 7.6

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 4,354,045 3,291,683 75.6 93.3 6.7

North Central Appalachia 1,279,958 886,661 69.3 92.5 7.5

Central Appalachia 1,017,699 608,154 59.8 91.0 9.0

South Central Appalachia 2,463,574 1,804,429 73.2 92.1 7.9

Southern Appalachia 4,157,848 3,087,509 74.3 91.8 8.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 3,185,622 2,472,976 77.6 92.8 7.2

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 5,571,467 4,122,854 74.0 92.5 7.5

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,136,646 806,986 71.0 91.7 8.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 2,067,015 1,427,014 69.0 92.1 7.9

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,312,374 848,606 64.7 91.5 8.5

Alabama 2,507,599 1,802,304 71.9 91.7 8.3

Appalachian Alabama 1,627,053 1,174,647 72.2 92.0 8.0

Non-Appalachian Alabama 880,546 627,657 71.3 91.2 8.8

Georgia 5,241,944 3,969,363 75.7 91.1 8.9

Appalachian Georgia 1,597,164 1,228,692 76.9 91.7 8.3

Non-Appalachian Georgia 3,644,780 2,740,671 75.2 90.9 9.1

Kentucky 2,316,304 1,654,964 71.4 92.2 7.8

Appalachian Kentucky 626,882 376,564 60.1 90.6 9.4

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 1,689,422 1,278,400 75.7 92.7 7.3

Maryland 3,191,303 2,625,562 82.3 93.4 6.6

Appalachian Maryland 133,734 97,801 73.1 92.3 7.7

Non-Appalachian Maryland 3,057,569 2,527,761 82.7 93.4 6.6

Mississippi 1,520,294 1,088,207 71.6 91.5 8.5

Appalachian Mississippi 314,398 221,380 70.4 91.2 8.8

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,205,896 866,827 71.9 91.5 8.5

New York 10,561,077 8,263,850 78.2 92.5 7.5

Appalachian New York 530,496 401,699 75.7 93.3 6.7

Non-Appalachian New York 10,030,581 7,862,151 78.4 92.5 7.5

North Carolina 5,098,459 3,906,779 76.6 91.2 8.8

Appalachian North Carolina 885,111 653,564 73.8 91.5 8.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 4,213,348 3,253,215 77.2 91.2 8.8

Ohio 6,069,420 4,699,414 77.4 92.4 7.6

Appalachian Ohio 1,057,745 757,919 71.7 91.9 8.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio 5,011,675 3,941,495 78.6 92.5 7.5

Pennsylvania 6,718,332 5,248,706 78.1 92.9 7.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,032,546 2,310,323 76.2 93.5 6.5

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 3,685,786 2,938,383 79.7 92.5 7.5

South Carolina 2,451,548 1,830,897 74.7 91.2 8.8

Appalachian South Carolina 619,233 462,790 74.7 91.8 8.2

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 1,832,315 1,368,107 74.7 90.9 9.1

Tennessee 3,405,136 2,531,531 74.3 92.2 7.8

Appalachian Tennessee 1,471,110 1,056,895 71.8 92.1 7.9

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 1,934,026 1,474,636 76.2 92.2 7.8

Virginia 4,368,319 3,467,717 79.4 94.5 5.5

Appalachian Virginia 391,587 268,207 68.5 93.2 6.8

Non-Appalachian Virginia 3,976,732 3,199,510 80.5 94.6 5.4

West Virginia (entire state) 986,065 667,955 67.7 93.1 6.9

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
53

Figure 6.1: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are In the Labor Force, 2010-2014

In the 2010-2014 period, 73 percent of Appalachia’s civilian population in the prime working ages (ages 25 to 64) were in 

the civilian labor force, slightly below the U.S. average of nearly 78 percent. In 36 Appalachian counties (27 of which 

were in metropolitan areas), the share was at or above the national average, yet there were 58 counties where less than 

60 percent of 25-to-64-year-olds were in the civilian labor force. Nearly all the counties in the latter group were outside of 

metropolitan areas, and 42 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 nearly all of the counties where

labor force participation levels were at or above the national rate, the share of working-age adults with at least a high 

school diploma also matched or exceeded the U.S. average. 
54

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

2010-2014

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

the national rate during the 2010-2014 period. Although there were only slight differences among subregions and 

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

employment rate matched or exceeded the national average, with 25 counties having employment rates of 95 percent

or greater. (Two states, Pennsylvania and Virginia, accounted for 15 of those 25 counties.) Yet in 85 counties in the 

Region (most of which were in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia), employment among 25-to-64-yearolds was less than 90 percent, which suggests that they may have not fully recovered economically from the recent 

recession. Four-fifths of the counties in the latter group were outside metropolitan areas.
55

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

Region, 2010-2014

Unemployment in the Appalachian Region among persons ages 25 to 64 was just below the national average of 7.7

percent during the 2010-2014 period. Within Appalachia, the jobless rate was at least 10 percent in 89 counties—71 of 

which were outside metropolitan areas and 75 of which were in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia. 

Conversely, unemployment was less than 5 percent in 22 other counties, with most of these located in Pennsylvania and 

Virginia. There are indications of a connection between unemployment and educational attainment: In 84 of the 89 

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 35 of these counties, the share was less than four-fifths.
56

Table 6.2: Percentage Point Change in Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Status of Persons Ages 

25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Labor Force, Employment, and

Unemployment 

Percentage Point Change

Labor Force 

Participation Rate 

Employment Rate 

(Pct. of Civ. Labor 

Force) 

Unemployment Rate 

(Pct. of Civ. Labor 

Force)

United States - 0.3 - 2.0 + 2.0

Appalachian Region - 0.9 - 1.7 + 1.7

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 0.4 - 1.2 + 1.2

North Central Appalachia - 1.1 - 1.7 + 1.7

Central Appalachia - 1.5 - 2.1 + 2.1

South Central Appalachia - 1.2 - 1.9 + 1.9

Southern Appalachia - 1.1 - 2.2 + 2.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 0.3 - 1.7 + 1.7

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 0.7 - 1.8 + 1.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 1.4 - 1.7 + 1.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 1.8 - 1.7 + 1.7

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 1.5 - 2.0 + 2.0

Alabama - 1.1 - 2.4 + 2.4

Appalachian Alabama - 1.2 - 2.2 + 2.2

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 1.1 - 2.8 + 2.8

Georgia - 1.3 - 2.7 + 2.7

Appalachian Georgia - 1.3 - 2.5 + 2.5

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 1.3 - 2.7 + 2.7

Kentucky - 0.7 - 1.8 + 1.8

Appalachian Kentucky - 1.4 - 2.1 + 2.1

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 0.6 - 1.7 + 1.7

Maryland + 0.6 - 2.1 + 2.1

Appalachian Maryland - 1.3 - 2.5 + 2.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland + 0.6 - 2.1 + 2.1

Mississippi - 0.9 - 1.8 + 1.8

Appalachian Mississippi - 1.9 - 1.4 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 0.7 - 2.0 + 2.0

New York + 0.7 - 1.9 + 1.9

Appalachian New York - 1.3 - 1.4 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian New York + 0.9 - 1.9 + 1.9

North Carolina - 0.7 - 2.7 + 2.7

Appalachian North Carolina - 1.9 - 2.6 + 2.6

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 0.5 - 2.6 + 2.6

Ohio - 0.6 - 1.2 + 1.2

Appalachian Ohio - 0.9 - 1.0 + 1.0

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 0.6 - 1.2 + 1.2

Pennsylvania + 0.1 - 1.8 + 1.8

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 0.1 - 1.3 + 1.3

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania + 0.2 - 2.1 + 2.1

South Carolina - 0.6 - 2.0 + 2.0

Appalachian South Carolina - 0.4 - 1.4 + 1.4

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 0.6 - 2.3 + 2.3

Tennessee - 1.0 - 1.4 + 1.4

Appalachian Tennessee - 0.8 - 1.6 + 1.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 1.1 - 1.3 + 1.3

Virginia + 0.2 - 1.5 + 1.5

Appalachian Virginia - 1.4 - 1.6 + 1.6

Non-Appalachian Virginia + 0.3 - 1.5 + 1.5

West Virginia (entire state) - 1.0 - 1.7 + 1.7

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
57

Figure 6.4: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who 

Are In the Labor Force, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, the labor force participation rate among civilians ages 25 to 64 fell by nearly a full 

percentage point in the Appalachian Region, compared with 0.3 points for the nation as a whole. The decline was 

present in most of the Region—two in three Appalachian counties in the Region had labor force rate decreases greater 

than or equal to the U.S. average. And in 45 counties (mostly in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia), the 

labor force participation rate among working age adults was at least five percentage points lower than in 2005-2009. But 

participation rates did increase in some parts of Appalachia; in fact, there were 45 counties in the Region where the 

share of adults in the labor force rose by at least two percentage points. One-third of the counties in this group were in 

Central Appalachia. 
58

Figure 6.5: Percentage Point Change in the Unemployment Rate for Civilian Labor Force Participants Ages 25 

to 64 in the Appalachian Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Unemployment among civilian labor force participants rose by about two percentage points between 2005-2009 and 

2010-2014, both in Appalachia and nationwide. Indeed, the unemployment rate rose by at least two points in nearly half 

of the Region’s 420 counties, and by at least five points in 30 of them. (Most of these counties were in Central, South 

Central, and Southern Appalachia.) Given that the 2005-2009 period includes years prior to the “Great Recession” of 

2007-2009, and that the 2010-2014 period covers the recession’s immediate aftermath, this suggests that employment 

has not yet fully recovered from the economic downturn. There were some pockets of recovery, however: In 58 

Appalachian counties, the unemployment rate in 2010-2014 was either the same or lower than it was in 2005-2009. 
59

TRENDS IN LABOR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT, AND UNEMPLOYMENT

• Among working-age adults (ages 25 to 64), Appalachia’s labor force participation rate in 2010-2014 

was nearly 73 percent, almost a full percentage point lower than its rate in 2005-2009 (see Tables 6.1 

and 6.2). The decline was even greater in Central Appalachia and nonmetropolitan counties; in those 

areas, labor force participation rates fell between 1.4 and 1.8 points.

• Within the civilian labor force, the employment rate in Appalachia was slightly more than 92 percent, 

which was nearly two percentage points off the 2005-2009 employment rate. Among the subregions 

and county types, the size of the decline was similar in almost every case—between 1.7 and 2.2 

percentage points. The exception was in Northern Appalachia, where the employment rate fell just 

1.2 points to a little more than 93 percent.

• As Appalachia’s employment rate fell between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, its unemployment rate 

rose. The Region’s unemployment rate of 7.6 percent in the later period is nearly two percentage 

points above its rate from the earlier period.

• The lower labor force and employment rates in 2010-2014 for both Appalachia and the United States 

(and thus the higher unemployment rates) suggest that labor force and employment levels may have 

not yet rebounded from the economic downturn of 2007-2009.
60

CHAPTER 7: INCOME AND POVERTY 

Table 7.1: Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014

Income 

Household Income, 2010-2014

(2014 Dollars)

Family Income, 2010-2014

(2014 Dollars)

Per Capita 

Income,

2010-2014

(2014 Dollars) 

Mean HH 

Income 

Median HH 

Income 

Mean Family 

Income 

Median Family 

Income 

United States 74,596 53,482 86,963 65,443 28,555

Appalachian Region 59,899 44,351 70,988 55,989 24,026

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 62,254 47,254 74,960 60,290 25,672

North Central Appalachia 57,032 42,743 67,850 54,501 23,121

Central Appalachia 47,152 33,956 55,645 43,473 18,995

South Central Appalachia 57,114 41,507 68,206 52,845 23,595

Southern Appalachia 63,210 46,713 73,321 57,091 24,039

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 71,262 53,699 83,891 66,481 27,901

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 60,707 44,995 72,615 57,385 24,549

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 53,347 40,878 62,782 51,061 21,272

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 52,208 39,663 61,340 49,671 21,239

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 48,435 35,475 57,225 45,114 19,559

Alabama 60,205 43,511 71,423 54,724 23,936

Appalachian Alabama 61,984 44,622 73,308 56,315 24,654

Non-Appalachian Alabama 57,007 41,685 67,939 52,821 22,658

Georgia 68,317 49,342 78,856 59,068 25,427

Appalachian Georgia 68,664 52,763 77,110 60,930 24,375

Non-Appalachian Georgia 68,174 47,881 79,671 58,327 25,885

Kentucky 59,312 43,342 70,337 54,928 23,741

Appalachian Kentucky 46,554 33,251 55,010 42,718 18,629

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 63,997 47,568 76,225 60,528 25,629

Maryland 97,135 74,149 112,955 89,416 36,670

Appalachian Maryland 64,858 49,772 76,472 62,629 25,297

Non-Appalachian Maryland 98,641 75,664 114,625 91,636 37,180

Mississippi 54,881 39,464 64,194 49,125 20,956

Appalachian Mississippi 49,604 36,156 58,327 45,265 19,437

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 56,342 40,496 65,821 50,294 21,361

New York 85,736 58,687 99,640 71,419 32,829

Appalachian New York 60,755 46,911 73,171 59,814 24,618

Non-Appalachian New York 87,273 59,777 101,209 72,546 33,299

North Carolina 64,555 46,693 75,892 57,328 25,608

Appalachian North Carolina 56,357 41,257 67,071 52,103 23,436

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 66,405 48,095 77,837 58,876 26,070

Ohio 65,491 48,849 78,539 62,104 26,520

Appalachian Ohio 55,654 42,900 65,616 54,249 22,338

Non-Appalachian Ohio 67,550 50,297 81,375 64,455 27,411

Pennsylvania 72,210 53,115 86,912 67,521 28,912

Appalachian Pennsylvania 64,056 48,445 77,467 62,082 26,557

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 79,449 58,371 95,122 73,601 30,863

South Carolina 61,196 45,033 71,602 55,506 24,222

Appalachian South Carolina 61,125 44,734 71,877 56,288 24,028

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 61,220 45,144 71,507 55,730 24,288

Tennessee 62,344 44,621 73,630 55,459 24,811

Appalachian Tennessee 56,964 40,985 67,712 52,070 23,346

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 66,782 48,142 78,519 59,212 25,944

Virginia 88,413 64,792 102,254 77,939 33,958

Appalachian Virginia 53,263 39,223 64,338 51,132 22,083

Non-Appalachian Virginia 92,361 68,927 106,375 82,490 35,183

West Virginia (entire state) 55,976 41,576 67,024 52,875 23,237

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
61

Figure 7.1: Mean Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014

In the 2010-2014 period (the first five-year period after the end of the economic recession of 2007-2009), the mean 

income of Appalachian households was $59,899, just 80 percent of the U.S. average ($74,596). In just 10 of the 

Region’s counties (all of which were in metropolitan areas), average household income matched or exceeded that of 

the nation as a whole. And in only 63 other counties (50 of which were in metros), mean household income matched 

or surpassed the Appalachian average. In contrast, mean household income was less than $45,000 in 75 counties—

67 of which were outside metro areas, and 43 of which were in Central Appalachia. 
62

Figure 7.2: Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014

At $44,351, median household income in Appalachia (the level at which half the households have higher incomes and 

the other half have lower incomes) was 83 percent that of the United States ($53,482) during the 2010-2014 period. 

There were 21 counties in the Region (all of which were in metropolitan areas) that had household incomes at or 

above the national median, while another 74 had incomes at or above the regional median. On the other hand, 115 

counties in the Region had median household incomes below $35,000—101 of which were outside metro areas and 

57 of which were in Central Appalachia. This distribution is not surprising: median household income was $35,475 for 

the most rural counties and $33,956 for Central Appalachia. It is useful to note that the income levels displayed here 

reflect income received in the years following the end of the 2007-2009 economic downturn.
63

Figure 7.3: Mean Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014

In just 14 Appalachian counties (all in metropolitan areas), the average income of families matched or surpassed the 

U.S. mean of $86,963 for the 2010-2014 period. And there were only an additional 54 counties (43 of which were part of 

metro areas) where mean family income was equal to or greater than the average for the Appalachian Region ($70,988).

In contrast, mean family income was less than $55,000 in 112 Appalachian counties. All but 14 of these counties were 

outside metropolitan areas, while nearly half were in Central Appalachia. Overall, mean family income over the 2010-

2014 period was between $57,225 and $62,782 for each of the three nonmetro county types, and just $55,645 for 

Central Appalachia.
64

Figure 7.4: Median Family Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014

In 24 Appalachian counties—all of which were in metro areas—median family income (the level where half of all 

families have higher incomes while the other half have lower incomes) matched or exceeded the U.S. median of 

$65,443 during the 2010-2014 period. In another 70 counties (43 of which were in metros), median income was at or 

above the median for families in the Appalachian Region ($55,989). In contrast, median family income was less than 

$45,000 in 122 counties. Of the counties in this latter group, half were rural counties not adjacent to a metro area 

(median family income in those counties as a whole was $45,114), and nearly half were in Central Appalachia (where 

median family income was $43,473). It is important to note that the 2010-2014 period covers a period of relatively 

slow economic recovery following the recession of 2007-2009.
65

Figure 7.5: Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 Dollars), 2010-2014

At $24,026, per capita income in the Appalachian Region was 84 percent that of the U.S. average of $28,555 during 

the 2010-2014 period. And there was considerable variation within the Region. Per capita income was the same or 

higher than the national average in 14 Appalachian counties, including Pittsburgh, suburban Atlanta, and Clermont 

County, Ohio (which is part of metropolitan Cincinnati). In 64 other counties per capita income was at or above the 

regional average; while nearly half of these were in Northern Appalachia, there were pockets in the South Central and 

Southern subregions. Yet in 157 Appalachian counties, per capita income was less than $20,000. As with other 

income measures, most of the counties with the highest per capita incomes were in metro areas, while the ones with 

the lowest were disproportionately in rural areas, particularly in Central Appalachia. Indeed, per capita income in 

2010-2014 (the period immediately following the Great Recession) was only $19,559 in rural Appalachian counties as 

a whole, and just $18,995 in Central Appalachia.
66

Table 7.2: Change in Household, Family, and Per Capita Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 

Dollars), 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Income 

Percent Change in Household 

Income (In 2014 Dollars)

Percent Change in Family Income 

(in 2014 Dollars)

Percent 

Change in Per 

Capita Income 

(In 2014 

Dollars) 

Mean HH 

Income 

Median HH 

Income 

Mean Family 

Income 

Median Family 

Income 

United States - 3.6 - 5.7 - 3.3 - 4.9 - 4.3

Appalachian Region - 2.2 - 4.0 - 2.0 - 3.3 - 2.7

Subregions

Northern Appalachia + 0.2 - 1.0 + 0.8 - 0.4 + 0.7

North Central Appalachia + 0.3 - 1.0 + 1.0 + 0.3 - 0.5

Central Appalachia - 0.2 - 1.7 + 0.2 - 1.1 - 1.2

South Central Appalachia - 4.2 - 6.4 - 3.7 - 5.6 - 4.4

Southern Appalachia - 5.0 - 6.7 - 5.2 - 6.8 - 6.4

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 3.0 - 4.3 - 3.1 - 4.2 - 4.1

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 2.4 - 4.3 - 2.0 - 3.6 - 3.2

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 2.3 - 4.2 - 1.7 - 3.1 - 2.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 1.0 - 2.8 - 1.0 - 2.5 + 0.5

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 1.5 - 2.1 - 1.5 - 2.3 - 2.2

Alabama - 3.4 - 4.3 - 3.5 - 4.6 - 4.6

Appalachian Alabama - 3.7 - 5.5 - 4.2 - 5.7 - 4.9

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 2.7 - 2.0 - 2.1 - 1.2 - 4.0

Georgia - 7.5 - 9.6 - 7.2 - 9.0 - 8.2

Appalachian Georgia - 7.5 - 9.6 - 7.2 - 9.3 - 9.2

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 7.4 - 9.6 - 7.1 - 8.9 - 7.7

Kentucky - 2.4 - 4.7 - 1.9 - 3.0 - 3.4

Appalachian Kentucky - 1.7 - 2.1 - 1.3 - 1.2 - 1.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 2.8 - 4.8 - 2.2 - 3.1 - 4.3

Maryland - 2.0 - 3.3 - 2.3 - 3.3 - 2.9

Appalachian Maryland - 3.8 - 2.0 - 5.2 - 2.7 - 6.6

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 2.0 - 3.3 - 2.3 - 3.2 - 2.8

Mississippi - 2.5 - 2.8 - 2.1 - 2.6 - 2.8

Appalachian Mississippi - 0.3 + 0.0 - 1.3 - 2.4 - 1.0

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 3.0 - 3.8 - 2.4 - 2.7 - 3.2

New York - 2.7 - 3.7 - 2.4 - 3.5 - 2.9

Appalachian New York - 1.0 - 2.3 + 0.0 - 0.9 - 1.4

Non-Appalachian New York - 2.8 - 4.2 - 2.6 - 3.7 - 2.9

North Carolina - 4.4 - 6.1 - 4.3 - 6.4 - 5.5

Appalachian North Carolina - 6.8 - 7.9 - 6.7 - 8.2 - 7.0

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 3.9 - 5.7 - 3.9 - 6.0 - 5.2

Ohio - 3.5 - 6.1 - 2.9 - 4.9 - 3.2

Appalachian Ohio - 2.9 - 4.3 - 2.2 - 2.3 - 2.6

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 3.6 - 6.5 - 3.0 - 5.0 - 3.3

Pennsylvania - 1.3 - 3.2 - 0.8 - 2.1 - 1.8

Appalachian Pennsylvania + 1.2 + 0.2 + 1.8 + 0.7 + 2.0

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 3.3 - 5.8 - 3.0 - 5.0 - 3.7

South Carolina - 5.0 - 6.3 - 5.1 - 6.3 - 5.4

Appalachian South Carolina - 4.4 - 7.1 - 4.8 - 6.5 - 5.8

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 5.2 - 6.2 - 5.2 - 5.7 - 5.2

Tennessee - 3.5 - 5.8 - 3.2 - 5.0 - 4.5

Appalachian Tennessee - 3.0 - 5.8 - 2.7 - 4.5 - 3.4

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 3.8 - 5.0 - 3.6 - 4.9 - 5.4

Virginia - 0.9 - 2.6 - 1.2 - 2.2 - 2.6

Appalachian Virginia + 1.5 - 3.1 + 2.8 - 0.7 + 0.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 1.3 - 2.6 - 1.7 - 2.1 - 3.0

West Virginia (entire state) + 2.0 + 0.9 + 3.0 + 0.7 + 0.8

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
67

Figure 7.6: Percent Change in Median Household Income in the Appalachian Region (In Adjusted 2014 

Dollars), 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Adjusting for inflation, the median income for Appalachian households (the level where half of all households have higher 

incomes while the other half have lower incomes) was 4 percent lower in 2010-2014 than it was in 2005-2009, 

suggesting that incomes have not yet fully recovered from the recent economic downturn. While the decline was not 

as steep in Appalachia as in the nation as a whole, that was not the case in much of the Region: In 148 counties, real 

median household income fell at or above the national rate; the decline was at least 10 percent in 56 counties. Most of

the counties with the sharpest declines were in South Central or Southern Appalachia. On a brighter note, however, 

there were 131 Appalachian counties where median household income actually rose between 2005-2009 and 2010-

2014; these counties were distributed throughout the Region.
68

Table 7.3: Number of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, by Age Group, 2010-2014

Poverty Status All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages 18-64

Ages 65

Total and Over Ages

18-24

Ages

25-64

United States 47,755,606 15,907,395 27,921,992 7,174,432 20,747,560 3,926,219

Appalachian Region 4,225,983 1,335,435 2,514,968 618,044 1,896,924 375,580

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 1,168,944 356,755 700,049 191,848 508,201 112,140

North Central Appalachia 423,006 124,446 262,868 66,793 196,075 35,692

Central Appalachia 445,076 133,315 268,100 48,743 219,357 43,661

South Central Appalachia 851,150 254,920 517,929 136,898 381,031 78,301

Southern Appalachia 1,337,807 465,999 766,022 173,762 592,260 105,786

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 793,805 263,789 461,882 104,075 357,807 68,134

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 1,749,516 546,007 1,059,480 290,417 769,063 144,029

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 412,441 132,101 244,285 60,718 183,567 36,055

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 714,169 224,828 415,659 86,733 328,926 73,682

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 556,052 168,710 333,662 76,101 257,561 53,680

Alabama 889,710 303,301 512,895 127,624 385,271 73,514

Appalachian Alabama 532,498 181,798 305,935 70,750 235,185 44,765

Non-Appalachian Alabama 357,212 121,503 206,960 56,874 150,086 28,749

Georgia 1,781,388 636,656 1,024,987 250,987 774,000 119,745

Appalachian Georgia 458,821 166,330 260,188 50,442 209,746 32,303

Non-Appalachian Georgia 1,322,567 470,326 764,799 200,545 564,254 87,442

Kentucky 803,866 259,146 477,028 111,272 365,756 67,692

Appalachian Kentucky 290,386 87,261 175,469 33,635 141,834 27,656

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 513,480 171,885 301,559 77,637 223,922 40,036

Maryland 573,383 174,964 342,424 83,743 258,681 55,995

Appalachian Maryland 33,147 10,693 19,240 4,965 14,275 3,214

Non-Appalachian Maryland 540,236 164,271 323,184 78,778 244,406 52,781

Mississippi 653,726 235,678 365,195 91,418 273,777 52,853

Appalachian Mississippi 143,326 48,759 82,500 23,250 59,250 12,067

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 510,400 186,919 282,695 68,168 214,527 40,786

New York 2,978,521 929,832 1,744,779 406,909 1,337,870 303,910

Appalachian New York 167,080 48,076 106,317 35,736 70,581 12,687

Non-Appalachian New York 2,811,441 881,756 1,638,462 371,173 1,267,289 291,223

North Carolina 1,669,147 562,504 977,114 248,781 728,333 129,529

Appalachian North Carolina 317,871 98,365 190,294 47,365 142,929 29,212

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 1,351,276 464,139 786,820 201,416 585,404 100,317

Ohio 1,790,564 606,061 1,053,158 270,928 782,230 131,345

Appalachian Ohio 348,696 116,000 204,191 45,345 158,846 28,505

Non-Appalachian Ohio 1,441,868 490,061 848,967 225,583 623,384 102,840

Pennsylvania 1,667,858 516,675 991,419 262,940 728,479 159,764

Appalachian Pennsylvania 760,581 224,722 457,016 128,282 328,734 78,843

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 907,277 291,953 534,403 134,658 399,745 80,921

South Carolina 840,141 286,242 486,039 121,429 364,610 67,860

Appalachian South Carolina 203,162 69,112 117,399 29,320 88,079 16,651

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 636,979 217,130 368,640 92,109 276,531 51,209

Tennessee 1,121,344 378,059 654,208 154,994 499,214 89,077

Appalachian Tennessee 506,428 155,349 304,309 70,444 233,865 46,770

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 614,916 222,710 349,899 84,550 265,349 42,307

Virginia 914,237 279,359 555,771 156,438 399,333 79,107

Appalachian Virginia 137,762 34,184 89,143 30,141 59,002 14,435

Non-Appalachian Virginia 776,475 245,175 466,628 126,297 340,331 64,672

West Virginia (entire state) 326,225 94,786 202,967 48,369 154,598 28,472

Note: Poverty status is determined by a series of income thresholds that are determined by family size and composition. In 2014, the poverty 

threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $24,008. 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, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
69

Table 7.4: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, by Age Group, 2010-2014

Poverty Status All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages 18-64

Ages 65

Total and Over Ages

18-24

Ages

25-64

United States 15.6 21.9 14.6 25.5 12.7 9.4

Appalachian Region 17.2 24.4 16.5 28.8 14.5 9.6

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 14.6 21.4 14.1 27.6 11.9 8.0

North Central Appalachia 18.0 24.5 18.0 32.4 15.6 9.5

Central Appalachia 24.1 32.6 23.4 31.9 22.1 14.9

South Central Appalachia 18.4 26.0 18.2 33.7 15.6 9.8

Southern Appalachia 17.3 24.4 15.9 25.2 14.4 10.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 13.7 19.3 12.7 21.6 11.3 8.5

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 16.9 24.2 16.4 30.6 14.0 8.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 19.4 27.7 18.8 32.1 16.5 10.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 18.5 27.1 17.8 27.7 16.3 10.7

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 22.7 31.2 22.3 35.4 20.1 13.1

Alabama 18.9 27.5 17.6 29.2 15.5 10.8

Appalachian Alabama 17.7 26.0 16.3 26.2 14.6 10.3

Non-Appalachian Alabama 21.1 30.0 19.9 34.0 17.2 11.8

Georgia 18.5 25.9 16.9 27.9 15.0 10.8

Appalachian Georgia 15.5 21.2 14.2 19.8 13.2 9.5

Non-Appalachian Georgia 19.8 28.2 18.1 31.1 15.7 11.4

Kentucky 18.9 26.0 17.9 29.6 16.0 11.4

Appalachian Kentucky 25.4 33.7 24.7 34.5 23.1 16.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 16.5 23.3 15.5 27.9 13.4 9.6

Maryland 10.0 13.2 9.3 16.7 8.1 7.6

Appalachian Maryland 14.0 20.8 13.2 23.7 11.5 8.2

Non-Appalachian Maryland 9.8 12.9 9.1 16.4 8.0 7.5

Mississippi 22.6 32.2 20.7 33.4 18.4 13.6

Appalachian Mississippi 23.4 32.6 22.2 38.1 19.0 13.4

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 22.4 32.1 20.3 32.0 18.2 13.6

New York 15.6 22.1 14.3 23.2 12.8 11.4

Appalachian New York 16.7 22.8 17.0 35.6 13.5 7.7

Non-Appalachian New York 15.5 22.1 14.1 22.4 12.7 11.7

North Carolina 17.6 25.0 16.5 29.2 14.3 9.9

Appalachian North Carolina 19.1 27.8 18.7 34.0 16.3 9.9

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 17.3 24.4 16.0 28.3 13.9 9.9

Ohio 15.9 23.1 15.1 27.6 13.0 8.0

Appalachian Ohio 17.8 26.0 17.0 27.4 15.3 9.0

Non-Appalachian Ohio 15.5 22.4 14.7 27.7 12.6 7.8

Pennsylvania 13.5 19.2 12.9 24.8 11.0 8.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania 13.7 19.8 13.3 27.0 11.1 8.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 13.4 18.7 12.6 23.1 10.9 8.2

South Carolina 18.3 26.9 17.1 29.2 15.0 10.0

Appalachian South Carolina 17.5 25.2 16.3 28.0 14.3 9.8

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 18.6 27.5 17.3 29.5 15.2 10.1

Tennessee 17.8 25.8 16.6 27.7 14.8 10.0

Appalachian Tennessee 18.5 26.2 18.0 30.0 16.1 10.2

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 17.3 25.4 15.6 26.0 13.8 9.8

Virginia 11.5 15.2 11.0 22.4 9.1 7.6

Appalachian Virginia 18.8 23.7 19.5 41.5 15.4 10.9

Non-Appalachian Virginia 10.8 14.5 10.1 20.2 8.5 7.2

West Virginia (entire state) 18.1 25.4 18.1 31.6 15.9 9.4

Note: Poverty status is determined by a series of income thresholds that are determined by family size and composition. In 2014, the poverty 

threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $24,008. 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, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
70

Figure 7.7: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014

Over the 2010-2014 period, 17 percent of Appalachian residents lived below the poverty level (income below $24,008

for a family of two adults and two children in 2014)—almost two percentage points above the U.S. average. But there 

is a great deal of variation within the Region: In 175 counties, at least 20 percent of persons were poor, yet in another 

95 counties the poverty rate was lower than the national average. And there was a geographic and urban/rural 

pattern: Four-fifths of the counties with poverty rates at or above 20 percent were outside metropolitan areas, and

they were overwhelmingly in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia. In contrast, the counties where 

poverty stood below the U.S. rate were mostly in Northern Appalachia and in metropolitan areas. 
71

Figure 7.8: Percent of Persons Under Age 18 in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014

Child poverty in the Appalachian Region exceeded 24 percent in 2010-2014; that is more than two percentage points 

above the national rate. And the problem is even more acute in some parts of Appalachia. In 148 counties, at least 30 

percent of children under age 18 lived below the poverty level (income below $24,008 for a family of two adults and 

two children in 2014). These counties were primarily outside metropolitan areas, and many were in the most isolated 

rural areas. Central Appalachia was home to one-third of the counties with the highest rates, while nearly all of the 

rest were in South Central and Southern Appalachia. However, there were 93 counties (primarily in Northern 

Appalachia and in metropolitan areas) where child poverty rates were below the national average. Indeed, 17 of the 

19 Appalachian counties where child poverty was less than 15 percent were in metro areas. 
72

Figure 7.9: Percent of Persons Ages 18 to 64 in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014

Though at slightly lower levels, the poverty pattern among adults ages 18 to 64 in the Appalachian Region mirrored 

that for the overall population in the 2010-2014 period. Nearly 17 percent of Appalachian residents in this age group

were below poverty (income of less than $24,008 for a family of two adults and two children in 2014), and this rate

was two percentage points above the U.S. average. Within the Region, there were rural/urban and geographic 

patterns of poverty concentration. Of the 154 counties where at least one in five 18-to-64-year-olds was poor, 128 

were outside metropolitan areas, and 134 were in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia. Conversely, all 

but a handful of the counties with rates below the national average were either in metro areas or in Northern 

Appalachia. 
73

Figure 7.10: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2010-2014

The poverty rate for older residents of Appalachia was just under 10 percent in 2010-2014, only slightly above the 

national average. Yet the rate was actually lower than the national average in 151 counties, almost half of which were 

in Northern Appalachia alone. But as with other age groups, poverty was especially prevalent among the senior 

population in Central Appalachia, where roughly one in seven older residents was poor in 2010-2014. Moreover, this 

subregion had more than half of Appalachia’s 80 counties where the poverty rate among seniors was at least 15 

percent. (Determined by a series of income thresholds based on family size and composition, the poverty level for a 

family of two adults and two children was $24,008 in 2014.) 
74

Table 7.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, by Age 

Group, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Poverty Status 

Percentage Point Change in Share of Persons in Poverty

All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages 18-64

Ages 65

Total and Over Ages

18-24

Ages

25-64

United States + 2.1 + 3.3 + 2.4 + 3.0 + 2.3 - 0.4

Appalachian Region + 1.8 + 3.5 + 2.2 + 2.1 + 2.2 - 1.5

Subregions

Northern Appalachia + 1.3 + 2.7 + 1.5 + 1.3 + 1.5 - 1.0

North Central Appalachia + 0.9 + 1.4 + 1.5 + 0.6 + 1.7 - 1.3

Central Appalachia + 0.9 + 2.4 + 1.7 + 0.9 + 1.8 - 3.3

South Central Appalachia + 2.4 + 4.2 + 3.2 + 4.5 + 2.8 - 1.5

Southern Appalachia + 2.6 + 4.6 + 2.8 + 2.3 + 2.8 - 1.9

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) + 2.1 + 3.7 + 2.2 + 1.8 + 2.2 - 0.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) + 1.9 + 3.7 + 2.3 + 1.6 + 2.3 - 1.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros + 2.3 + 3.8 + 2.9 + 3.4 + 2.8 - 1.3

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros + 1.3 + 3.2 + 1.9 + 2.2 + 1.8 - 1.8

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) + 1.4 + 2.8 + 2.3 + 3.7 + 2.2 - 2.8

Alabama + 2.1 + 3.8 + 2.6 + 2.5 + 2.5 - 1.5

Appalachian Alabama + 2.3 + 4.7 + 2.3 + 1.5 + 2.4 - 1.3

Non-Appalachian Alabama + 1.8 + 2.3 + 2.9 + 4.2 + 2.7 - 1.7

Georgia + 3.5 + 5.6 + 3.7 + 3.9 + 3.7 - 1.7

Appalachian Georgia + 3.2 + 5.3 + 3.5 + 3.2 + 3.4 - 2.5

Non-Appalachian Georgia + 3.6 + 5.9 + 3.9 + 4.6 + 3.7 - 1.3

Kentucky + 1.5 + 2.4 + 1.9 + 1.9 + 2.0 - 1.8

Appalachian Kentucky + 0.9 + 2.0 + 1.8 + 2.0 + 1.7 - 3.6

Non-Appalachian Kentucky + 1.8 + 2.7 + 2.2 + 2.0 + 2.2 - 0.8

Maryland + 1.8 + 2.9 + 1.9 + 2.3 + 1.8 - 0.5

Appalachian Maryland + 2.6 + 6.0 + 2.6 + 3.7 + 2.6 - 1.6

Non-Appalachian Maryland + 1.8 + 2.8 + 1.8 + 2.3 + 1.8 - 0.5

Mississippi + 1.2 + 2.0 + 2.0 + 2.5 + 2.1 - 2.5

Appalachian Mississippi + 0.9 + 1.3 + 2.4 + 3.9 + 2.2 - 4.4

Non-Appalachian Mississippi + 1.3 + 2.2 + 1.9 + 2.0 + 2.0 - 2.0

New York + 1.8 + 2.5 + 2.1 + 2.9 + 1.9 - 0.4

Appalachian New York + 1.6 + 2.5 + 2.2 + 2.8 + 2.3 - 1.2

Non-Appalachian New York + 1.7 + 2.6 + 2.1 + 3.0 + 1.9 - 0.3

North Carolina + 2.5 + 4.2 + 2.9 + 3.5 + 2.7 - 1.2

Appalachian North Carolina + 3.8 + 6.3 + 4.6 + 8.0 + 3.9 - 1.2

Non-Appalachian North Carolina + 2.3 + 3.7 + 2.6 + 2.6 + 2.5 - 1.3

Ohio + 2.3 + 4.0 + 2.5 + 3.7 + 2.2 - 0.5

Appalachian Ohio + 1.8 + 3.3 + 2.1 + 1.4 + 2.2 - 0.7

Non-Appalachian Ohio + 2.4 + 4.0 + 2.6 + 4.3 + 2.3 - 0.5

Pennsylvania + 1.4 + 2.4 + 1.8 + 2.3 + 1.6 - 0.9

Appalachian Pennsylvania + 1.0 + 2.1 + 1.3 + 1.1 + 1.3 - 0.9

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania + 1.8 + 2.6 + 2.2 + 3.5 + 1.9 - 0.8

South Carolina + 2.5 + 4.5 + 3.1 + 4.6 + 2.7 - 1.9

Appalachian South Carolina + 2.7 + 4.9 + 2.7 + 2.6 + 2.6 - 0.6

Non-Appalachian South Carolina + 2.4 + 4.3 + 3.1 + 5.2 + 2.7 - 2.3

Tennessee + 1.7 + 3.2 + 2.2 + 1.7 + 2.2 - 2.3

Appalachian Tennessee + 1.8 + 3.5 + 2.4 + 2.1 + 2.5 - 2.0

Non-Appalachian Tennessee + 1.6 + 2.9 + 2.1 + 1.6 + 2.0 - 2.5

Virginia + 1.4 + 2.1 + 1.9 + 2.9 + 1.7 - 1.3

Appalachian Virginia + 1.1 + 1.5 + 1.9 + 3.6 + 1.6 - 1.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia + 1.5 + 2.2 + 1.9 + 2.9 + 1.7 - 1.2

West Virginia (entire state) + 0.5 + 1.3 + 1.1 - 0.5 + 1.3 - 1.4

Note: Poverty status is determined by a series of income thresholds that are determined by family size and composition. In 2014, the poverty 

threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $24,008. The poverty universe does not include unrelated individuals under age 15, 

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

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
75

Figure 7.11: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons in the Appalachian Region in Poverty, 2005-

2009 to 2010-2014

The share of Appalachian residents living below the poverty level (income of less than $24,008 for a family of two 

adults and two children in 2014) increased almost two percentage points between the 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 

periods, about the same as for the nation. The increase in poverty rates was even larger in much of the Region: In 

180 of Appalachia’s 420 counties, the percentage point increase in the poverty rate was at or above the national 

average. More than half of these counties were in South Central or Southern Appalachia. There was some good news 

in that 112 counties had poverty rates that either decreased or stayed the same between the two periods. Still, the 

overall picture suggests that in the aftermath of the Great Recession, poverty rates may have not dropped to prerecession levels.
76

TRENDS IN INCOME AND POVERTY

• Adjusting for inflation, income levels in the Appalachian Region have fallen since the 2005-2009 

period (see Tables 7.1 and 7.2). 

o Mean household income fell 2 percent to $59,899 in 2010-2014. (All monetary figures are in 

2014 dollars.)

o Median household income (the level where half of all households have higher incomes while 

the other half have lower incomes) fell 4 percent to $44,351.

o Mean family income was down 2 percent to $70,988.

o Median family income (the level where half of all families have higher incomes while the other 

half have lower incomes) was down 3 percent to $55,989.

o Per capita income fell 3 percent to $24,026.

• Yet the declines in income since 2005-2009 were not as severe in Appalachia as they were in the 

United States as a whole. (For example, median household income in the U.S. fell nearly 6 percent—

two percentage points more than in Appalachia.)

• Within the Appalachian Region, the declines in income were greatest in South Central and Southern 

Appalachia—and for each income measure, the drops were sharper than the national average. In 

contrast, some income measures actually rose in the other subregions. (For example, mean 

household and family income actually rose slightly in Northern and North Central Appalachia, even 

after adjusting for inflation.) Among the county types, those in the largest metros had the biggest 

income declines—although the decreases were below the national average for each measure.

• Since 2005-2009, the share of Appalachian residents in poverty (incomes below $24,008 for a family 

of two adults and two children in 2014) has risen nearly two percentage points to 17.2 percent in 

2010-2014 (see Tables 7.4 and 7.5). Poverty increased in all subregions and among all county types, 

with the greatest increases occurring in South Central and Southern Appalachia. The rise in poverty 

rates was especially high in the Appalachian portions of Georgia and North Carolina: Poverty 

increased more than three percentage points in both states.

• The increase in poverty was felt in virtually every age group: Child poverty in Appalachia rose more 

than three percentage points (to 24 percent), and poverty among working age adults increased two 

percentage points. (And the overall patterns among subregions and county types generally held for 

each age group.) However, poverty rates actually fell for older residents (ages 65 and over) between 

2005-2009 and 2010-2014, and this decline was evident throughout the Appalachian Region. (Central 

Appalachia and the region’s most rural areas had the biggest drops in the poverty rate for older 

persons.)

• Overall, the income and poverty trends in the Appalachian Region since 2005-2009 suggest that, for 

the most part, income and poverty levels have not yet returned to pre-recession levels—which in turn 

may highlight how slow the recovery has been. 
77

CHAPTER 8: HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE 

Table 8.1: Number of Persons in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, by Age Group, 2010-2014

Health Insurance Status All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages

18-24

Ages

25-64

Ages 65

and Over

United States 43,878,131 5,217,055 7,409,689 30,839,325 412,062

Appalachian Region 3,256,884 338,296 545,227 2,356,913 16,448

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 777,972 93,710 127,651 551,225 5,386

North Central Appalachia 304,846 24,629 54,633 224,319 1,265

Central Appalachia 275,049 21,938 49,221 203,057 833

South Central Appalachia 666,985 60,199 108,854 495,721 2,211

Southern Appalachia 1,232,032 137,820 204,868 882,591 6,753

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 716,209 79,853 113,086 518,010 5,260

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 1,323,754 126,462 226,501 964,890 5,901

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 285,337 34,088 47,815 202,211 1,223

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 548,948 57,085 89,707 399,817 2,339

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 382,636 40,808 68,118 271,985 1,725

Alabama 640,276 51,606 118,353 467,728 2,589

Appalachian Alabama 396,557 31,618 70,438 292,930 1,571

Non-Appalachian Alabama 243,719 19,988 47,915 174,798 1,018

Georgia 1,776,980 221,128 301,785 1,241,501 12,566

Appalachian Georgia 550,328 74,549 84,333 387,173 4,273

Non-Appalachian Georgia 1,226,652 146,579 217,452 854,328 8,293

Kentucky 566,083 56,109 103,742 404,377 1,855

Appalachian Kentucky 177,162 15,023 32,830 128,791 518

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 388,921 41,086 70,912 275,586 1,337

Maryland 571,092 54,197 91,450 415,547 9,898

Appalachian Maryland 22,074 2,217 3,483 16,084 290

Non-Appalachian Maryland 549,018 51,980 87,967 399,463 9,608

Mississippi 489,849 54,400 94,454 339,461 1,534

Appalachian Mississippi 99,649 8,763 20,143 70,519 224

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 390,200 45,637 74,311 268,942 1,310

New York 2,052,554 171,349 327,275 1,526,639 27,291

Appalachian New York 89,638 13,189 16,269 59,675 505

Non-Appalachian New York 1,962,916 158,160 311,006 1,466,964 26,786

North Carolina 1,479,285 155,453 242,659 1,073,680 7,493

Appalachian North Carolina 270,874 25,510 43,839 200,539 986

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 1,208,411 129,943 198,820 873,141 6,507

Ohio 1,237,272 142,360 204,805 881,898 8,209

Appalachian Ohio 252,316 34,304 40,746 175,283 1,983

Non-Appalachian Ohio 984,956 108,056 164,059 706,615 6,226

Pennsylvania 1,195,810 141,625 198,159 845,955 10,071

Appalachian Pennsylvania 505,911 54,680 83,684 364,400 3,147

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 689,899 86,945 114,475 481,555 6,924

South Carolina 737,418 81,799 121,626 530,202 3,791

Appalachian South Carolina 185,498 22,890 29,954 131,969 685

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 551,920 58,909 91,672 398,233 3,106

Tennessee 864,874 81,172 138,274 641,230 4,198

Appalachian Tennessee 370,452 31,466 58,574 279,177 1,235

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 494,422 49,706 79,700 362,053 2,963

Virginia 968,444 108,863 161,837 687,116 10,628

Appalachian Virginia 96,070 7,985 18,135 69,698 252

Non-Appalachian Virginia 872,374 100,878 143,702 617,418 10,376

West Virginia (entire state) 240,355 16,102 42,799 180,675 779

Note: The health insurance universe consists of the civilian noninstitutional population.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
78

Table 8.2: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, by Age Group, 2010-2014

Health Insurance Status All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages

18-24

Ages

25-64

Ages 65

and Over

United States 14.2 7.1 24.3 18.9 1.0

Appalachian Region 13.1 6.1 22.4 18.0 0.4

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 9.5 5.5 15.5 12.9 0.4

North Central Appalachia 12.8 4.7 23.7 17.9 0.3

Central Appalachia 14.7 5.3 29.7 20.4 0.3

South Central Appalachia 14.2 6.0 23.5 20.3 0.3

Southern Appalachia 15.7 7.1 27.4 21.5 0.7

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 12.2 5.8 21.8 16.4 0.7

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 12.6 5.5 20.5 17.6 0.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 13.2 7.0 22.3 18.2 0.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 14.1 6.8 25.7 19.8 0.3

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 15.4 7.4 27.6 21.2 0.4

Alabama 13.5 4.6 25.1 18.9 0.4

Appalachian Alabama 13.0 4.5 24.0 18.3 0.4

Non-Appalachian Alabama 14.4 4.9 26.9 20.2 0.4

Georgia 18.3 8.9 31.2 24.1 1.1

Appalachian Georgia 18.5 9.4 31.9 24.5 1.3

Non-Appalachian Georgia 18.2 8.7 30.9 23.9 1.1

Kentucky 13.2 5.5 25.2 17.8 0.3

Appalachian Kentucky 15.3 5.7 30.2 21.0 0.3

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 12.4 5.5 23.4 16.6 0.3

Maryland 9.9 4.0 16.7 13.2 1.3

Appalachian Maryland 9.2 4.2 15.3 13.0 0.7

Non-Appalachian Maryland 9.9 4.0 16.7 13.2 1.4

Mississippi 16.8 7.3 31.5 22.8 0.4

Appalachian Mississippi 16.1 5.8 29.7 22.7 0.2

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 17.0 7.7 32.1 22.9 0.4

New York 10.6 4.0 16.7 14.6 1.0

Appalachian New York 8.6 6.1 11.8 11.4 0.3

Non-Appalachian New York 10.7 3.9 17.1 14.8 1.1

North Carolina 15.5 6.8 26.3 21.3 0.6

Appalachian North Carolina 16.0 7.1 27.8 22.9 0.3

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 15.4 6.8 25.9 21.0 0.6

Ohio 10.9 5.3 18.8 14.7 0.5

Appalachian Ohio 12.7 7.6 22.7 16.9 0.6

Non-Appalachian Ohio 10.5 4.9 18.1 14.3 0.5

Pennsylvania 9.5 5.2 16.1 12.8 0.5

Appalachian Pennsylvania 8.9 4.7 14.9 12.3 0.3

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 10.0 5.5 17.0 13.2 0.7

South Carolina 15.9 7.6 26.5 22.0 0.6

Appalachian South Carolina 15.7 8.3 24.6 21.5 0.4

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 16.0 7.4 27.2 22.1 0.6

Tennessee 13.6 5.5 22.7 19.1 0.5

Appalachian Tennessee 13.3 5.2 22.5 19.2 0.3

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 13.8 5.6 22.8 19.0 0.7

Virginia 12.1 5.9 21.0 16.0 1.0

Appalachian Virginia 12.8 5.5 20.5 18.2 0.2

Non-Appalachian Virginia 12.1 5.9 21.0 15.7 1.1

West Virginia (entire state) 13.2 4.2 25.3 18.6 0.3

Note: The health insurance universe consists of the civilian noninstitutional population.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
79

Figure 8.1: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 2010-2014

Nearly 3.3 million persons in the Appalachian Region were without any kind of health insurance coverage in the 2010-

2014 period—a figure representing 13 percent of Appalachia’s residents. Although the percentage for the Region is 

slightly lower than the U.S. share of 14 percent, almost half of the 420 Appalachian counties had non-coverage rates 

that matched or exceeded the national average. In 21 Appalachian counties, at least one in five residents were not 

covered by insurance; all but one of these were either outside metropolitan areas or in Central, South Central, and 

Southern Appalachia. Indeed, in the Region’s most rural counties as a whole, 15 percent of residents were not 

covered by health insurance. At the other end of the spectrum, 49 counties had uninsured rates below 10 percent, 

and 43 of these were in Northern Appalachia.
80

Figure 8.2: Percent of Persons Under Age 18 in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 

2010-2014

Just over 6 percent of Appalachia’s children under age 18 were uninsured during 2010-2014, a full percentage point 

below the national average. Still, the rate varied throughout the Region. On one hand, 190 counties had non-coverage 

rates under 5 percent; these were spread geographically throughout the Region. Conversely, at least one in 10 

children lacked health insurance in 51 other counties. All but a handful of counties in the latter group were outside 

metropolitan areas, and most were in South Central or Southern Appalachia.
81

Figure 8.3: Percent of Persons Ages 18 to 24 in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 

2010-2014

Lack of health insurance coverage was highest among young adults—more than one-fifth of Appalachian residents

ages 18 to 24 were uninsured during the 2010-2014 period. Although Appalachia’s rate as a whole was slightly lower

than the national average, the non-coverage problem was especially prevalent in much of Central and Southern 

Appalachia, as well as in the Region’s most rural counties: Three in 10 young adults in Central Appalachia were 

without coverage, and the share was nearly as large in the other two areas. This situation was especially dire in 97 

counties, where non-coverage rates among 18-to-24-year-olds were 35 percent or higher. Among these counties, 81 

were in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia, and 82 were outside metropolitan areas. In contrast, there 

were 93 Appalachian counties where less than 20 percent of young adults had no health insurance; most of these 

were in metro areas and/or had a four-year college or university within their boundaries. 
82

Figure 8.4: Percent of Persons Ages 25 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Not Covered by Health Insurance, 

2010-2014

In 2010-2014, 18 percent of Appalachia’s working-age population were not covered by health insurance. While this 

rate was slightly below that for the nation, there was great variation within the Region. For example, more than onefifth of 25-to-64-year-olds in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia were uninsured; these subregions 

accounted for 51 of the 56 counties with non-coverage rates of 25 percent or greater for this age group. By 

comparison, Northern Appalachia had 58 of the 70 counties where less than 15 percent of the working-age residents 

were not insured. 
83

CHAPTER 9: DISABILITY STATUS 

Table 9.1: Number of Persons in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, by Age Group, 2010-2014

Disability Status All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages 18-64

Ages 65

Total Ages and Over

18-34

Ages

35-64

United States 37,874,571 2,991,373 19,703,061 4,072,657 15,630,404 15,180,137

Appalachian Region 3,958,985 272,413 2,145,226 395,227 1,749,999 1,541,346

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 1,205,955 90,847 612,596 122,151 490,445 502,512

North Central Appalachia 428,225 29,113 239,308 44,494 194,814 159,804

Central Appalachia 435,656 25,200 263,208 41,903 221,305 147,248

South Central Appalachia 779,365 49,499 417,151 73,246 343,905 312,715

Southern Appalachia 1,109,784 77,754 612,963 113,433 499,530 419,067

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 745,981 57,564 395,678 77,293 318,385 292,739

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 1,623,261 110,923 873,912 167,719 706,193 638,426

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 358,484 26,422 193,841 34,819 159,022 138,221

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 724,287 47,081 392,560 67,879 324,681 284,646

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 506,972 30,423 289,235 47,517 241,718 187,314

Alabama 764,700 52,391 424,106 78,691 345,415 288,203

Appalachian Alabama 485,025 31,044 270,350 49,242 221,108 183,631

Non-Appalachian Alabama 279,675 21,347 153,756 29,449 124,307 104,572

Georgia 1,173,675 96,685 652,372 131,226 521,146 424,618

Appalachian Georgia 345,341 28,699 188,186 36,439 151,747 128,456

Non-Appalachian Georgia 828,334 67,986 464,186 94,787 369,399 296,162

Kentucky 728,871 56,622 420,765 80,038 340,727 251,484

Appalachian Kentucky 264,989 17,103 161,645 27,177 134,468 86,241

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 463,882 39,519 259,120 52,861 206,259 165,243

Maryland 600,417 50,091 306,930 65,295 241,635 243,396

Appalachian Maryland 37,794 3,393 20,009 4,408 15,601 14,392

Non-Appalachian Maryland 562,623 46,698 286,921 60,887 226,034 229,004

Mississippi 477,388 34,334 267,347 49,404 217,943 175,707

Appalachian Mississippi 110,830 6,337 62,826 10,739 52,087 41,667

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 366,558 27,997 204,521 38,665 165,856 134,040

New York 2,120,273 156,108 1,059,606 221,038 838,568 904,559

Appalachian New York 146,438 11,861 77,027 17,408 59,619 57,550

Non-Appalachian New York 1,973,835 144,247 982,579 203,630 778,949 847,009

North Carolina 1,280,361 100,832 686,317 130,009 556,308 493,212

Appalachian North Carolina 258,521 17,012 132,720 22,835 109,885 108,789

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 1,021,840 83,820 553,597 107,174 446,423 384,423

Ohio 1,532,401 129,784 819,265 166,657 652,608 583,352

Appalachian Ohio 319,924 24,122 174,735 32,424 142,311 121,067

Non-Appalachian Ohio 1,212,477 105,662 644,530 134,233 510,297 462,285

Pennsylvania 1,671,703 137,259 850,248 179,157 671,091 684,196

Appalachian Pennsylvania 832,410 62,463 416,281 82,451 333,830 353,666

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 839,293 74,796 433,967 96,706 337,261 330,530

South Carolina 657,453 44,415 359,015 66,050 292,965 254,023

Appalachian South Carolina 168,588 11,674 91,601 17,013 74,588 65,313

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 488,865 32,741 267,414 49,037 218,377 188,710

Tennessee 968,349 68,739 542,237 101,362 440,875 357,373

Appalachian Tennessee 495,330 31,387 274,542 47,408 227,134 189,401

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 473,019 37,352 267,695 53,954 213,741 167,972

Virginia 880,448 66,408 460,216 94,792 365,424 353,824

Appalachian Virginia 141,495 6,198 77,557 12,935 64,622 57,740

Non-Appalachian Virginia 738,953 60,210 382,659 81,857 300,802 296,084

West Virginia (entire state) 352,300 21,120 197,747 34,748 162,999 133,433

Note: The ACS defines persons with a disability as having difficulty in at least one of the following six areas: hearing, vision, cognition, walking or 

climbing, self-care, or attending to the functions of independent living. The disability universe consists of the civilian noninstitutional population.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
84

Table 9.2: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, by Age Group, 2010-2014

Disability Status All Ages Under

Age 18

Ages 18-64

Ages 65

Total and Over Ages

18-34

Ages

35-64

United States 12.3 4.1 10.2 5.7 12.8 36.3

Appalachian Region 15.9 4.9 13.8 7.4 17.3 39.5

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 14.7 5.4 12.0 7.0 14.7 36.0

North Central Appalachia 18.0 5.6 16.1 8.7 20.0 42.4

Central Appalachia 23.3 6.0 22.7 11.1 28.4 50.1

South Central Appalachia 16.6 5.0 14.4 7.3 18.0 39.1

Southern Appalachia 14.2 4.0 12.6 6.6 15.9 40.5

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 12.7 4.2 10.8 6.1 13.2 36.3

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 15.4 4.8 13.3 7.1 16.7 38.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 16.6 5.4 14.6 7.7 18.2 39.6

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 18.5 5.6 16.6 8.8 20.3 41.2

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 20.4 5.5 18.9 9.1 24.1 45.6

Alabama 16.1 4.7 14.4 7.3 18.5 42.4

Appalachian Alabama 16.0 4.4 14.2 7.2 18.2 42.2

Non-Appalachian Alabama 16.5 5.2 14.7 7.6 19.0 42.8

Georgia 12.1 3.9 10.7 5.8 13.5 38.3

Appalachian Georgia 11.6 3.6 10.2 5.7 12.5 37.8

Non-Appalachian Georgia 12.3 4.0 10.9 5.8 14.0 38.5

Kentucky 17.0 5.6 15.6 8.4 19.7 42.5

Appalachian Kentucky 22.9 6.5 22.4 11.1 28.2 49.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 14.8 5.3 13.2 7.4 16.4 39.5

Maryland 10.4 3.7 8.3 4.9 10.2 32.9

Appalachian Maryland 15.8 6.5 13.6 8.8 16.1 36.5

Non-Appalachian Maryland 10.1 3.6 8.1 4.8 9.9 32.7

Mississippi 16.4 4.6 15.0 7.4 19.5 45.1

Appalachian Mississippi 17.9 4.2 16.6 7.6 22.0 46.4

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 16.0 4.7 14.5 7.3 18.9 44.7

New York 11.0 3.7 8.5 4.7 10.8 34.1

Appalachian New York 14.0 5.5 11.6 6.9 14.5 34.7

Non-Appalachian New York 10.8 3.6 8.4 4.6 10.6 34.0

North Carolina 13.4 4.4 11.5 6.1 14.5 37.8

Appalachian North Carolina 15.3 4.8 12.8 6.6 16.0 36.8

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 13.0 4.4 11.2 6.0 14.2 38.1

Ohio 13.5 4.9 11.6 6.7 14.2 35.7

Appalachian Ohio 16.1 5.3 14.4 8.1 17.5 38.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio 12.9 4.8 11.0 6.4 13.5 35.1

Pennsylvania 13.3 5.0 10.8 6.5 13.2 34.9

Appalachian Pennsylvania 14.7 5.4 11.8 6.8 14.4 36.2

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 12.2 4.7 10.0 6.2 12.2 33.6

South Carolina 14.2 4.1 12.5 6.3 16.0 37.5

Appalachian South Carolina 14.2 4.2 12.5 6.4 15.9 38.3

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 14.2 4.1 12.5 6.3 16.0 37.2

Tennessee 15.2 4.6 13.7 7.1 17.3 40.1

Appalachian Tennessee 17.8 5.2 16.0 8.1 20.1 41.1

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 13.2 4.2 11.9 6.4 15.1 39.1

Virginia 11.0 3.6 9.1 5.1 11.3 34.2

Appalachian Virginia 18.8 4.2 16.4 7.7 21.3 43.6

Non-Appalachian Virginia 10.2 3.5 8.3 4.9 10.3 32.8

West Virginia (entire state) 19.3 5.5 17.4 9.1 21.5 44.1

Note: The ACS defines persons with a disability as having difficulty in at least one of the following six areas: hearing, vision, cognition, walking or 

climbing, self-care, or attending to the functions of independent living. The disability universe consists of the civilian noninstitutional population.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
85

Figure 9.1: Percent of Persons in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014

In the 2010-2014 period, about one in six Appalachian residents reported having a disability, which the ACS defines 

as having difficulty in at least one of the following six areas: hearing, vision, cognition, walking or climbing, self-care, 

or attending to the functions of independent living. Disability prevalence is particularly high in some parts of the 

Region; the rate was 20 percent or more in 137 counties, nearly half of which were in Central Appalachia. The 

Region’s relatively high disability rate corresponds to the population’s older age structure: In 116 of the counties with 

the highest disability prevalence levels, at least 15 percent of the residents were age 65 or older. 
86

Figure 9.2: Percent of Persons Under Age 18 in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014

At almost 5 percent, the prevalence of disability among children under age 18 in Appalachia was slightly higher than 

the national average during the 2010-2014 period. But there was variation within the Region. For example, the rate 

was at least 7.5 percent in 53 counties, 39 of which were outside metropolitan areas. In 97 other counties, however, 

the disability prevalence was below the national average of just over 4 percent. Nearly two-thirds of the counties in the 

latter group were in South Central and Southern Appalachia. In fact, at 4 percent, Southern Appalachia was the only 

subregion where the disability rate among the under-18 population was below the national average. 
87

Figure 9.3: Percent of Persons Ages 18 to 64 in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014

In the 2010-2014 period, approximately one in seven adults ages 18 to 64 in Appalachia reported a disability, 

compared with one in 10 in the nation as a whole. Disability prevalence was particularly high in some parts of the 

Region: In Central Appalachia, for example, more than one-fifth of working-age adults had a disability. Indeed, Central 

Appalachia had 58 of the 98 Appalachian counties where the disability rate among 18-to-64-year-olds was 20 percent 

or higher. Central Appalachia’s historic reliance on mining and related resource-based industries, as well as 

Appalachia’s relatively high rates of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, may be associated with the subregion’s high 

disability prevalence. 
88

Figure 9.4: Percent of Persons Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region With a Disability, 2010-2014

Two-fifths of adults ages 65 and over in the Appalachian Region reported a disability in the 2010-2014 period, slightly 

higher than the national share. And the prevalence was even greater in some parts of the Region: At least half of the 

older residents in 68 counties (43 of which were in Central Appalachia) had at least one disability. In 51 of these 68 

counties, the share of working-age adults with a disability was at or above 20 percent (nearly twice the national 

average), suggesting that disabled adults in the Region may be aging in place. Yet there is some variation: In 71 other 

Appalachian counties, the disability rate for the older population actually was lower than the national average. Nearly 

all of these low-prevalence counties were in Northern, South Central, and Southern Appalachia.
89

CHAPTER 10: MIGRATION 

Table 10.1: Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region, 2010-2014

Mobility Status in the Last Year 

Total Population 

Ages 1 and Over, 

2010-2014 

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 310,385,254 85.0 15.0 9.0 6.1 3.2 2.9

Appalachian Region 25,100,544 86.8 13.2 7.6 5.6 3.2 2.3

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 8,275,442 87.6 12.4 7.5 4.9 2.8 2.1

North Central Appalachia 2,402,195 87.6 12.4 6.9 5.5 3.0 2.5

Central Appalachia 1,888,537 87.8 12.2 7.0 5.2 3.3 1.9

South Central Appalachia 4,710,012 86.0 14.0 7.8 6.1 3.5 2.6

Southern Appalachia 7,824,358 85.9 14.1 8.1 6.0 3.6 2.4

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 5,859,324 87.1 12.9 7.5 5.4 3.1 2.3

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 10,593,567 85.9 14.1 8.2 5.9 3.1 2.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 2,183,124 86.8 13.2 7.9 5.3 3.6 1.7

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,947,103 88.1 11.9 6.8 5.1 3.2 1.9

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 2,517,426 87.6 12.4 6.8 5.6 3.6 1.9

Alabama 4,761,857 85.0 15.0 9.1 5.9 3.3 2.6

Appalachian Alabama 3,049,692 85.6 14.4 8.8 5.6 3.4 2.2

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,712,165 84.1 15.9 9.6 6.3 3.1 3.3

Georgia 9,784,783 83.8 16.2 8.2 7.9 4.7 3.3

Appalachian Georgia 2,972,012 86.7 13.3 7.0 6.4 3.9 2.5

Non-Appalachian Georgia 6,812,771 82.6 17.4 8.7 8.6 5.0 3.7

Kentucky 4,330,623 84.7 15.3 8.7 6.6 3.6 3.0

Appalachian Kentucky 1,168,936 86.9 13.1 7.5 5.6 3.7 1.9

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 3,161,687 83.9 16.1 9.1 7.0 3.6 3.4

Maryland 5,819,061 86.7 13.3 7.2 6.1 2.6 3.4

Appalachian Maryland 250,271 85.8 14.2 8.5 5.7 3.0 2.8

Non-Appalachian Maryland 5,568,790 86.8 13.2 7.2 6.1 2.6 3.5

Mississippi 2,947,602 86.0 14.0 7.6 6.4 3.7 2.7

Appalachian Mississippi 621,583 86.0 14.0 7.9 6.1 3.9 2.1

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 2,326,019 86.0 14.0 7.5 6.5 3.7 2.8

New York 19,374,030 88.9 11.1 6.5 4.6 2.4 2.2

Appalachian New York 1,049,735 85.3 14.7 8.5 6.3 3.8 2.5

Non-Appalachian New York 18,324,295 89.1 10.9 6.4 4.5 2.3 2.2

North Carolina 9,636,656 84.7 15.3 8.4 6.8 3.5 3.3

Appalachian North Carolina 1,694,631 86.9 13.1 7.3 5.8 3.4 2.5

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 7,942,025 84.3 15.7 8.7 7.1 3.5 3.5

Ohio 11,431,051 85.4 14.6 9.4 5.2 3.2 2.0

Appalachian Ohio 2,008,992 87.7 12.3 7.5 4.9 3.1 1.8

Non-Appalachian Ohio 9,422,059 84.9 15.1 9.8 5.3 3.3 2.1

Pennsylvania 12,624,313 88.0 12.0 7.2 4.8 2.5 2.3

Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,725,766 87.9 12.1 7.3 4.8 2.7 2.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 6,898,547 88.0 12.0 7.1 4.8 2.4 2.4

South Carolina 4,672,468 84.5 15.5 8.5 7.0 3.2 3.8

Appalachian South Carolina 1,181,071 84.9 15.1 9.0 6.1 3.0 3.1

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 3,491,397 84.4 15.6 8.3 7.3 3.3 4.0

Tennessee 6,375,527 84.6 15.4 9.3 6.1 3.0 3.1

Appalachian Tennessee 2,783,984 86.0 14.0 8.2 5.8 3.2 2.6

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 3,591,543 83.4 16.6 10.2 6.4 2.9 3.5

Virginia 8,084,641 84.7 15.3 6.5 8.8 4.9 3.9

Appalachian Virginia 758,270 86.1 13.9 6.7 7.2 4.6 2.7

Non-Appalachian Virginia 7,326,371 84.5 15.5 6.5 9.0 4.9 4.1

West Virginia (entire state) 1,835,601 88.3 11.7 6.5 5.2 2.5 2.7

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 
90

Figure 10.1: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Moved in the Past Year, 

2010-2014

Residential mobility in Appalachia was below the national average, as well as in all subregions and county types. In 

fact, the percentage of residents who moved in the past year only matched or exceeded the U.S. average in 66 of the 

Region’s counties. Two-thirds of these counties were in South Central or Southern 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 123 Appalachian counties, less than 10 percent of the residents had 

moved in the previous 12 months; three-fourths of these counties were outside metro areas.
91

Figure 10.2: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside 

Their County of Residence in the Past Year, 2010-2014

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

2010-2014 period than Americans as a whole, residents in 131 of the Region’s counties had migration rates at or 

above the national average. These counties were scattered throughout the Appalachian Region and were distributed 

across all urban/rural types. In 203 counties, however, less than 5 percent of the residents had migrated from another 

county. More than two-thirds of these counties were outside metropolitan areas, and two-fifths of those nonmetro 

counties were rural counties not adjacent to a metro area.
92

Figure 10.3: Percent of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Had Migrated From Outside 

Their State of Residence in the Past Year, 2010-2014

The share of people in the Appalachian Region who had migrated from outside their state of residence was 2.3

percent in the 2010-2014 period, compared with 2.9 percent of all Americans. Yet in 75 of Appalachia’s 420 counties, 

out-of-state migration levels were at or above the U.S. average. These counties were fairly evenly distributed 

throughout the Region, with about half of them in metropolitan areas. In 241 counties, on the other hand, less than 2 

percent of residents had come from out of state, and more than two-thirds of these counties were outside metropolitan 

areas. 
93

Table 10.2: Percentage Point Change in Mobility Status of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian 

Region, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Mobility Status in the Last Year 

Percentage Point Change in Share 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 + 1.2 - 1.2 - 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.2 - 0.3

Appalachian Region + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.8 - 0.5 - 0.3 - 0.4

Subregions

Northern Appalachia + 0.7 - 0.7 - 0.4 - 0.3 - 0.3 + 0.0

North Central Appalachia + 1.7 - 1.7 - 1.1 - 0.7 - 0.3 - 0.4

Central Appalachia + 0.9 - 0.9 - 0.8 - 0.2 + 0.1 - 0.2

South Central Appalachia + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.9 - 0.6 - 0.1 - 0.5

Southern Appalachia + 2.0 - 2.0 - 1.0 - 1.0 - 0.3 - 0.7

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) + 1.5 - 1.5 - 0.9 - 0.6 - 0.3 - 0.3

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.7 - 0.6 - 0.3 - 0.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros + 1.6 - 1.6 - 0.8 - 0.8 - 0.4 - 0.4

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros + 1.2 - 1.2 - 0.6 - 0.6 - 0.2 - 0.4

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) + 1.0 - 1.0 - 0.9 - 0.1 + 0.0 - 0.2

Alabama + 1.1 - 1.1 - 0.5 - 0.7 + 0.0 - 0.6

Appalachian Alabama + 1.6 - 1.6 - 0.9 - 0.8 - 0.2 - 0.6

Non-Appalachian Alabama + 0.4 - 0.4 + 0.1 - 0.6 + 0.2 - 0.6

Georgia + 2.1 - 2.1 - 0.9 - 1.3 - 0.5 - 0.8

Appalachian Georgia + 3.0 - 3.0 - 1.3 - 1.6 - 0.8 - 0.8

Non-Appalachian Georgia + 1.8 - 1.8 - 0.7 - 1.2 - 0.4 - 0.7

Kentucky + 1.0 - 1.0 - 0.7 - 0.4 - 0.1 - 0.3

Appalachian Kentucky + 1.0 - 1.0 - 0.8 - 0.2 + 0.2 - 0.3

Non-Appalachian Kentucky + 1.1 - 1.1 - 0.7 - 0.5 - 0.2 - 0.3

Maryland + 1.2 - 1.2 - 0.2 - 1.0 - 0.6 - 0.4

Appalachian Maryland + 0.0 + 0.0 + 0.9 - 0.9 - 0.6 - 0.2

Non-Appalachian Maryland + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.2 - 1.0 - 0.6 - 0.4

Mississippi + 2.3 - 2.3 - 1.6 - 0.7 - 0.4 - 0.4

Appalachian Mississippi + 1.1 - 1.1 - 0.8 - 0.3 - 0.2 - 0.2

Non-Appalachian Mississippi + 2.6 - 2.6 - 1.8 - 0.8 - 0.3 - 0.5

New York + 0.6 - 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.1 - 0.2 + 0.0

Appalachian New York + 0.9 - 0.9 - 0.3 - 0.4 - 0.4 - 0.1

Non-Appalachian New York + 0.6 - 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.1 - 0.2 + 0.1

North Carolina + 2.0 - 2.0 - 1.1 - 1.1 - 0.2 - 0.9

Appalachian North Carolina + 1.0 - 1.0 - 0.8 - 0.3 + 0.2 - 0.4

Non-Appalachian North Carolina + 2.4 - 2.4 - 1.1 - 1.2 - 0.3 - 1.0

Ohio + 0.7 - 0.7 - 0.6 - 0.1 - 0.1 + 0.0

Appalachian Ohio + 0.9 - 0.9 - 0.7 - 0.1 - 0.2 + 0.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio + 0.7 - 0.7 - 0.6 - 0.1 + 0.0 + 0.1

Pennsylvania + 0.8 - 0.8 - 0.4 - 0.4 - 0.3 - 0.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania + 0.8 - 0.8 - 0.5 - 0.3 - 0.3 - 0.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania + 0.7 - 0.7 - 0.4 - 0.5 - 0.2 - 0.3

South Carolina + 0.4 - 0.4 + 0.0 - 0.4 + 0.0 - 0.4

Appalachian South Carolina + 1.6 - 1.6 - 1.1 - 0.5 - 0.1 - 0.4

Non-Appalachian South Carolina + 0.0 + 0.0 + 0.4 - 0.4 + 0.0 - 0.4

Tennessee + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.9 - 0.4 - 0.1 - 0.3

Appalachian Tennessee + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.8 - 0.5 - 0.1 - 0.5

Non-Appalachian Tennessee + 1.2 - 1.2 - 0.9 - 0.3 - 0.1 - 0.2

Virginia + 1.4 - 1.4 - 0.4 - 1.0 - 0.4 - 0.6

Appalachian Virginia + 1.8 - 1.8 - 0.8 - 0.9 - 0.5 - 0.3

Non-Appalachian Virginia + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.3 - 1.0 - 0.5 - 0.5

West Virginia (entire state) + 1.3 - 1.3 - 0.8 - 0.5 + 0.0 - 0.5

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
94

Figure 10.4: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Ages 1 and Over in the Appalachian Region 

Who Had Migrated From Outside Their County of Residence in the Past Year, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Both in Appalachia and the nation as a whole, the share of individuals migrating from outside their county of residence 

declined half a percentage point between the 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 periods. The decrease was most prevalent in 

North Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia, and was greater than or equal to the national average in 212 

counties in the Region. By contrast, the percentage fell just one-tenth of a percentage point in Appalachia’s most rural 

counties; these areas had one-third of the 148 counties where migration shares actually increased. 
95

TRENDS IN MIGRATION

• Like Americans as a whole, Appalachian residents were slightly less mobile in 2010-2014 than they 

were in 2005-2009. Between the two periods, the share of persons in the Region who had moved 

from a different residence in the past year decreased by slightly more than a percentage point to 13 

percent in 2010-2014 (see Tables 10.1 and 10.2). Similarly, a slightly lower share of residents 

migrated from outside their county and their state of residence in 2010-2014 than in 2005-2009. (In 

both of the latter instances, the share dropped by about half a percentage point.) 

• Within the Region, the decline in residential mobility was greatest in Southern and North Central 

Appalachia, where the share of residents who had moved in the previous year fell about two 

percentage points between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014. Still, all subregions and county types saw 

lower shares of their populations move in the later period than in the earlier one. One possible factor 

might lie in the rise of unemployment and the housing crisis during the Great Recession of 2007-

2009. With relatively low educational attainment levels and relatively high homeownership in the 

Region, many Appalachian residents who lost their jobs might not have been able to sell their homes 

to move to another area with more employment opportunities.
96

CHAPTER 11: VETERAN STATUS 

Table 11.1: Veteran Status of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region by Age Group, 2010-2014

Veteran Status 

Civilian Population Percent Who Are Veterans

Ages 18 

and Over

Ages

18-34

Ages

35-64

Ages 65

and Over

Ages 

18 and 

Over

Ages

18-34

Ages

35-64

Ages 

65 and 

Over

United States 239,305,217 72,816,594 123,310,662 43,177,961 8.7 2.4 7.8 21.6

Appalachian Region 19,780,031 5,477,554 10,267,925 4,034,552 9.7 2.3 8.6 22.4

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 6,649,452 1,797,955 3,398,198 1,453,299 10.3 2.3 8.7 23.7

North Central Appalachia 1,904,843 523,656 990,849 390,338 10.5 2.6 9.7 22.9

Central Appalachia 1,490,526 391,745 794,660 304,121 8.2 2.0 7.3 18.7

South Central Appalachia 3,757,831 1,013,033 1,920,981 823,817 9.9 2.2 8.7 22.1

Southern Appalachia 5,977,379 1,751,165 3,163,237 1,062,977 9.0 2.2 8.5 21.7

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 4,538,260 1,273,020 2,436,220 829,020 9.1 2.1 8.0 22.9

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 8,393,518 2,401,624 4,290,102 1,701,792 9.9 2.3 9.1 22.8

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,718,142 466,609 888,985 362,548 10.0 2.1 9.1 22.2

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,139,511 794,630 1,630,133 714,748 10.3 2.5 8.8 22.3

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,990,600 541,671 1,022,485 426,444 8.7 2.2 7.4 20.0

Alabama 3,685,939 1,092,377 1,894,301 699,261 10.2 2.9 10.0 22.2

Appalachian Alabama 2,373,278 693,695 1,231,212 448,371 9.8 2.5 9.5 22.0

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,312,661 398,682 663,089 250,890 10.9 3.5 10.9 22.7

Georgia 7,369,672 2,326,497 3,904,939 1,138,236 9.3 2.7 9.5 21.9

Appalachian Georgia 2,211,387 643,689 1,220,978 346,720 8.3 1.9 7.8 22.0

Non-Appalachian Georgia 5,158,285 1,682,808 2,683,961 791,516 9.7 3.0 10.2 21.9

Kentucky 3,349,513 979,520 1,755,497 614,496 9.1 2.5 8.6 20.7

Appalachian Kentucky 917,433 251,227 486,012 180,194 7.9 2.0 7.1 18.2

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 2,432,080 728,293 1,269,485 434,302 9.5 2.7 9.2 21.8

Maryland 4,512,513 1,349,110 2,399,346 764,057 9.2 2.9 8.8 21.6

Appalachian Maryland 199,822 55,556 102,672 41,594 10.6 2.4 10.1 22.6

Non-Appalachian Maryland 4,312,691 1,293,554 2,296,674 722,463 9.2 2.9 8.8 21.5

Mississippi 2,230,110 690,514 1,136,428 403,168 8.7 2.6 8.3 19.9

Appalachian Mississippi 475,849 143,990 238,915 92,944 7.8 2.4 6.9 18.5

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,754,261 546,524 897,513 310,224 8.9 2.7 8.7 20.4

New York 15,298,282 4,735,627 7,807,483 2,755,172 5.7 1.3 4.5 16.5

Appalachian New York 843,194 256,017 414,066 173,111 9.7 2.3 8.8 22.8

Non-Appalachian New York 14,455,088 4,479,610 7,393,417 2,582,061 5.4 1.2 4.3 16.1

North Carolina 7,380,446 2,168,844 3,865,510 1,346,092 9.6 2.9 9.2 21.4

Appalachian North Carolina 1,350,837 350,849 694,257 305,731 9.7 2.0 8.3 21.8

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 6,029,609 1,817,995 3,171,253 1,040,361 9.6 3.1 9.4 21.3

Ohio 8,877,924 2,540,627 4,632,698 1,704,599 9.4 2.1 8.6 22.4

Appalachian Ohio 1,573,763 414,265 826,939 332,559 10.4 2.2 9.4 23.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio 7,304,161 2,126,362 3,805,759 1,372,040 9.2 2.1 8.5 22.2

Pennsylvania 10,013,055 2,830,848 5,140,649 2,041,558 9.1 2.0 7.5 22.7

Appalachian Pennsylvania 4,621,057 1,241,713 2,363,220 1,016,124 10.2 2.3 8.5 23.9

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,391,998 1,589,135 2,777,429 1,025,434 8.0 1.7 6.7 21.5

South Carolina 3,615,473 1,064,458 1,855,564 695,451 10.7 3.3 10.4 22.8

Appalachian South Carolina 916,865 269,791 472,132 174,942 9.3 2.2 8.5 22.4

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 2,698,608 794,667 1,383,432 520,509 11.1 3.6 11.0 22.9

Tennessee 4,942,528 1,452,396 2,571,914 918,218 9.5 2.6 9.2 21.7

Appalachian Tennessee 2,209,046 592,413 1,142,146 474,487 10.0 2.3 9.0 22.1

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 2,733,482 859,983 1,429,768 443,731 9.2 2.8 9.3 21.2

Virginia 6,214,266 1,886,471 3,266,747 1,061,048 11.6 4.6 11.8 23.3

Appalachian Virginia 618,473 173,770 308,553 136,150 8.7 1.9 7.4 20.5

Non-Appalachian Virginia 5,595,793 1,712,701 2,958,194 924,898 11.9 4.9 12.2 23.8

West Virginia (entire state) 1,469,027 390,579 766,823 311,625 10.6 2.6 9.6 22.8

Note: The ACS defines veterans as men and women who have served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard or Reserves, 

or in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey. 
97

Table 11.2: Veteran Status of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region by Gender, 2010-2014

Veteran Status 

Civilian Population Ages 18 and Over Percent Who Are Veterans

Both Sexes Males Females Both Sexes Males Females

United States 239,305,217 115,910,744 123,394,473 8.7 16.5 1.3

Appalachian Region 19,780,031 9,589,425 10,190,606 9.7 18.8 1.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia 6,649,452 3,244,710 3,404,742 10.3 19.9 1.1

North Central Appalachia 1,904,843 934,592 970,251 10.5 20.2 1.1

Central Appalachia 1,490,526 730,631 759,895 8.2 16.0 0.8

South Central Appalachia 3,757,831 1,809,722 1,948,109 9.9 19.2 1.2

Southern Appalachia 5,977,379 2,869,770 3,107,609 9.0 17.5 1.2

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) 4,538,260 2,175,585 2,362,675 9.1 17.7 1.1

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) 8,393,518 4,057,958 4,335,560 9.9 19.3 1.2

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros 1,718,142 845,478 872,664 10.0 19.2 1.1

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros 3,139,511 1,536,546 1,602,965 10.3 19.8 1.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) 1,990,600 973,858 1,016,742 8.7 16.9 0.9

Alabama 3,685,939 1,753,433 1,932,506 10.2 19.7 1.6

Appalachian Alabama 2,373,278 1,133,648 1,239,630 9.8 19.1 1.4

Non-Appalachian Alabama 1,312,661 619,785 692,876 10.9 21.0 1.9

Georgia 7,369,672 3,523,654 3,846,018 9.3 17.3 1.9

Appalachian Georgia 2,211,387 1,070,411 1,140,976 8.3 16.0 1.1

Non-Appalachian Georgia 5,158,285 2,453,243 2,705,042 9.7 17.9 2.2

Kentucky 3,349,513 1,620,217 1,729,296 9.1 17.4 1.2

Appalachian Kentucky 917,433 448,623 468,810 7.9 15.3 0.8

Non-Appalachian Kentucky 2,432,080 1,171,594 1,260,486 9.5 18.3 1.3

Maryland 4,512,513 2,142,195 2,370,318 9.2 17.2 2.0

Appalachian Maryland 199,822 101,743 98,079 10.6 19.2 1.6

Non-Appalachian Maryland 4,312,691 2,040,452 2,272,239 9.2 17.1 2.0

Mississippi 2,230,110 1,060,943 1,169,167 8.7 16.8 1.3

Appalachian Mississippi 475,849 226,064 249,785 7.8 15.4 0.9

Non-Appalachian Mississippi 1,754,261 834,879 919,382 8.9 17.1 1.4

New York 15,298,282 7,291,001 8,007,281 5.7 11.2 0.6

Appalachian New York 843,194 412,571 430,623 9.7 18.7 1.2

Non-Appalachian New York 14,455,088 6,878,430 7,576,658 5.4 10.8 0.6

North Carolina 7,380,446 3,506,900 3,873,546 9.6 18.4 1.7

Appalachian North Carolina 1,350,837 647,908 702,929 9.7 19.1 1.2

Non-Appalachian North Carolina 6,029,609 2,858,992 3,170,617 9.6 18.3 1.8

Ohio 8,877,924 4,276,349 4,601,575 9.4 18.3 1.1

Appalachian Ohio 1,573,763 769,852 803,911 10.4 20.2 1.0

Non-Appalachian Ohio 7,304,161 3,506,497 3,797,664 9.2 17.9 1.1

Pennsylvania 10,013,055 4,823,170 5,189,885 9.1 17.7 1.0

Appalachian Pennsylvania 4,621,057 2,252,498 2,368,559 10.2 19.9 1.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania 5,391,998 2,570,672 2,821,326 8.0 15.8 1.0

South Carolina 3,615,473 1,723,101 1,892,372 10.7 20.4 1.8

Appalachian South Carolina 916,865 439,647 477,218 9.3 18.2 1.1

Non-Appalachian South Carolina 2,698,608 1,283,454 1,415,154 11.1 21.2 2.0

Tennessee 4,942,528 2,366,271 2,576,257 9.5 18.4 1.4

Appalachian Tennessee 2,209,046 1,064,103 1,144,943 10.0 19.5 1.2

Non-Appalachian Tennessee 2,733,482 1,302,168 1,431,314 9.2 17.6 1.5

Virginia 6,214,266 2,980,002 3,234,264 11.6 21.2 2.7

Appalachian Virginia 618,473 305,370 313,103 8.7 16.8 0.9

Non-Appalachian Virginia 5,595,793 2,674,632 2,921,161 11.9 21.7 2.9

West Virginia (entire state) 1,469,027 716,987 752,040 10.6 20.5 1.1

Note: The ACS defines veterans as men and women who have served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard or Reserves, or 

in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
98

Figure 11.1: Percent of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014

In 2010-2014, nearly 10 percent of adult civilians in the Appalachian Region were veterans—men and women who 

have served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard or Reserves, or in the U.S. Merchant Marine 

during World War II. While slightly higher than the national average, there was considerable variation throughout the 

Region. In 190 Appalachian counties, for example, at least one in 10 civilian residents were veterans; the share was 

one in eight in 26 of these counties. Northern and North Central Appalachia had most of the counties with the highest 

share of veterans, although there were pockets of high concentration further south. In contrast, the veteran 

prevalence rate was actually lower than the national average in 117 counties; nearly half the counties in this group 

were in Central Appalachia. 
99

Figure 11.2: Percent of Civilians Ages 18 to 34 in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014

Military veterans accounted for just 2.3 percent of Appalachia’s young adult (ages 18-34) civilian population in the 

2010-2014 period, compared to 2.4 percent for the nation as a whole. Yet in nearly half of the Region’s counties, the 

prevalence was at or above the national rate. In fact, there were 11 Appalachian counties where at least 5 percent of 

18-to-34-year-old civilians were veterans. Most veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan fall in this age group. 
100

Figure 11.3: Percent of Civilians Ages 35 to 64 in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014

In the Appalachian Region, nearly 9 percent of civilians ages 35 to 64 were military veterans in 2010-2014, slightly 

above the U.S. rate of just under 8 percent. The prevalence was even higher in some counties: In 78 of them, 

veterans comprised at least one-tenth of the 35-to-64-year-old civilian residents. More than half of these counties 

were in Northern and North Central Appalachia, although there were also pockets of concentration in the South

Central and Southern subregions. Yet the veteran prevalence rate was lower than the national average in 143 

counties; all but a handful of these were in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia. Most veterans of the 

1991 Gulf War fall in this age group, as do the youngest Vietnam veterans.
101

Figure 11.4: Percent of Civilians Ages 65 and Over in the Appalachian Region Who Are Veterans, 2010-2014

In 2010-2014, more than one-fifth of Appalachia’s older civilian residents were military veterans—most of whom 

served during World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. Yet there is some variation within the Region. For 

example, at least 25 percent of older civilians were veterans in 53 counties. Most counties in both of these groups

were in Northern and North Central Appalachia. By contrast, there were 138 counties where veterans comprised less 

than 20 percent of the older civilian residents. Almost half the counties in this latter group were in Central Appalachia, 

while all but a handful of the rest were in South Central and Southern Appalachia.
102

Table 11.3: Percentage Point Change in Veteran Status of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region by Age 

Group and Gender, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

Veteran Status 

Percentage Point Change in Share of Adults Who Are Veterans

Total, Ages 

18 and 

Over

By Age Group By Gender

Ages

18-34

Ages

35-64

Ages 65 

and Over Males Females

United States - 1.4 - 0.3 - 2.3 - 2.3 - 3.0 + 0.0

Appalachian Region - 1.4 - 0.4 - 2.4 - 1.8 - 3.0 - 0.1

Subregions

Northern Appalachia - 1.6 - 0.4 - 2.4 - 2.0 - 3.6 - 0.1

North Central Appalachia - 1.3 - 0.5 - 2.1 - 1.7 - 2.7 - 0.1

Central Appalachia - 1.2 - 0.5 - 2.1 - 1.5 - 2.6 - 0.1

South Central Appalachia - 1.4 - 0.3 - 2.5 - 1.6 - 2.9 + 0.0

Southern Appalachia - 1.4 - 0.4 - 2.3 - 1.5 - 2.6 - 0.1

County Types

Large Metros (pop. 1 million +) - 1.6 - 0.5 - 2.4 - 2.0 - 3.2 - 0.2

Small Metros (pop. <1 million) - 1.6 - 0.4 - 2.4 - 2.0 - 3.2 + 0.0

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Large Metros - 1.3 - 0.5 - 2.3 - 1.5 - 2.9 + 0.0

Nonmetro, Adjacent to Small Metros - 1.3 - 0.2 - 2.3 - 1.4 - 2.8 - 0.1

Rural (nonmetro, not adj. to a metro) - 1.3 - 0.3 - 2.3 - 1.5 - 2.8 - 0.1

Alabama - 1.4 - 0.3 - 2.2 - 1.7 - 3.0 + 0.0

Appalachian Alabama - 1.4 - 0.2 - 2.2 - 1.6 - 2.8 + 0.0

Non-Appalachian Alabama - 1.4 - 0.7 - 2.1 - 1.7 - 3.2 + 0.0

Georgia - 1.1 - 0.4 - 2.0 - 1.2 - 2.3 + 0.0

Appalachian Georgia - 1.4 - 0.8 - 2.4 - 1.3 - 2.3 - 0.2

Non-Appalachian Georgia - 1.0 - 0.2 - 1.9 - 1.2 - 2.2 + 0.1

Kentucky - 1.3 - 0.4 - 2.2 - 1.7 - 2.8 - 0.1

Appalachian Kentucky - 1.2 - 0.3 - 2.1 - 1.7 - 2.5 + 0.0

Non-Appalachian Kentucky - 1.4 - 0.4 - 2.2 - 1.7 - 2.8 - 0.2

Maryland - 1.7 - 0.7 - 2.2 - 2.6 - 3.4 - 0.1

Appalachian Maryland - 1.8 - 1.1 - 2.1 - 3.2 - 4.3 + 0.3

Non-Appalachian Maryland - 1.6 - 0.7 - 2.1 - 2.7 - 3.4 - 0.1

Mississippi - 1.2 - 0.3 - 2.0 - 2.1 - 2.7 - 0.1

Appalachian Mississippi - 1.2 + 0.1 - 2.1 - 1.5 - 2.7 + 0.0

Non-Appalachian Mississippi - 1.3 - 0.4 - 2.0 - 2.3 - 2.7 - 0.2

New York - 1.4 - 0.2 - 1.9 - 2.7 - 3.0 - 0.1

Appalachian New York - 1.6 + 0.0 - 2.6 - 2.1 - 3.3 + 0.0

Non-Appalachian New York - 1.5 - 0.2 - 1.9 - 2.8 - 3.0 - 0.1

North Carolina - 1.4 - 0.5 - 2.3 - 1.8 - 2.8 + 0.0

Appalachian North Carolina - 1.4 - 0.2 - 2.4 - 1.7 - 2.8 + 0.0

Non-Appalachian North Carolina - 1.4 - 0.5 - 2.2 - 1.8 - 2.7 + 0.0

Ohio - 1.5 - 0.5 - 2.3 - 1.9 - 3.1 - 0.1

Appalachian Ohio - 1.3 - 0.5 - 2.2 - 1.3 - 2.7 - 0.1

Non-Appalachian Ohio - 1.5 - 0.4 - 2.3 - 2.1 - 3.1 - 0.2

Pennsylvania - 1.7 - 0.4 - 2.5 - 2.2 - 3.7 - 0.1

Appalachian Pennsylvania - 1.8 - 0.5 - 2.4 - 2.2 - 3.7 - 0.1

Non-Appalachian Pennsylvania - 1.8 - 0.4 - 2.5 - 2.3 - 3.7 - 0.1

South Carolina - 1.3 - 0.4 - 2.0 - 2.1 - 2.9 + 0.1

Appalachian South Carolina - 1.3 - 0.4 - 2.2 - 1.6 - 2.5 - 0.1

Non-Appalachian South Carolina - 1.4 - 0.5 - 2.0 - 2.4 - 3.1 + 0.1

Tennessee - 1.4 - 0.2 - 2.3 - 1.5 - 2.8 + 0.0

Appalachian Tennessee - 1.3 - 0.3 - 2.4 - 1.4 - 2.8 + 0.0

Non-Appalachian Tennessee - 1.3 - 0.2 - 2.2 - 1.6 - 2.8 - 0.1

Virginia - 1.4 - 0.5 - 2.0 - 2.0 - 2.9 - 0.1

Appalachian Virginia - 1.8 - 0.8 - 2.9 - 2.1 - 3.6 - 0.1

Non-Appalachian Virginia - 1.4 - 0.5 - 2.0 - 1.9 - 2.9 - 0.1

West Virginia (entire state) - 1.4 - 0.7 - 2.2 - 1.8 - 3.1 - 0.1

Note: The ACS defines veterans as men and women who have served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard or Reserves, 

or in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Surveys.
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Figure 11.5: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Adult Civilians in the Appalachian Region Who Are 

Veterans, 2005-2009 to 2010-2014

The share of Appalachia’s adult civilians who were military veterans was more than a full percentage point lower in 

the 2010-2014 period than it was in 2005-2009. And although the magnitude of the decrease varied little among the 

subregions, county types, and the Appalachian versus non-Appalachian portions of the 13 states, there was some 

variation at the county level. In 109 Appalachian counties, for example (spread throughout the Region), veterans’ 

share of the population fell by at least two percentage points. Yet the share actually rose in 42 counties—33 of which 

are in Central, South Central, and Southern Appalachia. Veterans were at least 10 percent of the civilian population in 

more than half of the counties where the share increased, compared to just one-third of the counties with the largest 

decreases.
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TRENDS IN VETERAN STATUS

• In Appalachia, the share of adult civilians who were military veterans declined more than a full 

percentage point between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, falling to just under 10 percent (see Table 

11.3). There was little difference in the decrease among the subregions, county types, and the 

Appalachian versus non-Appalachian portions of the 13 states.

• The decrease in veteran status was more pronounced among middle-aged and older civilians than 

among younger ones. While the share of veterans fell less than half a percentage point among 

younger civilians ages 18 to 34, it declined more than two points among civilians ages 35 to 64 and 

nearly two points among civilians ages 65 and over. As veteran status is more prevalent among older 

residents than younger ones, the movement of cohorts with lower prevalence rates into older ages 

accounts for much of the decline. (Mortality among the oldest veterans also is a factor, particularly in 

the decline among persons ages 65 and over.)

• Not surprisingly, the decreased share in veteran status among men has fueled the overall decrease. 

The share of adult men in the Appalachian Region who were veterans fell three percentage points 

between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, while the share among women barely dropped. Of course, men 

remain far more likely than women to be military veterans—the respective rates in Appalachia were 

19 percent and 1 percent.