ARC report provides a deep dive into trends in Appalachia - Entrepreneur Generations

The Appalachian Regional Commission has released an extensive report detailing trends in Appalachia from 2013 to 2017, including population, education, employment, income, poverty, and broadband access. Most data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Among the ARC report's key findings:

• Much of Appalachia has lost population since 2010, but southern parts of the region--eastern Tennessee and northern Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia--have seen growth.
• Minorities made up 18.6% of Appalachia's population in 2017, up from 16.4% in 2010. In that same timespan the nation's minority population rose from 36.2% to 39.3%.
• African Americans are the largest minority population in Appalachia at 9.7%, but Latinos are the fastest-growing (from 4.2% in 2010 to 5.1% in 2017).
• The percentage of Appalachian adults ages 25-64 with a high school diploma (88.5%) is almost the same as the nationwide average of 88.6%. 
• Appalachian adults are more likely than the national average to have an associate's degree but less likely to have a bachelor's degree. 
• 30.7% of Appalachian adults with a bachelors degree have one in a STEM field, compared to 34.8% nationwide.
• 94.6% of Appalachia's labor force is employed, the same as the nationwide employment rate.
• 31.7% of Appalachian workers work outside the county they live in, compared with 27.6% of U.S. workers.
• The unemployment rate for working-age adults is lowest in Northern Appalachia and highest in Central Appalachia.
• The median household income in Appalachia is $47,836, or 83% of the nationwide average of $57,652.
• The overall Appalachian poverty rate is declining slightly overall, but is still higher than the U.S. average and is increasing in Central and North Central Appalachia.
• 82.2% of Appalachian households have access to a computer, compared to the nationwide average of 87.2%. 
• 63.8% of Appalachian households have access to a smartphone, but only 42.8% have a cellular data plan subscription.
• 72.3% of Appalachian households have a broadband subscription, compared to the U.S. average of 78.1%. Broadband subscriptions are highest in Northern Appalachia and lowest in Central Appalachia.

from The Rural Blog http://bit.ly/2X1LtpY ARC report provides a deep dive into trends in Appalachia - Entrepreneur Generations

Posted by Entrepreneur Generations

Tweet