County Economic Status and Distressed Areas in Appalachia

The Appalachian Regional Commission uses an index-based county economic classification system to identify and monitor the economic status of Appalachian counties. The system compares each county's averages for three economic indicators—three-year average unemployment rate, per capita market income, and poverty rate—with national averages. The resulting values are summed and averaged to create a composite index value for each county. Each county in the nation is then ranked, based on its composite index value. Counties are designated as distressed, at-risk, transitional, competitive, or attainment, based on their ranking in the index. Designations are revised annually using the most current data available.

The Commission recognizes that some areas in non-distressed counties have substantially higher poverty or lower income levels than national averages and should be considered economically distressed. These areas should be an important focus of Commission assistance. Accordingly, the Commission designates as "distressed areas," those census tracts in at-risk and transitional counties that have a median family income no greater than 67 percent of the U.S. average and a poverty rate 150 percent of the U.S. average or greater. Designations are revised annually using the latest five-year estimates from the American Community Survey.

Regional Economic Status Maps

Methodology for Economic Status Maps

Interactive Regional Economic Status Maps

County Economic Status and Distressed Areas by State, FY 2021

Grant applicants can use the tables and maps in this section when completing ARC project forms. Each state PDF contains the following information:

• Table showing economic status and number of distressed areas for each Appalachian county.
• Table showing distressed areas by census tract for each Appalachian county.
• Map showing county economic status and distressed areas for each Appalachian county.

Alabama   (PDF: 1 MB)
Georgia   (PDF: 1 MB)
Kentucky  (PDF: 1.2 MB)
Maryland  (PDF: 400 KB)
Mississippi  (PDF: 600 KB)
New York  (PDF: 600 KB)
North Carolina   (PDF: 1.1 MB)
Ohio  (PDF: 600 KB)
Pennsylvania   (PDF: 1 MB)
South Carolina  (PDF: 600 KB)
Tennessee  (PDF: 1.1 MB)
Virginia  (PDF: 900 KB)
West Virginia  (PDF: 800 KB)

Downloadable Data File

County Economic Status and Distressed Areas by State, FY 2020

Grant applicants can use the tables and maps in this section when completing ARC project forms. Each state PDF contains the following information:

• Table showing economic status and number of distressed areas for each Appalachian county.
• Table showing distressed areas by census tract for each Appalachian county.
• Map showing county economic status and distressed areas for each Appalachian county.

Alabama   (PDF: 1.3 MB)
Georgia   (PDF: 1.3 MB)
Kentucky  (PDF: 1.4 MB)
Maryland  (PDF: 900 KB)
Mississippi  (PDF: 1 MB)
New York  (PDF: 1 MB)
North Carolina   (PDF: 1.3 MB)
Ohio  (PDF: 1 MB)
Pennsylvania   (PDF: 1.3 MB)
South Carolina  (PDF: 1 MB)
Tennessee  (PDF: 1.4 MB)
Virginia  (PDF: 1.2 MB)
West Virginia  (PDF: 1.2 MB)

Downloadable Data File