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"The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey," also known as "The Chartbook," draws from the most recent American Community Survey and comparable Census Population Estimates. The report contains over 300,000 data points about Appalachia's economy, income, employment, education, and other important indicators--all presented at regional, subregional, state, and county levels. Though that data was collected before, and during the initial ten months of, the COVID-19 pandemic, they provide a critical benchmark for comparison when more pandemic and post-pandemic information becomes available. [For the 2016-2020 Chartbook, see ED625962.]

This report presents state- and county-level data for the Appalachian Region. The 12 chapters focus on: (1) Population Basics; (2) Age; (3) Race and Hispanic Origin; (4) Housing Occupancy, Tenure, and Type; (5) Education, Device Ownership, and Internet Access; (6) Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment; (7) Transportation and Commuting Patterns; (8) Income and Poverty (9) Health and Insurance Coverage; (10) Disability Status; (11) Migration; and (12) Veteran Status. Most of the data contained in this chartbook come from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey. This year's Chartbook includes two appendices. Appendix A uses selected demographic and socioeconomic measures to provide an overview comparing rural Appalachia (defined here as nonmetropolitan counties not adjacent to any metropolitan area) to rural areas outside the Appalachian Region. (It also includes a map showing the location of these rural counties.) Appendix B contains two reference maps--one of the five Appalachian subregions, and one of the five rural-urban county types. Both the subregions and county types are referenced throughout the report. [For the 2012-2016 Chartbook, see ED585953.]

This study examines state- and county-level data for the 13 Appalachian states from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey (ACS) and from U.S. Census Bureau population estimates on topics including population, age, race and ethnicity, housing occupancy and tenure, education, labor force, employment and unemployment, income and poverty, health insurance coverage, disability status, migration patterns, and veteran status. Additionally, data are provided on types of housing units, homeownership, types of living arrangements, travel time to work and location of work, and income-to-poverty ratio. New to the study this year is information on computer device ownership, internet access, and household vehicle availability. Information is summarized for five Appalachian subregions and five metro designations. The report also compares data from two recent non-overlapping time periods, allowing the study of trends. [For the 2012-2016 Chartbook, see ED585953.]

This study examines state- and county-level data for the Appalachian Region. The 11 chapters focus on: (1) Population Basics; (2) Age; (3) Race and Hispanic Origin; (4) Housing Occupancy, Tenure, and Type; (5) Education; (6) Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment, and Commuting Patterns; (7) Income and Poverty; (8) Health Insurance Coverage (9) Disability Status; (10) Migration; and (11) Veteran Status. Data come from the 2011-2016 American Community Survey (ACS) for the Appalachian region. Beginning with this year's chartbook, the data in Chapters 1 through 3 come not from the ACS, but instead from the postcensal population estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Division. This year's chartbook also includes data for several new subject areas. In addition to information on housing occupancy and tenure, Chapter 4 now also includes tables and maps on the type of housing units (such as single- or multiple-unit dwellings) and types of living arrangements (family households, nonfamily households, and group quarters) for residents in the Appalachian Region. Chapter 6 now includes information on commuting patterns (that is, travel time to and place of work) as well as labor force, employment, and unemployment patterns. Finally, in addition to tables and maps on income and poverty, Chapter 7 now also includes data on income-to-poverty ratios, which measure how closely Appalachian residents' incomes compare to the federal poverty threshold. The chartbook also includes two reference maps--one of the five Appalachian subregions and one of the five rural-urban county types. Both the subregions and county types are referenced throughout the report. [For the 2011-2015 Chartbook, see ED580141.]

This study examines state- and county-level data on population, age, race and ethnicity, housing occupancy and housing tenure, education, labor force, employment and unemployment, income and poverty, health insurance coverage, disability status, migration patterns, and veteran status from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey (ACS) for the 13 Appalachian states. Information is summarized for five Appalachian subregions and five metro designations. The study includes ACS data topics that were in the 2010 decennial census, as well as others that are no longer available in the census, to provide a comparable time series of data for all counties in Appalachia. The report compares two non-overlapping five-year periods and allows for the study of trends in the data. [For the 2010-2014 edition, see ED580140.]

This study examines state- and county-level data on population, age, race and ethnicity, housing occupancy and housing tenure, education, labor force, employment and unemployment, income and poverty, health insurance coverage, disability status, migration patterns, and veteran status from the 2010-2014 American Community Survey (ACS) for the 13 Appalachian states. Information is summarized for five Appalachian subregions and five metro designations. The study includes ACS data topics that were in the 2010 decennial census, as well as others that are no longer available in the census, to provide a comparable time series of data for all counties in Appalachia. For the first time, this report compares two non-overlapping five-year periods and allows for the study of trends in the data.

In the 1980s the outmigration from rural areas of young and well educated adults was prompted by the decline of rural industries and the resultant economic stress. This paper examines the issue of selective migration during the 1980s by comparing young people who left their hometown to those who stayed behind. Longitudinal survey data collected in the High School and Beyond datafile (1980-86) are used to analyze the individual and community level factors affecting the probability of migration from a hometown. Of the rural youth who were seniors in 1980, 40% had moved at least 50 miles from their hometown by 1986 and had gained advantages in education, income, and occupational status. Comparison of data between these migrants and those who did not migrate indicate that migrants: (1) continued their formal education at a higher rate than nonmigrants (77% compared to 54%), with 30% completing a four-year college program (compared to 10% of nonmigrants); (2) held professional or managerial jobs at a higher rate than nonmigrants (38% compared to 15%); (3) earned about 10% more than nonmigrants; (4) came from homes with better educated parents (64% compared to 46%); (5) had taken college preparatory classes (45% compared to 23%), and (6) had taken either the SAT or ACT (73% compared to 45%). Separate logistic regression analysis of community factors indicate: (1) youth in the rural Midwest and West are more likely to migrate than those in the South and Northeast; (2) higher average per capita income in the home county decreased the probability of migration; (3) higher high school expenditures per student increased migration probability; and (4) the greater the distance of the nearest four-year college, the more probable was eventual migration. Includes 17 references and 12 data tables. (ALL)

The deterioration of industries in rural America in the 1980s has placed rural youth in a difficult situation. Those who remain in rural areas face a scarcity of good jobs, while those who leave face competition for employment against better-educated metropolitan youth. A study was conducted to: (1) examine the educational experiences of both metro and nonmetro youth by their senior year in 1980; (2) analyze what had happened to these same seniors six years later in terms of education, income, and occupational status; and (3) determine the impact of migration on the senior class of 1980. Using the data file of the High School and Beyond survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, the study determined that metropolitan youth had several advantages over nonmetropolitan youth by their senior year in high school. The 1980 data show that metro seniors were more likely to (1) have well-educated parents; (2) have taken a curriculum that better prepared them for college; and (3) score higher on tests of cognitive skills. Follow-up data from 1986 show that metro seniors tended to: (1) continue formal education; (2) have higher incomes and earnings; and (3) be more likely to work in white-collar jobs than nonmetro seniors. The difference in occupational status was evident at nearly all levels of education. Rural youth have diminished opportunities which have often made a successful transition to adulthood more difficult. Data tables are included in the appendix. (ALL)