A new report said the Appalachian region is experiencing decreased unemployment and higher homeownership but still lags behind the rest of the United States in population and income growth.
The report from the Appalachian Regional Commission looked at key economic improvements and vulnerabilities across Appalachia compared to the rest of the country. Analysts took information from the American Community Survey and comparable 2023 Census Population Estimates and focused on some 300,000 data points to compare the Appalachian regional, sub regional and state data as it relates to the rest of the country. The 15th annual version of the report found while the area is experiencing an increase in labor force participation, it still lags behind the United States in some areas including post-secondary education achievement
According to the report, the region has experienced a decrease in unemployment rates and higher labor force participation. Notedly, the Appalachian region’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.8 percent, slightly outpacing the national increase of 1.2 percent. Additionally, the region saw homeownership rates 6.7 percent higher than in the U.S. overall, but housing unit vacancy was 3.4 percent higher than the national average. And the number of households where the housing costs were 30 percent or more of monthly income was 6.7 percent lower than the U.S. average, but the housing cost burden is highest among the youngest and oldest renters.
“While Appalachia continues to make progress toward reaching economic parity with the rest of the country, it’s important to recognize there is still work to be done,” ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin said. “ARC will continue to partner on the local, state, and federal levels to prioritize the future of Appalachia’s 13 states and remains committed to ensuring Appalachians have access to the education, job training and infrastructure they need for prosperous lives in the places they love.”
The study found that Appalachia lags in several other key areas. While its population is growing, it is growing at a slower rate than the nation, the report said. And the population is 2.2 years older than the U.S. population. One in five Appalachian residents are 65 or older.