Socioeconomic and Housing Trends in Central Appalachia

Abstract

This report evaluates demographic, economic, and housing conditions in the Appalachian region of four states (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) to determine the impact of socioeconomic development on housing needs in the region.  The findings testify to the diversity of the region.  There is a clear distinction between the core and periphery of the region. Findings reveal an economically depressed core area with only modest population growth—net out-migration is evident in most core counties with only slight growth in total households.  The periphery, particularly in the south and east, is defined by significant economic and employment growth and subsequent population growth. The economies of the periphery are heavily reliant on services and trade, as well as on occasion manufacturing.   The economies of the core are heavily dependent on government and transfer payments.   The stereotypical image of a depressed and backward Appalachia is largely an image of the past.