Appalachia is made up of 423 counties across 13 states and spans 206,000 square miles, from Southern New York to Northern Mississippi. The region’s 26.4 million residents live in parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and all of West Virginia.
The region also comprises three federally recognized and five state recognized Native American tribal communities, with tribal entities in Appalachian Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New York and North Carolina.
Appalachia Then and Now
Since 1965, ARC has funded over 34,000 economic development projects and invested over $6 billion in Appalachia, which has been matched by over $12 billion in other federal, state and local funding sources.
While significant improvements have been made in key economic factors such as poverty, per capita income and high school graduation rates, Appalachia still lags behind the rest of the nation on a number of socioeconomic indicators. More work is needed to help Appalachia recover from economic disruptions, address the substance use disorder crisis, and attract additional private sector investment.
The Chartbook
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2018-2022 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 demographics, income, and employment, as well as education, computer access, housing and more—all presented at regional, subregional, state and county levels.
Appalachian States
The Appalachian Region consists of 13 states, from Southern New York to Northern Mississippi. Access contact information, research, data and more for each one.
Appalachian Counties Served by ARC
From Southern New York to Northern Mississippi, ARC’s footprint spans 423 counties across 13 states. Explore the full list of Appalachian counties.
Economic Distress in Appalachian Counties
Every year, ARC uses an index-based system to classify the economic status of all 423 Appalachian counties. These status designations show how local economies are trending over time and play a key role in ARC grantmaking.
Tribal Communities in Appalachia
ARC’s footprint comprises three federally recognized, and five state recognized, Native American tribal communities. Learn more about Appalachia’s tribal entities.
Congressional Districts in Appalachia
The Appalachian Region is represented by 26 U.S. Senators and 61 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Learn more about Appalachia’s congressional districts.
Local Development Districts in Appalachia
Local development districts (LDDs) — also known as area development districts (ADDs), council of governments (COGs), or regional planning and development commissions — are multi-county planning organizations that facilitate community-based, regionally driven economic development. There are 74 LDDs in the Appalachian Region.
