The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2020-2024 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.
Dive into all data through the snapshots below, learn how rural Appalachia compares to the rest of rural America, and see how Appalachian counties compare to one another based on their economic status designations.
Data Snapshots
Population and Age in Appalachia
Appalachia’s population is 26,785,329 residents and the median age of the region is 41.2 years old.
Education in Appalachia
90.2% of Appalachian adults ages 25-64 have earned a high school diploma, while 29.5% hold a bachelor’s degree.
Employment and Commuting in Appalachia
96% of Appalachia’s labor force is employed. This is slightly above the U.S. rate.
Income and Poverty in Appalachia
Appalachia’s median household income is $66,555 which is 82% of the U.S. figure.
Computer and Broadband Access in Appalachia
93% of Appalachian households have access to a computer, smartphone or other device, while only 88% of Appalachian households have a broadband subscription.
A Data Overview of the Appalachian Region
This study examines state- and county-level data for Appalachia’s 13 states from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (ACS) and from U.S. Census Bureau population estimates on topics including population, age, race and ethnicity, education, labor force, employment and unemployment, income and poverty, and more.
Comparing Rural Appalachia to Rural America
Rural counties are found in each of Appalachia’s 13 states, with the exception of Maryland and South Carolina. See how Appalachian counties stack up against the rest of the nation’s rural counties.
Comparing Appalachian Counties by Economic Status
Every year, ARC applies an index-based classification system to compare each county in Appalachia with national averages to understand how counties are performing. This results in the county being assignment one of five economic status designations. The Chartbook compares each designation in select demographic and socioeconomic measures.
