Economy Eastern Kentucky Coalfield

the appalachian regional commission formed in 1965 aid economic development in appalachian region, lagging far behind rest of nation on economic indicators. appalachian region defined commission includes 420 counties in 13 states, including counties in kentucky s eastern coalfield. commission gives each county 1 of 5 possible economic designations—distressed, at-risk, transitional, competitive, or attainment—with distressed counties being economically endangered , attainment counties being economically prosperous. these designations based on 3 indicators—three-year average unemployment rate, market income per capita, , poverty rate.

from 2012 2014, appalachian kentucky—which includes of eastern coalfield , several counties in south central kentucky , few in eastern part of bluegrass region—had three-year average unemployment rate of 9.8%, compared 7.6% statewide , 7.2% nationwide. in 2014, appalachian kentucky had per capita market income of $18,889, compared $28,332 statewide , $38,117 nationwide. 2010 2014, appalachian kentucky had average poverty rate of 25.4%—the highest of of arc regions—, compared 18.9% statewide , 15.6% nationwide. twenty-five eastern mountain coal field counties—bell, breathitt, carter, clay, elliott, floyd, harlan, jackson, johnson, knott, knox, lawrence, lee, leslie, letcher, magoffin, martin, mccreary, menifee, morgan, owsley, powell, rowan, whitley, , wolfe—were designated distressed, while 4 - laurel, montgomery, perry, , pike — designated at-risk. 2 eastern coalfield counties designated transitional — boyd , greenup. no counties in eastern coalfields region given attainment designation or designated competitive.

the following table illustrates economic status of each county.