SBRC Counties Economic Designation

SBRC COUNTIES ECONOMIC DESIGNATION

The SBRC is required to assess its region’s economic and demographic distress level annually and to classify counties’ distress levels. This map depicts the economic status of the SBRC’s counties using the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) national index-based economic classification system. The system compares each county to national averages of the three-year average unemployment rates, per capita market income, and poverty rates. Based on their comparative ranking, each county is classified within one of ARC’s five economic statuses designations-distressed, at risk, transitional, competitive, or attainment.

This framework was used to extract comparable data for the SBRC’s statutory service area, cross-referenced with the Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Local Area Personal Income. Outmigration was calculated using the percent change in total population from 2010 to the 2020 Census at the county levels. Because the SBRC’s authorizing statute only designates three classification levels– distressed, transitional, and attainment – the comparative economic classification range has been adjusted so that each one of the SBRC counties has been designated one of these three statuses. The designations are defined as follows.

SBRC Designations

The SBRC is required to assess its region’s economic and demographic distress level annually and to classify counties’ distress levels.

Distressed counties

Counties that are the most severely and persistently economically distressed and underdeveloped and have high rates of poverty, unemployment, or outmigration. They rank in the worst 25% of the nation’s counties. The SBRC can fund up to 80 percent of the costs of a project in distressed counties. The SBRC must also allocate 50% of its total appropriations to projects in counties falling within this designation.

Transitional counties

Counties that are economically distressed and underdeveloped or have recently suffered high rates of poverty, unemployment, or outmigration. Transitional counties rank between the worst 25% and the best 25% of the national counties. The SBRC can fund up to 50 percent of the costs of a project in transitional counties.

Attainment counties

Counties not designated as distressed or transitional counties. Counties ranking in the top 25% of the national counties. The SBRC is not allowed to fund projects within an attainment county unless the project is within a designated ‘isolated area of distress.

Counties Classification by State

State of Arizona
Counties classified as Distressed: Gila, Graham, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Yuma. (5)
Counties classified as Transitional: Cochise, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal (5)
Counties classified as Attainment: (0)
State of California
Counties classified as Distressed: Imperial (1)
Counties classified as Transitional: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, (4)
Counties classified as Attainment: Orange, Ventura. (2)
State of New Mexico
Counties classified as Distressed: Catron, Chaves, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Otero, Luna, Sierra, Socorro. (9)
Counties classified as Transitional: Eddy, Lincoln (2)
Counties classified as Attainment: (0)
State of Texas
Counties classified as Distressed: Bee, Brook, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, El Paso, Frio, Hidalgo, Hudspeth, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kinney, Kleberg, Maverick, Pecos, Presidio, Real, Starr, Webb, Willacy, Zapata, & Zavala (22)

Counties classified as Transitional: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Brewster, Coke, Concho, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Ector, Jeff Davis, Karnes, Kerr, Kimble, La Salle, Live Oak, Medina, Menard, Nueces, Reagan, Reeves, San Patricio, Schleicher, Sutton, Tom Green, Upton, Uvalde Val Verde, Ward, Winkler (30)

Counties classified as Attainment: Edwards, Gillespie, Glasscock, Irion, Kendall, Kenedy, Loving, McMullen, Mason, Midland, Sterling, Terrell, Wilson (13)

Counties & Demographics

SBRC’s ninety-three counties, thirty-seven qualify as Distressed Counties, forty-one qualify as Transitional Counties, and fifteen qualify as Attainment Counties. Approximately 3.7 million people in the SBRC live in Distressed Counties. These counties have 11% of the commission’s total population but represent over double, 24%, of the commission’s population living in poverty. The majority of the commission’s population, 77%, reside in Transitional Counties, and Attainment Counties represent 12% of the commission’s population.

The commission’s average poverty rate of 18% is significantly higher than the national average of 12.6%. It represents an estimated 5 million people living in poverty. In addition, the commission’s unemployment rate is 6.5%, and the percentage of College Graduates is 31.8%, compared to the national average of 5.5% and 33.7%, respectively.

SBRC Counties Economic Designation