This chartbook is the 14th version to be produced for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB). The Chartbook describes the diversity of the Appalachian Region on a host of demographic and economic measures and provides an important annual view of the area and its people. The data contained in the…

Neighborhoods matter for youth; yet, most literature focuses on neighborhood deficits rather than strengths. To understand how best to capture neighborhoods, this study used census- and perception-based measures of neighborhood characteristics as suggested by social disorganization and pluralistic neighborhood theories, respectively, to determine…

Small towns are often depicted as places with many interpersonal relationships and generalized trust, or high social capital. Social capital is a resource which towns can use to solve problems and improve the local quality of life. In this paper, I determined if social capital and civic engagements have declined in small towns in the U.S. Midwest…

The purpose of this research was to explore and explain the role housing plays in rural community vitality. Community vitality refers to economic strength and social well-being. In spring 2002 we collected primary interview data from informants in 134 small rural communities in nine north-central states and identified related secondary data from…

This brief report describes data available from the Census Bureau for counties, cities, and county subdivisions (such as townships) in the United States. The principal focus is on small communities. Statistical information published only for metropolitan areas or large cities is not discussed in this document. The document describes the census and…

Utilizing 1970 census data and updates plus local data and library records, the study seeks to assess the current status of public library usage in and around Aberdeen, South Dakota. A demographic profile of the community as a whole was first constructed and then compared with similar data for known public library users. Information was also…

Those who are poor and reside in the rural pockets of poverty are at a cumulative disadvantage in United States society. Low educational levels, poor health, lack of competitive job skills, and a mindset restricted by poverty give little hope for mobility--especially in communities devoid of opportunity and supportive services. (JHZ)

Menominee Indian Reservation became a county after the 1960 Census of Population; therefore, data for the county as a unit were distributed throughout the census publication and appeared as civil division tabulation. This 1963 report attempts to compile these data, as well as data from previous census publications, and present them in easily…

Examining census data on each of 3,100 U.S. counties for 1950, 1960, and 1970, the amount of net migration was analyzed in terms of general urban to rural migration, migration and Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) adjacency, 26 rural county subregions, and the kinds of county characteristics associated with population change. Results…