Spotlight on the South
A Demographic and Socioeconomic
Profile of the Region
Bo Beaulieu, Southern Rural Development Center
Outline of Presentation
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Population characteristics
Family structure
Poverty status
Residential mobility patterns
Economic features
Educational status
The so whats !!
Examining Population
Changes
Population Changes,
1990-2000
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U.S. grew by 32.7 million
persons, or 13.2%
Largest numerical increase in
history
West region grew at the fastest
rate (19.7%), followed by the
South (17.3%)
The U.S. South has largest
number of people, over 100
million persons
36% of the U.S. population now
live in the South
Population Change Varies by
State
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For the first time in the 20th century, all
U.S. states gained population
Nevada grew at the fastest pace : 66%
North Dakota grew the slowest: 0.5%
U.S. : 13.2%
Population Features of the
Southern Region
Population of the Southern Region by Race &
Ethnicity, 1990-2000
1990
Group
Number
2000
%
Number
%
Overall
77,597,917
White
59,779,737
77.0 66,929,689
72.9
12.0
Black
14,056,860
18.1 16,871,897
18.4
20.0
6,486,848
8.4 11,230,931
12.2
73.1
Hispanic
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
100.0 91,776,331 100.0
Percent
Change
’90-’00
18.3
Sources of Population Change
by Race, 1990-2000
White
Black
Other
29.7%
50.4%
19.9%
Population Change in Metro and
Nonmetro Areas of the South by
Race, 1990-2000
Metro
Nonmetro
73.1 73
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
24.1
20.5
12.1
10
0
Overall
12.9
9.5
White
9.3
Black
Hispanic
Distribution of Population by Age
in the South, 1990-2000
Under 5
15 to 17
18 to 64
65 and over
2000 6.8
18.7
62
12.4
1990 7.3
18.7
61.5
12.6
0%
20%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
40%
60%
80%
100%
Population Profile of the South by
by Age, 1990 & 2000
Year
Age Group
Under 5
1990
6,268,462
619,176
5 to 17
14,482,120 17,188,916
2,706,796
18-64
47,706,392 56,931,860
9,225,468
9,760,119 11,387,093
1,626,974
65 and over
Total
5,649,286
2000
Numerical
Change
77,597,917 91,776,331 14,178,414
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Percent Change in Population by Age
Groupings, 1990-2000
16.7
65 and over
18 to 64
19.3
18.7
5 to 17
11.0
Under 5
0.0
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
Percentage Growth Within Various Age
Groupings in Metro & Nonmetro Areas of
the South,1990-2000
Metro
Nonmetro
25
23.7
20
20.7
15
10
5
0
19.6
15.4
13.1
10.1
4.7
6
Under 5
5-17
18-64
65+
The Changing Structure of
the Family
Structure of Family Households with Children
Under 18 Years Old, 1990 & 2000
Family
Household
Type
Married couple
households
Male only headed
households
Female only
headed households
1990
No.
7,705,287
382,120
1,941,463
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
2000
%
No.
76.8 8,806,122
%
%
Change
69.3
14.3
812,020
6.4
112.5
19.4 3,080,934
24.3
58.7
3.8
Family Structure of Metro and
Nonmetro Families With Kids Under
18 in the South, 1990 and 2000
Married Couple
Male headed
100%
18.4
19.7
3.9
3.9
80%
Female headed
24.3
24.2
6.5
6.3
60%
40%
76.4
77.9
Metro
Nonmetro
69.4
69.3
Metro
Nonmetro
20%
0%
1990
2000
Shifts in Family Structure in the
South’s Metro and Nonmetro Areas,
1990-2000
Metro
Nonmetro
54.2
60.2
Female Headed
108.5
113.9
Male Headed
4.5
Married Couple
29.9
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Structure of Family Households with
Children Under 18 in 2000,
by Race and Ethnicity
Married Couple
74.4
Hispanic
Black
45.3
20%
6.9
40%
Single Female Headed
6.8
18.7
47.8
78.7
White
0%
Single Male Headed
5.6
60%
80%
15.7
100%
Poverty Status of
Individuals
Percent of Population Below Poverty
by Race and Ethnicity, 1990 & 2000
1990
35
2000
33.3
30
26.4
25
28.4
23.1
20
15
10
16.1
12.4
11.5
10.4
5
0
Overall
White
Black
Hispanic
Number of Persons in Poverty,
1990 & 2000
Year
Group
1990
2000
Numerical
Change
White
6,715,377
6,811,078
95,701
Black
4,489,669
4,247,753
-241,916
Hispanic
1,807,293
2,533,139
725,846
12,182,404 12,635,394
452,990
Overall
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Poverty Shifts in Metro and Nonmetro
Areas of the South, 1990-2000
Metropolitan
Nonmetropolitan
Group
Number
Overall
730,357
9.3 - 277,367
- 6.5
White
265,815
6.4 - 170,114
- 6.7
Black
- 40,522
- 1.4 - 201,394
- 13.3
Hispanic
631,023
42.2
Percent
Number
94,823
Percent
30.2
Residential Mobility
Patterns
Mobility Pattern of the Southern Region’s
Population 5 and Over, 1990-2000
Year
Residential
Location
1990
No.
Change
2000
%
No.
%
No.
%
Overall
population 5 +
71,948,631
100
88,507,869
100
13,559,238
18.8
Same house as 5
years ago
37,011,510
51.4
44,501,336
52.0
7,489,826
20.2
Different house,
same county
18,128,508
25.2
20,727,263
24.2
2,598,755
14.3
Different house
and county, same
state
7,385,031
10.3
9,226,972
10.8
1,841,941
24.9
Different state
8,238,849
11.5
8,732,079
10.2
493,230
6.0
Different country
1,184,733
1.6
2,320,219
2.7
1,135,486
95.8
Mobility Patterns in Metro &
Nonmetro Areas, 1990 & 2000
Same house
Different state
Diff house/same co.
Different country
Diff co./same state
Nonmetro
Metro
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
1990
2000
1990
2000
Change in Residential Location by
Metro & Nonmetro Areas, 1990-2000
Residential
Location
Metro
Nonmetro
Number
Same house
6,159,081
24.1 1,330,745
Diff. House
same county
2,397,696
17.4
201,059
4.6
Diff. County,
same state
1,286,611
23.7
555,330
28.2
Different state
307,497
4.5
185,733
12.7
Different
country
974,493
91.3
160,993
136.8
%
Change
Number
%
Change
11.6
The Economic
Features of the Region
Type of Industries
Classified by Each Sector
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Goods Producing
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Farm
Agricultural
Services
Mining
Manufacturing
Construction
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Service Producing
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Transportation and
Public Utilities
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Finance, Insurance
and Real Estate
Services
Government and
Government
Enterprises
The Industrial Profile of Full and Part-Time
Jobs in the South,1990 and 2000
Goods Producing
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Service Producing
76.1
79.4
23.9
20.6
1990
Source: Regional Economic Information System (REIS)
2000
Proportion of New Full and Part-Time Jobs
Generated by Each Sector, 1990-2000
Service
Producing
91.6 %
8.4 %
Goods Producing
0
20
40
Source: Regional Economic Information System (REIS)
60
80
100
Commute to Work by Labor Force Living in
the South, 1990-2000
Year
Location of
Workforce
Employment
In the
workforce
1990
No.
Change
2000
%
No.
%
No.
%
35,172,336
100
41,038,702
100
5,866366
16.7
26,791,818
76.2
29,673,945
72.3
2,882,127
10.8
Work in state,
outside
county
7,344,257
20.9
10,130,210
24.7
2,785,943
37.9
Work outside
state of
residence
1,036,251
2.9
1,234,547
3.0
198,296
19.1
Work in
county of
residence
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Commute to Work by Metro &
Nonmetro Workforce, 1990 & 2000
County of Residence
State, outside county
Outside state
2000
Nonmetro
68
28.4
3.6
Metro
73.6
23.6
2.8
Nonmetro
73.6
22.9
3.2
1990
76.9
Metro
0%
20%
40%
20.2
60%
80%
2.9
100%
Place of Work of the Expanded
Workforce over the 1990-2000 Period
Metropolitan
Net new
workers
Work in county
of residence
Work in state,
outside county
Outside state
Nonmetropolitan
4,807,474
1,058,892
55.4 %
20.6 %
42.0 %
72.4 %
2.6 %
6.9 %
Educational Credentials of
the Region
Educational Attainment of Adults 25+ Years Old
in the South, 1990 & 2000
LT H.S.
H.S. Only
Some College
Assoc. Degree
Bachelors or Higher
5.7
2000
22.6
28.6
21.1
22.1
5.4
1990
0%
29.1
20%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
28.9
40%
18.4
60%
18.2
80%
100%
Changes in the Educational Status of
Adults 25 and Over, 1990-2000
Attainment Level
1990
2000
Numerical
Change
Percent
Change
Less than High
School
14,333,066 13,411,000
- 922,066
- 6.4
High School Only
14,201,700 16,969,652
2,767,952
19.3
Some College
9,055,343 12.484,416 3,429,073
37.9
Associate’s
Degree
2,635,482
718,226
27.3
Bachelor’s Degree
or higher
8,977,933 13,074,388 4,096,455
45.6
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
3,353,708
Educational Attainment of Adults 25 and
Over by Race and Ethnicity, 1990-2000
LT H.S.
100%
H.S. Only
90%
10
4.5
80%
15.8
13
5.1
27.5
50%
Bachelors or Higher
10.4
4.8
14.2
12.1
4.3
21
21.8
49.6
46.2
1990
2000
15.5
30.5
40%
30%
20%
10%
Assoc. Degree
20.8
70%
60%
Some College
42.2
30.6
0%
1990
2000
African Americans
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Hispanics
Educational Status of Metro and
Nonmetro Southerners,
1990 and 2000
LT HS
HS
Some college
Associates
Bachelors +
Nonmetro
2000
1990
Metro
2000
1990
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Educational Status of Metro &
Nonmetro Southerners by Race, 2000
LT HS
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
High School
15.1
5.7
Some College
6.9
3.5
15
22.8
33.8
Associates
13
4.6
16.1
Bachelors +
5.9
2.5
11
22.7
21.7
29.3
27.1
Metro Blacks
40.7
44.6
NM Blacks
Metro
Hispanics
57.8
NM Hispanics
What’s the RD Story?
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Dramatic rise in the influx of Latinos
into the region (+ 73% during the
decade). Rural communities will be
challenged to:
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Accept and embrace cultural differences
Expand bilingual language capacity in key service
areas (education, health services, public safety
services, etc.)
Address housing needs of this growing segment of
the population
What’s the Story?
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Healthy growth occurring in all age
groups. Impact on the rural
South?
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Strong demand will exist for the provision
of key services for youth and senior
citizens
Healthy growth of working age population
places increased pressure on rural areas to
focus on job generation strategies.
What’s the Story?
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Family structure continues to become
more complex
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Nonmetro areas no longer more likely to have
married couple families when contrasted with
metro areas (both around 69%).
Rapid growth of single-headed families will place
pressure for expanded family support systems to
be in place (child care, after school programs,
community recreation activities).
African American families at greatest risk with over
52 % of families with kids are headed by a single
parent.
What’s the Story?
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Poverty rates have improved during the 1990s,
but rates are now on the upswing
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About half of the growth in the South’s population
growth in the ’90s is linked to growth of minority
groups
These are the very groups at highest risk of falling
into poverty
These demographic groups will continue to be the
drivers of population growth in the region
What efforts must be developed to assist lowwealth individuals and families in the rural South?
What’s the Story?
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Sizable % increases in
the the in-migration of
individuals from
different counties in a
state, or from
different countries.
What is driving this
increase? What are
rural communities
doing to respond?
What’s the Story?
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Economy and Jobs:
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Traditional base of the nonmetro South’s economy
is declining, replaced by service producing sector
jobs. What are the pluses and minuses for rural
areas?
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Decline of basic industries
Job quality
Earnings
Benefits
Security
Need for new economic development strategies
beyond business/industry attraction approaches
What’s the Story?
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Economy and Jobs:
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Sizable outflow of nonmetro workers in the South
to work sites outside their county or state of
residence. Is this:
 A lifestyle preference or economic necessity?
Daily daily outflow of people to other areas is
likely to have negative impact on social capital
resources, civic engagement, family life, local
businesses.
Multi-county economic development planning
seems logical in light of the regional labor market
that appears to be in place.
What’s the Story?

Education has improved in the rural
South, but some RD challenges remain.
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Many individuals completing “some education”
beyond high school, but only a fraction of these
individuals are securing an associate’s degree.
The 42 percent growth in the number of persons
with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the rural South.
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linked to the economy of the region?
due to the net migration of individuals who possess better
human capital attributes?
Educational progress and expanded training targeted
to racial and ethnic minorities vital to the economic
health of the rural South.
Thank You ! !