Low Employment Counties

Low employment counties are those where less than 63 percent of residents ages 25 to 54 were employed in the 2018–22 5-year ACS.Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas are based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 2023 delineation of core based statistical areas.

Low Education Counties

Low education counties are those where at least 57 percent of residents ages 25 to 64 did not have any post-secondary education in the 2018–22 5-year American Community Survey (ACS). Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas are based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 2023 delineation of core based statistical areas.

Non-Specialized Counties

Non-specialized counties are those that did not have a high concentration of earnings or jobs in any one of farming, mining, manufacturing, or Federal and State Government and did not have a high concentration of economic activity (as measured using a weighted index) in recreation. Metropolitan and non metropolitan areas are based on the U.S….

Recreation Dependent Counties

Recreation dependent counties are determined by a weighted z-score of the factors listed was at least two-thirds of a standard deviation above the nonmetro mean (greater than or equal to 0.67) for: 1. Jobs in arts, entertainment, and recreation, accommodation and food services, and real estate and rental and leasing over the 3-year average of…

Government Dependent Counties

Government dependent counties are those where at least 13 percent of the county’s annual average earnings came from Federal and State Government or at least 8 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county came from Federal and State Government over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022. Federal earnings and…

Mining Dependent Counties

Mining dependent counties are those where at least 11 percent of the county’s annual average earnings came from mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction or at least 7 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county were in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction over the 3-year average of 2019,…

Farming Dependent Counties

Farming dependent counties are those where at least 20 percent of the county’s annual average labor and proprietors’ earnings came from farming or at least 17 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county were derived from farming over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022.