The Emergence of New Hispanic Settlement Patterns in Appalachia

Abstract

This article evaluates the emerging Hispanic population in Appalachia, which nearly tripled in size to 465,000 between 1980 and 2000. Using 1980, 1990, and 2000 census data, changes in the geographic distribution of Hispanics and in the economic characteristics of counties with growth in Hispanic population are assessed. Results suggest that high-growth counties are clustered in peripheral areas in the northern and southern subregions and are characterized by higher per capita income and greater economic viability than those areas with relatively low Hispanic population growth.

*I would like to thank the five anonymous reviewers and the editor, Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, for their insightful and constructive comments on previous versions of this article.

Key Words:

• Appalachia
• Hispanic
• migration
• population

Notes

*I would like to thank the five anonymous reviewers and the editor, Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, for their insightful and constructive comments on previous versions of this article.

^aPopulation for Appalachia is based on 2003 boundaries.

^b Gibson and Jung (2002).

^cAsian populations are Asian and Pacific Islander, calculated across years to maintain comparability.

^aThe total foreign born Hispanic population in Appalachia is 220,180; however, year of entry and place of birth, taken from Summary File 4 in U.S. Bureau of Census (2000) tabulations, use 213,396 foreign born because the number of foreign born in some Appalachian counties is so small that Hispanic totals are not reported for this subdivision of the population.

^aWorking age population, ages 15–59.

^bDesignation made in 1983.

Data source: U.S. Bureau of Census (2000).

^aThe total foreign-born Hispanic population in Appalachia is 220,180; however, year of entry and place of birth, taken from Summary File 4 in U.S. Bureau of Census (2000) tabulations, use 213,396 foreign-born because the number of foreign-born in some Appalachian counties is so small that the totals are not reported for this subdivision of the population.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Holly R. Barcus

An Assistant Professor