Maps
Interactive tableau geographical maps of America’s Black Belt Region
Provided by University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, these digital maps offer data analysis and data visualization to understand the “why” and “where” to the region’s community disparities. Data presented examines poverty by counties and race; those receiving disability benefits; educational attainment by race; access to healthy foods; and quality of life.
Persistent Poverty Counties (2000, 2005-2019)
Persistent poverty counties are defined as counties that maintained poverty rates of 20% or more for the past 30 years. Official poverty rates are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau each year and vary by household composition. For instance, the poverty line for a four-person family with one child was $27,131 in 2020. Poverty rates are determined at the national level and do not vary by region or metro/nonmetro areas (U.S. Census Bureau official website, “How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty,” accessed January 27, 2022.
Research has shown that where poverty rates are 20% or higher, residents may experience more acute systemic problems than in other areas with less high poverty rates (Dalaker, Joseph, “The 10-20-30 Provision: Defining Persistent Poverty Counties,” Congressional Research Service, February 24, 2021).
% Receiving Disability SSI (December 2020)
SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. The Social Security Administration administers this program, which pays monthly benefits to people with limited income who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. Unlike Social Security benefits, SSI benefits are not based on a recipient’s prior work experience and funding for the program comes from general funds, not taxes collected from FICA or SECA. (Social Security Administration official website, “Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Overview,” accessed January 27, 2022. Disability SSI represents benefits paid to people with low income or resources who are blind or disabled.
Sources: U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Office of Research, Evaluation and Statistics, “SSI Recipients by State and County,” December 2020; USDA, Economic Research Service, “2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes.” Last updated December 10, 2020.
Poverty Rate by Race (2015-2019)
Official poverty rates are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau each year and vary by household composition. For instance, the poverty line for a four-person family with one child was $27,131 in 2020. Poverty rates are determined at the national level and do not vary by region or metro/nonmetro areas (U.S. Census Bureau official website, “How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty,” accessed January 27, 2022.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year Estimates; USDA, Economic Research Service, “2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes.” December 10, 2020.
Predominately Black or African American Population Counties (2019)
Predominately Black or African American Population is defined as 25% or more of the population identifies as Black or African American race.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual County Resident Population Estimates by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019; USDA, Economic Research Service, “2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes.” Last Updated December 10, 2020.
Educational Attainment by Race, Age 25+ (2015-2019)
Educational attainment refers to the highest level of education someone has completed. It does not consider training programs, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training that an individual may have received. Higher educational attainment is associated with higher levels of income and lower levels of unemployment (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics official website, “Education pays,” last modified April 21, 2021, accessed January 27, 2022. Looking at the population age 25 and older can be useful because this population has generally completed postsecondary education.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2015-2019 ACS 5-Year Estimates; USDA, Economic Research Service, “2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes.” Last updated December 10, 2020.
Physical health not good >=14 days among adults aged >= 18 years (age adjusted) (2019)
Physical health not good >=14 days among adults aged >= 18 years (age adjusted) is the percentage of adults reporting recent poor physical health. In addition to measuring length of life, it is also important to consider people’s health-related quality of life. Studies have shown that counties where the population reports more unhealthy days were more likely to have higher poverty and unemployment, lower high school completion rates, and greater mortality and prevalence of disability (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, “Poor physical health days,” accessed January 27, 2022).
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data, 2020 release; USDA, Economic Research Service, “2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes.” Last updated December 10, 2020.
% Limited Access to Healthy Foods
Limited access to healthy foods estimates the percentage of the population that is low income and does not live close to a grocery store. Low income is defined as having an annual family income of less than or equal to 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold for the family size. Living close to a grocery store is defined differently in rural and nonrural areas; in rural areas, it means living less than 10 miles from a grocery store whereas in nonrural areas, it means less than 1 mile. There is strong evidence that food deserts are associated with adverse health outcomes, including weight gain and obesity, increased health care costs, and premature death as supermarkets traditionally provide healthier food than convenience stores (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, “Limited access to healthy foods,” accessed January 27, 2022).
Sources: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings, 2021; USDA, Economic Research Service, “2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes.” Last updated December 10, 2020.
Average daily density of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in micrograms per cubic meter of air (2016)
There is a well-documented relationship between poor health outcomes and elevated air pollution, especially fine particulate matter. Health issues related to ambient air pollution include decreased lung function, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other negative pulmonary effects. Long-term exposure, even at levels below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, increases the risk of premature death among people age 65 or older (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, “Air pollution-particulate matter,” accessed January 27, 2022).
The EPA sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards for six principal pollutants, including Particulate Pollution (PM2.5). The short-term standard (24-hour or daily average) is 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3). An area meets the 24-hour standard if the 98th percentile of 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations in one year, averaged over three years, is less than or equal to 35 µg/m3.