The State of the SouthJune 29, 2012

Richard HartCommunications Director, MDC

Median IncomeThe South and US: 1990 to 2010

Source: US Census BureauNote: In 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars

20102008

20062004

20022000

19981996

19941992

19901988

19861984

19821980

19781976

1974

$17,000

$19,000

$21,000

$23,000

$25,000

$27,000

$29,000

US South

19801982

19841986

19881990

19921994

19961998

20002002

20042006

20082010

10%

11%

12%

13%

14%

15%

16%

17%

18%

19%

20%

SouthUS

Share of Persons Below the Poverty Level

South and United States: 1980 to 2010

Source: Current Population Survey

Percent Change in Resident Population: 2000 to 2010

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census

Overall Performance: Recession and Recovery

Source: Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program

2008 Election Results by State

Source: The New York Times

2008 Election Results by County

Source: The New York Times

A Shifting Electorate

The New York Times Source: The New York Times

Population by Race/Ethnicity and Age Group South Region, 2009

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2009

Source: MDC tabulation of data from the Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau

Aging AnglosMedian Age of State Population by Race and Ethnic Group,

2008

© MDC, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Latino GrowthChange in Population, 2000-2006/8

Source: MDC tabulation of American Community Survey Data, 2000 and 2006-8

Metros Advance, Rural Grows SlowlyIncrease in Jobs in the South, 1987-2008

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

ItalyMexico

PortugalArkansasLouisiana

GreeceWest Virginia

PolandTexas

TennesseeMississippi

AlabamaKentuckyGeorgia

OECD averageSouth Carolina

SwitzerlandFlorida

North CarolinaNetherlands

United KingdomSpain

FinlandSweden

DenmarkUnited States

AustraliaBelgium

FranceVirginiaNorwayIreland

New ZealandJapanKorea

Canada

18.919.5

21.425.9

28.128.128.2

30.030.731.331.731.832.2

34.034.234.435.035.336.036.737.1

38.939.340.040.140.440.741.341.442.442.7

43.947.3

53.755.555.8

Percentage of Young-Adult Degree Attainment*

*Ages 25-34 with at least a two-year degree

Sources: OECD and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

Note: OECD country-level data is for 2008, while ACS state-level data is for 2009.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

Percentage of Population 25 and Over with an Associate Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity, 2009

Alabam

a

Arkan

sas

Florida

Georg

ia

Kentu

cky

Louis

iana

Miss

issipp

i

North

Car

olina

South

Car

olina

Tenne

ssee

Texas

Virgini

a

Wes

t Virg

inia

United

Sta

tes

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2010 Average Unemployment Status by Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity

Total White Black or African American Hispanic or LatinoSource: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment Level, 25-64 Years Old

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey

May 2011 May 2012 Over-the-year change

AL 9.3 7.4 -1.9AR 8.1 7.3 -0.8FL 10.6 8.6 -2GA 9.8 8.9 -0.9KY 9.6 8.2 -1.4LA 7.4 7.2 -0.2MS 10.7 8.7 -2NC 10.5 9.4 -1.1SC 10.4 9.1 -1.3TN 9.4 7.9 -1.5TX 8.1 6.9 -1.2VA 6.2 5.6 -0.6WV 7.9 6.9 -1US 9 8.2 -0.8

Unemployment Rate, Seasonally Adjusted

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics

NC Jobs Deficit Continues to GrowJobs needed to return to pre-recession

employment levels and keep up with population growth

May 2008 May 2009 May 2010 May 2011 May 2012

50,344

353,063

500,068518,598

555,357

Source: The North Carolina Justice Center and the NC Division of Employment Security

A Postsecondary Peek at 2018Share of Total Jobs Within State Requiring Postsecondary

Education in 2018

Source: Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce

307 West Main StreetDurham, NC 27701-3215

Phone: 919.381.5802Fax: 919.381.5805

www.mdcinc.org