Coal Mining and Population Loss in Appalachia

Abstract

Abstract Despite abundant natural resources, Appalachia struggles with both poverty and population loss. Previous literature has not fully explored the hypothesis that the extraction of natural resources is causally related to the subsequent decline in population, given the failure to include extractive industries, economics, and population loss in a single model. I also suggest theoretical reasons for the link between extractive industries and population loss. The theory is tested using data from the 2000 and 2010 Census across 410 Appalachian counties. I test for population change and economic decline in 2010 based on coal production in 2000, controlling for the county’s economic status in 2000, as well as for demographic variables. I find support for the hypothesis that counties with high levels of coal mining experience higher population loss.

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