Eastern Kentucky Coalfield
County Population ( 2010 ) Unemployment Rate ( 2012-14 ) Per Capita Market Income ( 2014 ) Poverty Rate ( 2010-14 ) Status ( 2017 )
Bell 28,691 11.9% $ 14,644 32.7% Distressed
Boyd 49,542 8.6% $ 24,337 19.1% Transitional
Breathitt 13,878 13.7% $ 14,386 31.5% Distressed
Carter 27,720 12.0% $ 18,014 18.7% Distressed
Clay 21,730 13.3% $ 11,531 35.7% Distressed
Elliott 7,852 13.5% $ 10,529 39.6% Distressed
Floyd 39,451 11.7% $ 18,473 29.5% Distressed
Greenup 36,910 9.3% $ 23,879 18.0% Transitional
Harlan 29,278 15.4% $ 13,620 32.1% Distressed
Jackson 13,494 15.4% $ 13,496 31.7% Distressed
Johnson 23,356 10.1% $ 19,008 25.3% Distressed
Knott 16,346 13.5% $ 14,271 26.5% Distressed
Knox 31,883 11.9% $ 15,549 33.8% Distressed
Laurel 58,849 9.2% $ 21,051 23.3% At-Risk
Lawrence 15,860 10.5% $ 15,399 23.5% Distressed
Lee 7,887 11.7% $ 11,750 33.4% Distressed
Leslie 11,310 15.0% $ 15,357 23.9% Distressed
Letcher 24,519 14.2% $ 15,955 24.5% Distressed
Magoffin 13,333 16.3% $ 11,139 26.8% Distressed
Martin 12,929 9.4% $ 14,826 33.9% Distressed
Economy -- Appalachian Regional Commission
See also : List of Appalachian Regional Commission counties § Kentucky The Appalachian Regional Commission was formed in 1965 to aid economic development in the Appalachian region , which was lagging far behind the rest of the nation on most economic indicators . The Appalachian region currently defined by the Commission includes 420 counties in 13 states , including all counties in Kentucky 's Eastern Coalfield . The Commission gives each county one of five possible economic designations—distressed , at-risk , transitional , competitive , or attainment—with `` distressed '' counties being the most economically endangered and `` attainment '' counties being the most economically prosperous . These designations are based primarily on three indicators—three-year average unemployment rate , market income per capita , and poverty rate . [ 14 ] From 2012 to 2014 , `` Appalachian '' Kentucky—which includes all of the Eastern Coalfield and several counties in South Central Kentucky and a few in the eastern part of the Bluegrass region—had a three-year average unemployment rate of 9.8% , compared with 7.6% statewide and 7.2% nationwide . [ 14 ] In 2014 , Appalachian Kentucky had a per capita market income of $ 18,889 , compared with $ 28,332 statewide and $ 38,117 nationwide . From 2010 to 2014 , Appalachian Kentucky had an average poverty rate of 25.4% —the highest of any of the ARC regions— , compared to 18.9% statewide and 15.6% nationwide . Twenty-five Eastern Mountain Coal Field counties—Bell , Breathitt , Carter , Clay , Elliott , Floyd , Harlan , Jackson , Johnson , Knott , Knox , Lawrence , Lee , Leslie , Letcher , Magoffin , Martin , McCreary , Menifee , Morgan , Owsley , Powell , Rowan , Whitley , and Wolfe—were designated `` distressed , '' while four - Laurel , Montgomery , Perry , and Pike — were designated `` at-risk . '' Two Eastern Coalfield counties were designated `` transitional '' — Boyd and Greenup . No counties in the Eastern Coalfields region were given the `` attainment '' designation or were designated `` competitive . '' The following table illustrates the economic status of each county .
The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield is part of the Central Appalachian bituminous coalfield, including all or parts of 30 Kentucky counties and adjoining areas in Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. It covers an area from the Allegheny Mountains in the east across the Cumberland Plateau to the Pottsville Escarpment in the west. The region is known for its coal mining; most family farms in the region have disappeared since the introduction of surface mining in the 1940s and 1950s. The Daniel Boone National Forest is located on rough but beautiful terrain along and east of the Pottsville Escarpment. There are many natural arches and sandstone cliffs that are excellent for rock climbing and rappeling. The Red River Gorge, part of the National Forest, is known worldwide in rock climbing circles. The Sheltowee Trace Trail runs 420-430 km (260-270 mi) north and south, through the region. During the American Civil War most of this region leaned toward the Union due to its makeup at the time of mostly small farmers, but more than 2,000 men from this area formed the 5th. Kentucky Vol. Inf., known as the Army of Eastern Kentucky, under Gen. Humphrey Marshall, C.S.A. During the Great Depression, New Deal programs and the organizing of the United Mine Workers of America made many of the eastern counties Democratic. Eastern Kentucky has a rich musical heritage.