BENJAMIN SHULTZ AND CHARLYNN BURDUNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

GEOGRAPHY

SEDAAG NOVEMBER 25, 2008

The Southern Gentry: Re-Examining Patterns of Growth and

Change in the New South

Introduction

Patterns of nonmetropolitan growth and change Interdisciplinary research for past 3 decades

Major research emphasis Traditional economic base rooted in primary and

secondary sectors

New economic shifts Services, real estate, retail, entertainment, tourism

Introduction

Economic restructuring and natural amenities Natural amenities population/economic growth

“Quality of Life” migration Growth in nontraditional sectors

Heavy focus on “New West”Research on nonmetropolitan South

Demise of rural industrial base Disproportionate resources concentrated in suburbs Suburban growth leaving vast nonmetropolitan areas

behind Divide between inner city/rural areas and suburbs

Introduction

Goal of research What are the spatial relationships between growth

and natural amenities in the South? To what extent do nonmetropolitan places suffer at

the expense of the suburbs?

Study area: States must be part of “census South” and Have at least one county in Appalachian Regional

Commission

Methods

County-level data 853 total counties (ten independent VA cities)

Examine economic and demographic changes Growth Prosperity Economic Shifts Amenities

Methods and Data

Growth: US Census Bureau (1990-2005)

Population Domestic Migration Median Household Income Total Employment Total Number of People in Poverty

Prosperity: Various data sources

Poverty Rate Housing Problem Index Unemployment Rate H.S. Dropout

Methods and Data

Economic Shifts: Bureau Economic Analysis 2005

Percent Retail Percent Manufacturing Percent Farming Percent Government Percent Farming Percent Arts, Recreation, and Entertainment

Natural Amenity Index: ERS

Rescaled for Southeast

Amenities

Methods

16 total variablesK-Means cluster analysis

Non-Hierarchical Clustering Calinski and Harabasz Stop Rule Four Group Solution

Cluster trends Sunbelt Service (70 Counties) Southern Gentry (239 Counties) Equilibrium (396 Counties) Chronic Poverty (148 Counties)

Sunbelt Service

Southern Gentry

Equilibrium

Chronic Poverty

Discussion

Divide between nonmetropolitan and suburban places exists, but is concentrated

Not all growth is good People in poverty in Sunbelt Suburban jumped 62% High costs in desirable places potentially displacing

low-income people Internal polarization between rich and poor may be

masked by data Suburbs are more diverse than traditionally discussed

(i.e. increased Latino population growth)

Discussion

Many places are neither booming nor declining Steady growth Severe poverty and depopulation are concentrated Old race and class divisions still intact

Rise of small towns and accessible rural areas Transcends suburban vs. inner city/rural area divide

Natural amenities and growth Not as clear as in New West

Thank You!

Questions?