Typology

Non-specialized counties are those that did not have a high concentration of earnings or jobs in any one of farming, mining, manufacturing, or Federal and State Government and did not have a high concentration of economic activity (as measured using a weighted index) in recreation. Metropolitan and non metropolitan areas are based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 2023 delineation of core based statistical areas.

Recreation dependent counties are determined by a weighted z-score of the factors listed was at least two-thirds of a standard deviation above the nonmetro mean (greater than or equal to 0.67) for: 1. Jobs in arts, entertainment, and recreation, accommodation and food services, and real estate and rental and leasing over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022; 2. Earnings in in arts, entertainment, and recreation, accommodation and food services, and real estate and rental and leasing over the three-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022; and 3. the percentage of vacant housing units for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use reported in the 2020 Decennial Census.

Mining dependent counties are those where at least 11 percent of the county’s annual average earnings came from mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction or at least 7 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county were in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022.

Manufacturing dependent counties are those where at least 25 percent of the county’s annual average earnings came from manufacturing or at least 17 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county were in manufacturing over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022.

Government dependent counties are those where at least 13 percent of the county’s annual average earnings came from Federal and State Government or at least 8 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county came from Federal and State Government over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022. Federal earnings and jobs include (but are not limited to) those of civilian military, national park, and Federal correctional facility employees. State earnings and jobs include (but are not limited to) those of public State university, State correctional facility, and State legislature employees.

Farming dependent counties are those where at least 20 percent of the county’s annual average labor and proprietors’ earnings came from farming or at least 17 percent of the annual average number of jobs in the county were derived from farming over the 3-year average of 2019, 2021, and 2022.

Manufacturing dependent counties are those where 23% or more of the county’s average annual labor and proprietors’ earning were derived from manufacturing, or 16% or more of jobs were in manufacturing, as measured by 2010-12 Bureau of Economic Analysis, Local Area Personal Income and Employment data.

Government dependent counties are those where 14% or more of the county’s average annual labor and proprietors’ earning were derived from federal or state government, or 9% or more of jobs were in federal or state government, as measured by 2010-12 Bureau of Economic Analysis, Local Area Personal Income and Employment data.

Recreation dependent counties are determined by a weighted index of three measures: 1. Jobs; 2. Earnings in the following: entertainment, recreation, accommodations, eating/drinking places, and real estate; and 3. the share of vacant housing units intended for seasonal/occasional use. Recreation counties are those with a score of more than one deviation above the mean. Sourse: USDA, Economic Research Service using data from Bureau of Economic Analysis and U.S. Census Bureau

Non-specialized counties are those that did not meet the economic dependence threshold for any other type, as measured by 2010-12 Bureau of Economic Analysis, Local Area Personal Income and Employment data.