The Alarming Depopulation of Appalachia's Coalfields: A Quarter Century of Projected Decline

The Alarming Depopulation of Appalachia's Coalfields: A Quarter Century of Projected Decline

By 2050, entire counties across Appalachia face the loss of nearly half their populations in what demographers describe as an accelerating demographic collapse unprecedented in American peacetime history. The demographic projections paint a devastating picture for the Appalachian coalfields. According to data from three major state universities, Central Appalachia faces population losses that rival the depopulation seen in war-torn regions or ec…