Income Convergence and Growth in Alabama: Evidence from Sub-county Level Data

Abstract

1980 and 2000 Census Block Group (CBG) data were used to examine income convergence in all Alabama counties vis-à-vis Alabama’s Black Belt and Northwest regions. Though all three models demonstrated conditional income convergence, CBGs with smaller initial populations, smaller changes in African-American or dependent age populations had higher income changes.Alabama, African-Americans, Black Belt, Census Block Groups, Income Convergence, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,