ARC: Most NWGA. counties struggle to compete

Two counties in the Northwest Georgia area have improved since last year in the annual economic status rankings released last week by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

One fell to the lowest category and the rest, including Floyd, remain in transition.

The ARC analysis compares each of its 423 counties with national averages for unemployment rates, per capita income and poverty rates over the previous threeyear period.

The federal agency’s goal is to bring Appalachia — a swath along the mountain range, stretching from southern New York to northern Mississippi — to socioeconomic parity with the rest of the country. The annual designations track progress and govern grant awards.

Cherokee County, Georgia, attained parity, one of just four in the ARC to hold that status for fiscal year 2023. It won’t be getting grants from the agency.

Paulding County went from transitional to competitive status, the ranking Cherokee held in FY 2022. That means the maximum ARC share is 30% for any projects funded in the county.

Floyd and most of the other counties in Northwest Georgia are ranked as transitional, eligible for a 50% match from ARC on projects aimed at boosting their economic competitiveness.

However, Polk and Murray counties remain at risk — and Chattooga County’s designation fell to the lowest category: Distressed.

Chattooga is the only ARC county in Georgia labeled as distressed and would be eligible for an 80% match from the agency.

The classification is applied to areas with a median income of no more than 67% of the U.S. average and a poverty rate of 150% or more of the national average.

For transitional and at-risk counties, the ARC also looks at areas that are considered distressed. In Polk, that’s about half the county — east of Cedartown to include Rockmart and Aragon. At-risk counties are eligible for project matches of up to 70%.