Southern Regional Data

The table below includes data on measures of equity and growth for metros in the Southern Region. Benner and Pastor examined changes in two measures of equity (the 80/20 household income and the poverty rate) and two measures of growth (change in employment and change in earnings per job) between 1979 and 2010, as well as two endpoint measures of the level of equity and growth in 2010 (the Gini coefficient and median household income, respectively).

The change metrics for the two measures of equity and two measures of growth were calculated over four time periods: 1979-2010 as well as each of the three decades in between. The result was 16 difference metrics of change for each metro (four measures times four time periods)—eight for equity and eight for growth. Each metro was compared with other metros falling in the Southern Region under each of eight metrics for change in equity and eight for growth and the results were used to form a composite Equity Index and Growth Index, respectively. (Note that while used to develop the Equity Index and Growth Index, data points for 1989 and 1999 are not included in the table.)
For details on the data sources and methodology used, see Appendix B and Chapter 3 of Equity, Growth, and Community.

Metropolitan Region1979
80-20 ratio
1979
Poverty
1979
Jobs (000s)
1979
Earnings Per Job - 2010
2010
80-20 ratio
2010
Poverty
2010
Jobs (000s)
2010
Earnings Per Job - 2010
Equity Index
Value
Equity Index
Rank
Growth Index
Value
Growth Index
Rank
2010
Gini
2010
Median Income -2010
South average (unweighted)53.70.153203992754.90.1760146443097-0.0110050.745364
Amarillo, TX4.040.1100422244.320.1615343441-0.36155-0.561560.4446390
Asheville, NC4.040.14135348954.350.16235379530.0691-0.311300.4442168
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA4.380.131268433504.740.15304952789-0.111140.64320.4653182
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC4.40.17182388005.10.229244584-0.14118-0.261230.4644477
Austin-Round Rock, TX4.80.15308382774.70.161077504290.67161.7110.4655744
Baltimore-Towson, MD4.280.121139446774.570.111649584970.2856-0.05970.4564812
Baton Rouge, LA5.380.17268453715.190.16477477790.846-0.321330.4648294
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX4.760.12176521505.330.220648660-0.42160-1.121870.4641291
Birmingham-Hoover, AL5.060.16446434945.130.17637501200.4237-0.41400.4744216
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX4.560.3278321355.220.36172323960.15740.03840.4931736
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL3.460.1191335974.470.1728639589-1.321891.05110.4643936
Charleston-North Charleston, SC4.380.16205402564.890.16387474190.0985-0.04960.4648062
Charleston, WV4.550.13155486604.450.15174502230.5425-0.951830.4443922
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC3.840.11504395024.720.15105555705-0.671760.77230.4750449
Chattanooga, TN-GA4.20.14215410344.840.1629445184-0.04107-0.571590.4642288
Clarksville, TN-KY3.840.1684394034.180.16145499310.3510.43460.4242262
Columbia, SC4.260.14264376224.650.1644045476-0.04106-0.061020.4545929
Columbus, GA-AL4.430.19126367005.340.217445283-0.03104-0.081040.5136553
Corpus Christi, TX4.620.17162459154.940.2239467100.2163-0.661750.4641994
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX4.040.11712458194.520.15392556117-0.41590.53380.4654449
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL3.90.14101322674.60.1619837621-0.31470.01880.4441556
Durham, NC4.330.14159399265.180.1936260093-0.661751.05100.4847982
El Paso, TX4.040.22207378204.830.2438942426-0.151210.06820.4736015
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO3.860.1497318014.620.1525944929-0.21291.3230.4545101
Fayetteville, NC3.580.17127396864.360.1822054793-0.191250.74270.4443458
Fort Smith, AR-OK4.160.1695360094.380.19154388200.352-0.411430.4537992
Gainesville, FL5.10.2378349976.170.2715944248-0.251370.28570.5140274
Greensboro-High Point, NC4.080.11298389684.580.1842445360-0.8182-0.411420.4641120
Greenville, SC3.840.12227375234.820.1636345474-0.72180-0.171110.4742640
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS4.210.1890371274.460.19145440070.51290.03850.4341875
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV4.370.1277428844.50.12122428940.2953-0.621710.4350529
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC3.220.09151341234.330.1618738894-1.5192-0.671760.4439381
Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX3.960.11737527394.890.17345263872-0.821840.28580.4753942
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH4.50.151304736650.2213943335-0.2127-1.411890.4536022
Huntsville, AL4.660.14127445965.160.13263549160.19650.33510.4752384
Jackson, MS4.960.2216373134.950.18335446030.799-0.171130.4742501
Jacksonville, FL4.620.15371415994.570.15783473870.43360.14780.4650324
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX3.710.16115385053.390.13218511811.2410.76240.449778
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA4.180.15133387154.660.17154415270.1573-0.891810.4834741
Knoxville, TN4.60.15247399714.550.14426452020.7510-0.221190.4643114
Lafayette, LA4.750.14102446085.460.219051900-0.16122-0.01920.4646730
Lakeland, FL3.910.15149403374.160.18257412900.0196-0.491500.4341174
Lexington-Fayette, KY4.560.14185404035.230.1931146296-0.3145-0.271260.4646257
Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR4.250.13260404794.590.15424464980.1476-0.181140.4545991
Louisville, KY-IN4.390.12530429654.630.15739481160.0790-0.591630.4544678
Lubbock, TX4.330.15119386134.910.2116839973-0.33153-0.651740.4742126
Lynchburg, VA3.890.1199375024.70.1613439155-0.69177-0.841800.4441248
Macon, GA4.660.1989370065.480.2312839360-0.22133-0.61650.4737507
McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr, TX4.680.3594312795.520.33312340710.27580.98130.4833732
Memphis, TN-MS-AR5.330.21512410075.060.19775498590.93-0.05990.4645377
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL4.620.121568402685.320.17314246761-0.511680.14770.545352
Mobile, AL4.690.19163403825.160.2227440690.3148-0.581620.4839998
Montgomery, AL5.10.2142389595.270.18220453940.6122-0.251210.4545513
Naples-Marco Island, FL4.520.1444350214.290.16174414080.15721.4420.5152730
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN4.280.12494390314.730.1599454153-0.191260.63330.4647975
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA5.360.17648458825.450.17714523220.6121-0.811790.4846134
Ocala, FL3.920.1846310143.940.2130345070.34460.51390.4437044
Oklahoma City, OK4.320.11488426384.730.1676348087-0.36154-0.391380.4646238
Orlando, FL4.150.12397383434.390.15124844752-0.151200.91170.4546478
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL3.940.1122431194.550.1326246758-0.6173-0.03940.4446262
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL4.20.17129425184.860.17219422630.1280-0.511520.4543974
Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, FL4.020.1663376884.360.15183364420.13770.19680.4941346
Raleigh-Cary, NC4.210.12229370704.350.13654518750.26591.270.4457840
Richmond, VA4.070.12481410704.210.12758524120.4390.01890.4555325
Roanoke, VA4.140.11142377724.350.1419144259098-0.431450.4445569
San Antonio, TX4.190.18535394424.650.161180459230.51280.35500.4550225
Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL3.620.1154341894.470.1436837979-0.541700.29540.4645283
Savannah, GA4.630.181093959850.17199444860.440-0.181150.4546755
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA5.10.16177413745.20.18236464970.5130-0.611660.4840762
Spartanburg, SC4.10.14105381124.650.1714248517-0.28142-0.321320.4541850
Tallahassee, FL4.810.21100360996.380.2621244072-0.781810.27590.541511
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL3.880.12679386884.620.15146047132-0.491650.33520.4643547
Tulsa, OK4.440.11373449964.590.1655350186-0.02102-0.561570.4644519
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC4.130.14647409503.980.11993506080.864-0.05980.4257315
Waco, TX4.550.1783374005.050.21134420430.0887-0.311290.4539143
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV3.830.082048515834.20.08383773627-0.151190.64310.4384523
Wilmington, NC4.40.1775360335.040.18189417020.08880.45430.4644825
Winston-Salem, NC4.410.12174430684.580.1626347963-0.17123-0.551550.4742644