Economic Restructuring in the Northeast: A Replication and Extension

This study examines economic restructuring in the northeastern United States from 1990-2010 in counties of twelve northeastern states. Building upon a previous study by Kreahling, Smith, and Luloff (1996), the purpose of this study is to determine the changing effects on employment, poverty, and population within each county due to the economic restructuring within northeast counties. It is hypothesized that those counties that have continued the transition into professional and service--related occupations have had increases in population and employment and a decrease in poverty. Furthermore, this study surveyed county leaders to gain their perspective on changes to their county’s economic structure over the last twenty years. It is hypothesized that local county leaders’ answers on the survey will be parallel to the census data results when it relates to changes in poverty, employment, and population