Appalachian Learning Initiative
Infographics Database

About This Page:

Welcome to the Appalachian Learning Initiative's Infographics Resource. This resource allows users to select one of the 13 Appalachian states and view state- and county-level data about adult literacy and numeracy, population demographics, quality of life statistics, and the public health measures that impact Appalachians.

Users will also find infographics for all 423 counties and 8 independent Virginia cities in the Appalachian Region which are free to the public and available for download and distribution.

The image is a map of Alabama divided into counties, each colored to represent the percentage of Appalachian adults who read at or below an 8th grade level. The color gradient ranges from green (42.4%) to red (80.5%). The map includes counties like Lauderdale, Colbert, Madison, and others, each labeled with their name and shaded according to the data. The left side shows a vertical color scale indicating the range of percentages. The top text reads "Appalachian Learning Initiative," and on the right, there's a description about the percentage of adults reading at or below an 8th grade level. Logos and contact information for APPLI are at the bottom.

We hope that our users will be able to turn these data into local- and state-level advocacy by working to increase funding for adult literacy and numeracy.

Here are a couple of tips to help users access and utilize the information they'll find:

If a data point reads "Suppressed," this means that there were fewer than 10 cases in a jurisdiction. Because of this, the exact numbers have been hidden to protect the patients' identities.
Incidence and mortality rates are rates per 100,000 residents (e.g., HIV Diagnosis Rate)
Our sources for these data may be found on our Resources page in the Citations section.

We truly hope that everyone enjoys this resource. Please remember to share these infographics with your networks and help us to spread the word about adult literacy and numeracy in Appalachia.

Sincerely,
Marcus J. Hopkins
Founder & Executive Director

Select a Jurisdiction

Tennessee

Morgan County

Adults Reading At/Below
an 8th Grade Level:

78.3%

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Morgan County, Tennessee Population: 21,639
78.3%
of Morgan County adults read at or below an 8th Grade level
36.4%
of Morgan County residents live below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
18.6%
of Morgan County adults have not graduated high school
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
11.5%
of Morgan County residents are uninsured
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Morgan County, Tennessee Population: 21,639
88.8%
of Morgan County adults struggle to perform basic math
26.9%
of Morgan County residents rely on SNAP for Nutrition Assistance
22.9%
of Morgan County residents live in extreme poverty
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
15.4%
of Morgan County residents spend
at least 50% of their income on housing
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Adults Struggling with Basic Mathematics:

88.8%

Demographics (2023)

Population:

Male:

Female:

White:

Black:

Hispanic:

Asian:

American Indian /
Alaska Native:

Native Hawaiian /
Pacific Islander:

Other:

21,573

54.2%

45.8%

93.8%

3.6%

2.2%

0.3%

0.5%

0.1%

1.7%

Quality of Life Statistics

Adults Who Haven't
Finished High School (2023):

19.0%

Residents Earning Below
150% of the Federal
Poverty Level (2023):

36.4%

Residents Earning Below 100%
of the Federal Poverty Level:

22.9%

Residents Who Rely on SNAP
for Nutrition Assistance (2023):

26.9%

Residents Who Lack
Health Insurance (2023):

11.9%

Residents Spending
50%+of Their Income
on Housing (2023):

13.6%

Residents Facing
Food Insecurity (2022):

18.6%

Households Paying $200+ Per Month on Electricity (2023):

33.6%

Public Health Statistics

Drug Overdose
Death Rate (2022):

56.5

HIV Diagnoses Rate (2022):

Suppressed

HIV Prevalence (2022):

135.6

Adults Who Currently
Smoke Cigarettes (2023):

24.8%

Adults Living with
Obesity (2022):

15.8%

Adults with Diabetes (2022):

15.8%

Adults with Asthma (2022):

11.8%

Adults with COPD (2022):

13.1%

Adults with CHD (2022):

9.5%

Adults with a Disability (2022):

23.2%

Overton County

Adults Reading At/Below
an 8th Grade Level:

72.8%

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Overton County, Tennessee Population: 21,995
72.8%
of Overton County adults read at or below an 8th Grade level
10%
of Overton County residents are uninsured
34.1%
of Overton County residents live below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
20.4%
of Overton County adults have not graduated high school
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Overton County, Tennessee Population: 21,995
81.7%
of Overton County adults struggle to perform basic math
19.6%
of Overton County residents live in extreme poverty
15.2%
of Overton County residents spend
at least 50% of their income on housing
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
12.4%
of Overton County residents rely on SNAP for Nutrition Assistance
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Adults Struggling with Basic Mathematics:

81.7%

Demographics (2023)

Population:

Male:

Female:

White:

Black:

Hispanic:

Asian:

American Indian /
Alaska Native:

Native Hawaiian /
Pacific Islander:

Other:

23,327

49.9%

50.1%

96.7%

0.9%

2.5%

0.3%

0.6%

0.0%

1.4%

Quality of Life Statistics

Adults Who Haven't
Finished High School (2023):

18.2%

Residents Earning Below
150% of the Federal
Poverty Level (2023):

34.1%

Residents Earning Below 100%
of the Federal Poverty Level:

19.6%

Residents Who Rely on SNAP
for Nutrition Assistance (2023):

12.4%

Residents Who Lack
Health Insurance (2023):

11.2%

Residents Spending
50%+of Their Income
on Housing (2023):

11.9%

Residents Facing
Food Insecurity (2022):

16.7%

Households Paying $200+ Per Month on Electricity (2023):

30.2%

Public Health Statistics

Drug Overdose
Death Rate (2022):

Suppressed

HIV Diagnoses Rate (2022):

Suppressed

HIV Prevalence (2022):

76.0

Adults Who Currently
Smoke Cigarettes (2023):

22.9%

Adults Living with
Obesity (2022):

15.1%

Adults with Diabetes (2022):

15.1%

Adults with Asthma (2022):

11.5%

Adults with COPD (2022):

11.6%

Adults with CHD (2022):

9.2%

Adults with a Disability (2022):

17.3%

Pickett County

Adults Reading At/Below
an 8th Grade Level:

74.2%

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Pickett County, Tennessee Population: 5,071
74.2%
of Pickett County adults read at or below an 8th Grade level
30.6%
of Pickett County residents live below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
26.1%
of Pickett County adults have not graduated high school
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
9.6%
of Pickett County residents are uninsured
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Pickett County, Tennessee Population: 5,071
79.9%
of Pickett County adults struggle to perform basic math
22%
of Pickett County residents rely on SNAP for Nutrition Assistance
18.8%
of Pickett County residents live in extreme poverty
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
17.5%
of Pickett County residents spend
at least 50% of their income on housing
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Adults Struggling with Basic Mathematics:

79.9%

Demographics (2023)

Population:

Male:

Female:

White:

Black:

Hispanic:

Asian:

American Indian /
Alaska Native:

Native Hawaiian /
Pacific Islander:

Other:

5,128

49.6%

50.4%

97.6%

0.4%

2.1%

0.3%

0.4%

0.1%

1.2%

Quality of Life Statistics

Adults Who Haven't
Finished High School (2023):

18.2%

Residents Earning Below
150% of the Federal
Poverty Level (2023):

30.6%

Residents Earning Below 100%
of the Federal Poverty Level:

18.8%

Residents Who Rely on SNAP
for Nutrition Assistance (2023):

22.0%

Residents Who Lack
Health Insurance (2023):

10.6%

Residents Spending
50%+of Their Income
on Housing (2023):

11.6%

Residents Facing
Food Insecurity (2022):

19.8%

Households Paying $200+ Per Month on Electricity (2023):

26.6%

Public Health Statistics

Drug Overdose
Death Rate (2022):

Suppressed

HIV Diagnoses Rate (2022):

0.0

HIV Prevalence (2022):

Suppressed

Adults Who Currently
Smoke Cigarettes (2023):

25.1%

Adults Living with
Obesity (2022):

18.9%

Adults with Diabetes (2022):

18.9%

Adults with Asthma (2022):

12.2%

Adults with COPD (2022):

16.5%

Adults with CHD (2022):

12.5%

Adults with a Disability (2022):

26.7%

Polk County

Adults Reading At/Below
an 8th Grade Level:

67.5%

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Polk County, Tennessee Population: 16,722
67.5%
of Polk County
adults read at or below an 8th Grade level
30.4%
of Polk County residents live below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
19.5%
of Polk County
adults have not graduated high school
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
9.2%
of Polk County residents are uninsured
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Polk County, Tennessee Population: 16,722
75.8%
of Polk County adults struggle to perform basic math
17%
of Polk County residents live in extreme poverty
13.5%
of Polk County residents rely on SNAP for Nutrition Assistance
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
9.7%
of Polk County residents spend
at least 50% of their income on housing
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Adults Struggling with Basic Mathematics:

75.8%

Demographics (2023)

Population:

Male:

Female:

White:

Black:

Hispanic:

Asian:

American Indian /
Alaska Native:

Native Hawaiian /
Pacific Islander:

Other:

18,033

50.1%

49.9%

96.3%

1.0%

2.3%

0.4%

0.6%

0.1%

1.6%

Quality of Life Statistics

Adults Who Haven't
Finished High School (2023):

14.7%

Residents Earning Below
150% of the Federal
Poverty Level (2023):

30.4%

Residents Earning Below 100%
of the Federal Poverty Level:

17.0%

Residents Who Rely on SNAP
for Nutrition Assistance (2023):

13.5%

Residents Who Lack
Health Insurance (2023):

9.2%

Residents Spending
50%+of Their Income
on Housing (2023):

15.9%

Residents Facing
Food Insecurity (2022):

15.9%

Households Paying $200+ Per Month on Electricity (2023):

34.5%

Public Health Statistics

Drug Overdose
Death Rate (2022):

Suppressed

HIV Diagnoses Rate (2022):

Suppressed

HIV Prevalence (2022):

154.4

Adults Who Currently
Smoke Cigarettes (2023):

22.5%

Adults Living with
Obesity (2022):

15.8%

Adults with Diabetes (2022):

15.8%

Adults with Asthma (2022):

11.8%

Adults with COPD (2022):

12.7%

Adults with CHD (2022):

9.4%

Adults with a Disability (2022):

21.8%

Putnam County

Adults Reading At/Below
an 8th Grade Level:

63.9%

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Putnam County, Tennessee Population: 75,565
63.9%
of Putnam County adults read at or below an 8th Grade level
34.6%
of Putnam County residents live below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
14.7%
of Putnam County adults have not graduated high school
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
10.8%
of Putnam County residents are uninsured
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Putnam County, Tennessee Population: 75,565
74%
of Putnam County adults struggle to perform basic math
12.1%
of Putnam County residents rely on SNAP for Nutrition Assistance
23.3%
of Putnam County residents live in extreme poverty
14.3%
of Putnam County residents spend
at least 50% of their income on housing
Follow us @APPLIOrg:
National Center for Education Statistics, 2020
www.appli.org

Adults Struggling with Basic Mathematics:

74.0%

Demographics (2023)

Population:

Male:

Female:

White:

Black:

Hispanic:

Asian:

American Indian /
Alaska Native:

Native Hawaiian /
Pacific Islander:

Other:

83,844

50.2%

49.8%

92.7%

2.6%

8.6%

1.5%

1.0%

0.2%

2.1%

Quality of Life Statistics

Adults Who Haven't
Finished High School (2023):

9.7%

Residents Earning Below
150% of the Federal
Poverty Level (2023):

34.6%

Residents Earning Below 100%
of the Federal Poverty Level:

23.3%

Residents Who Rely on SNAP
for Nutrition Assistance (2023):

12.1%

Residents Who Lack
Health Insurance (2023):

9.7%

Residents Spending
50%+of Their Income
on Housing (2023):

22.5%

Residents Facing
Food Insecurity (2022):

15.6%

Households Paying $200+ Per Month on Electricity (2023):

32.3%

Public Health Statistics

Drug Overdose
Death Rate (2022):

37.6

HIV Diagnoses Rate (2022):

7.1

HIV Prevalence (2022):

167.0

Adults Who Currently
Smoke Cigarettes (2023):

18.5%

Adults Living with
Obesity (2022):

11.9%

Adults with Diabetes (2022):

11.9%

Adults with Asthma (2022):

11.7%

Adults with COPD (2022):

9.2%

Adults with CHD (2022):

7.0%

Adults with a Disability (2022):

13.9%

Appalachian Learning Initiative Infographics Database

About This Page:

Select a Jurisdiction

Tennessee

Morgan County

Demographics (2023)

Quality of Life Statistics

Public Health Statistics

Overton County

Demographics (2023)

Quality of Life Statistics

Public Health Statistics

Pickett County

Demographics (2023)

Quality of Life Statistics

Public Health Statistics

Polk County

Demographics (2023)

Quality of Life Statistics

Public Health Statistics

Putnam County

Demographics (2023)

Quality of Life Statistics

Public Health Statistics

Appalachian Learning Initiative
Infographics Database