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Appalachian Maryland in 2025

  • Marcus J. Hopkins
  • 2 days ago
  • 5 min read
The image features a red silhouette of Maryland with an overlay of five human figures at the top, three in white and two in yellow. Large black text in the center reads "3 out of 5," with smaller text indicating the context of adult literacy levels in Maryland’s Appalachian counties. At the top, the text says "Appalachian Learning Initiative." At the bottom, there is a logo for APPLI with the text "APPLI is building solutions" and social media icons alongside their handle "@APPLIOorg." The source of the statistics is noted as the National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
More than 3 out of every 5 adults living in Maryland's three Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th-grade level

By: Marcus J. Hopkins

May 13th, 2025


Maryland is home to just over 250,000 Appalachians living in three western counties that border Pennsylvania and West Virginia.


Like other counties in the Appalachian Region, people living in this mountainous and geographically isolated part of the state face significant barriers that impact their educational, health, and socioeconomic outcomes compared with other parts of the state.


Maryland's page on our website recently received its 2025 overhaul, centralizing and expanding state-specific information, including county-level educational data, public health infographics, information about social determinants of learning and health, and the contact information from our newest addition—the Appalachian Advocacy Toolkit.


Educational Outcomes in Appalachian Maryland


The image is a map graphic illustrating the literacy levels of Appalachian adults in Maryland. It highlights three counties: Allegany, Garrett, and Washington. Each county is colored differently to indicate literacy rates: Allegany in red (62.1%), Garrett in yellow (60.8%), and Washington in green (59.7%). A shaded color scale on the left moves from red to green, correlated with the percentages. The map also shows parts of neighboring states and is marked with text indicating the placement of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Above the map, bold text reads "Appalachian Learning Initiative" alongside details about the reading levels. Below the map, the phrase "APPLI is building solutions" is emphasized. The bottom section includes "National Center for Education Statistics, 2020" and social media icons next to the text "Follow us @APPLlOrg," with the organization's logo on the left.
Adult literacy rates are lowest in Allegany County, arguably the most remote and geographically isolated county in the state

As of the most recent data release, more than 3 out of every 5 adults aged 16-65 (60.9%) living in Maryland's Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th-grade level, including nearly 1 out of every 5 (19.1%) who read below a 3rd Grade level or are unable to read at all. When compared with the Appalachian counties in the other 12 states within the region, adults living in Maryland's Appalachian counties have the 10th-lowest literacy proficiency rate.


In 2024, Kentucky received $11,495,886 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education through the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). IT IS UNCLEAR IF THIS FUNDING WILL BE RENEWED OR DISBURSED UNDER THE CURRENT REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION.

The Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI, like "apply") is bringing attention to the recently released "Skinny Budget," released by the Office of Management and Budget on May 2nd, 2025, which proposes cutting $729 million in Adult Education funding from the federal budget.


This proposal would result in the total elimination of all funding for adult education allocated under the U.S. Department of Education through the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which disbursed $715,455,000 in Fiscal Year 2024.


The image features an informational graphic presented by the Appalachian Learning Initiative. In the center, there is a bold, stylized yellow silhouette of the state of Maryland. At the top, five figures are depicted side by side above the map, with four in white and one in gray, illustrating a statistical point. Large black text over the Maryland map reads, "Nearly 3 out of 4 adults living in Maryland’s Appalachian counties struggle with basic math." Below this, bold text states, "APPLI is building solutions." The logo of the Appalachian Learning Initiative is displayed at the bottom left, featuring a stylized mountain range and the acronym "APPLI." Social media icons are situated in the bottom-right corner, alongside the handle "@APPLIOrg." The background is light gray throughout.
Nearly 3 out of every 4 (72.3%) living in Maryland's Appalachian counties struggle to solve math problems with more than three steps

In addition to reading proficiency issues, nearly 3 out of every 4 adults (72.3%) struggle with basic math. These adults have trouble solving math problems with more than three steps, struggle with fractions and percentages, & are unable to perform basic tasks, like making correct change or budgeting finances.


Maryland's Appalachian adults have the 9th-lowest numeracy proficiency rate among the 13 states within the region.


Adults with low literacy and numeracy proficiency rates face significant real-world implications and impacts.


Adults with low literacy skills face more difficulty finding and keeping jobs that provide wages capable of sustaining a family than their peers with higher literacy skills. They are also less likely to advance in their careers as a result of lower reading, digital, and critical thinking skills that might afford them more opportunities (Vineis, 2024).


Adults with low numeracy skills face similar difficulties, being less likely to be employed, less likely to earn sufficient wages, and often report being less healthy and having lower levels of life satisfaction. Additionally, modern technology has allowed companies across every sector to automate many manual labor jobs that traditionally employed adults with lower levels of literacy and numeracy (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2024).


APPLI will continue to gather and report data highlighting educational disparities in Appalachian Maryland and the region.

 

Health Outcomes in Appalachian Kentucky


The image is an infographic on stroke prevalence in Maryland, focusing on the Appalachian regions. On the left, a map highlights three counties: Garrett (4.3%), Allegany (4.5%), and Washington (3.7%). Allegany County is marked in a darker red, indicating the highest stroke prevalence. A gradient bar below the map ranges from light to dark red, corresponding to the stroke prevalence percentages. The center of the image features five silhouetted figures, with the first colored in red, symbolizing that more than 1 in 24 adults have suffered a stroke. The background is a blurred image of buildings. On the right, text emphasizes that Allegany County has the highest stroke prevalence in Appalachian Maryland, accompanied by a small graphic of the county.
More than 1 out of every 24 adults (4.2%) living in Maryland's Appalachian counties has suffered a stroke—a higher rate than both the statewide prevalence of 3.3% and the national rate of 3.4%. Stroke prevalence and lower adult literacy rates are strongly correlated in Appalachian Maryland, with a Pierson Correlation Coefficient of 0.9 out of 1.0 (Sources: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2024; Appalachian Learnign Initiative, 2025)

Residents livign in Maryland's Appalachian counties tend to have relatively higher incidence and prevalence rates of non-infectious diseases and health behaviors, including:

  • High cancer incidence and mortality rates;

  • High prevalence rates of arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), coronary heart disease, depression, stroke, and adult smoking compared to living the national rates.


The link between educational attainment and poor health outcomes has long been established. Essentially, higher educational attainment generally results in people making better health decisions and having greater access to employment opportunities and financial resources that enable easier access to high-quality health services (Shankar et al., 2013).


Similarly, additional research also indicates that learners' health can profoundly impact educational attainment. Learners who are living with chronic illnesses, such as asthma, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and other illnesses and syndromes, are more likely to miss school than their peers, which can impact their ability to complete work on time, take part in exams, participate in school and group activities, and/or physically maneuver through their learning environment. These factors can result in lower or poor academic performance (Victoria State Government, 2012).

 

Social Determinants in Appalachian Maryland


The image provides a visual representation of poverty levels in Maryland, focusing on Appalachian counties. On the left, the text headline "Poverty in Maryland" is prominent. Below, a statement details that more than 1 out of every 5 residents (20.9%) in Maryland's Appalachian counties live in poverty, earning 150% or less of the Federal Poverty Level. A map of Maryland is displayed, highlighting three counties with varying colors indicating poverty rates: Garrett in green (11.5%), Allegany in red (28.3%), and Washington in orange (23.0%). A color gradient bar below the map ranges from green to red, representing the poverty percentages. On the right, an image of a red brick building with green accents and surrounding trees is partially visible. The "APPLI" logo and the text "Appalachian Learning Initiative" with the website "www.appli.org" are shown in the bottom right.
More than 1 out of every 5 adults (20.9%) living in Maryland's Appalachian counties earns 150% of less of the Federal Povery Level (Source: American Communtiy Survey, 2024)

In addition to facing significant health issues that may hinder educational attainment and outcomes, adults living in Maryland's Appalachian counties face substantial barriers—called social determinants—that may impact both health and learning.


For example:


  • More than 1 out of every 6 adults (17.5%) is living with a disability, compared to 11.3% statewide and 13.5% nationally;

  • More than 1 out of every 8 residents (12.7%) lives in extreme poverty, earning less than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), compared to 9.3% statewide and 12.4% nationally;

  • More than 1 out of 4 residents (26.2%) are publicly insured through Medicaid, Medicare, the Veterans Health Administration, or another program, compared to the statewide rate of 18.3% and the national rate of 21.3.


Similar to how social determinants can impact health, they also impact learning—a framework called the Social Determinants of Learning™ (SDOL™). SDOLs are social and structural factors outside the individual learner, often beyond the traditional reach of teachers and schools, that can affect learning (Levinson & Cohen, 2023). These include healthcare access and quality, economic stability, neighborhood and built environments, social inclusion and non-discrimination, educational access, the quality of educational opportunities and institutions, and family group and structural conflicts.


You can discover more information about social determinants and health issues in Maryland's Appalachian counties on our dedicated page:


Maryland


The image features a teal background with white text centered on it. At the top, the text reads, "Help support our research, reporting, and advocacy in Appalachia." Below this, centered in larger text, it says, "Donate at: https://www.appli.org/donate." Toward the bottom left, there is a row of small social media icons followed by the text "Follow us @APPLIOrg." At the bottom is a multicolored horizontal stripe in shades of dark red, orange, yellow, and blue. In the lower center is the APPLI logo, with the words "Appalachian Learning Initiative" and the website "www.appli.org" beneath it.
The Appalachian Learning Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Morgantown, WV. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go toward operating costs.

APPLI will be working to update these data across all of Appalachia throughout 2025 to ensure they are current.


We know that many people living and working in Appalachia are struggling, and we hope that you will consider making a donation if you are able to.

APPLI operates entirely off of donations, which cover all the costs associated with running a non-profit, including website hosting, content creation, research, and software licenses.


We try to keep costs as low as possible, with the entirety of APPLI's team serving in a volunteer capacity.



To donate, please visit our donation page:




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