Bastrop, Louisiana
As a result of the closure of major employers such as the century-old International Paper Co. mill and the Pilgrim’s Pride poultry plant, Bastrop’s population has been steadily declining since 2000. “That was the industry that was viable, and no one had any reason to believe there was anything else. We use to talk about diversifying the economy, most communities do, but that was the horse we rode to get here,” Clarence Hawkins, a former mayor, spoke with KNOE 8 News. Bastrop will make a comeback, according to the current mayor, Henry Cotton, not by wooing new manufacturers, but by growing local businesses and the technology industry. For the time being, however, the average household income in this city is only $20,117.
Bastrop, Louisiana
Altus, Oklahoma
This city in Jackson County, Oklahoma, is home to the Altus Air Force Base and also relies on agriculture, health care, and the volatile fossil fuel industry to support its population of about 60,000 people. Altus’ oil and gas industry provides some of the best-paying jobs in the city, but according to the Pauls Valley Democrat, the industry in Oklahoma has lost more than 20,000 jobs in the last two years, with the most significant loss occurring during the pandemic. According to the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, the state had 13 active drilling rigs at the end of 2020, down from 148 at the end of 2018. Altus has a respectable median household income of $47,691, and its poverty and unemployment rates are comparable to those found throughout the state. However, Wall Street docked points for food security 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to the website, an estimated 86 percent of Jackson County’s residents live in low-access areas, which are defined as being more than a mile from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles from a grocery store in rural areas.
Altus, Oklahoma