The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a system that classifies each U.S. county by its primary local economic activity, also called its economic base. Each county is designated as one of six types:
0=Nonspecialized
1=Farming-dependent county
2=Mining-dependent county
3=Manufacturing-dependent county
4=Federal/State government-dependent county
5=Recreation
Please use the download function at the above-right to retrieve economic base codes for the counties in your state.
The following definitions, taken from the ERS website (http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/county-typology-codes.aspx), can be used to understand how these types were determined:
Farming-dependent
Either twenty-five percent or more of total county earnings were derived from farming or sixteen percent or more of employed residents worked in farm occupations during 2010-2012.
Mining-dependent
Thirteen percent or more of total county earnings or eight percent or more of total county employment were derived from mining during 2010-2012.
Manufacturing-dependent
Twenty-three percent or more of total county earnings or sixteen percent or more of total county employment were derived from manufacturing during 2010-2012.
Federal/State government-dependent
Fourteen percent or more of total county earnings or nine percent or more of total county employment were derived from Federal and State government during 2010-2012.
Recreation
This type is calculated in three parts: percent employment in the recreation industry (entertainment and recreation, accommodations, eating and drinking establishments, and real estate); percent of total personal income from the recreation industry; and percent of vacant housing units intended for seasonal or occasional use.
Nonspecialized
Did not meet the dependence threshold for any one of the above industries.