Bastrop, Louisiana
Bastrop’s population has been steadily declining since 2000 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. “That was the viable industry, 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. According to the current mayor, Henry Cotton, Bastrop will make a comeback by growing local businesses and the technology industry, rather than wooing new manufacturers. However, the average household income in this city is only $20,117 at the moment.
Bastrop, Louisiana
Altus, Oklahoma
The Altus Air Force Base is located in Jackson County, Oklahoma, and the city’s population of about 60,000 people is supported by agriculture, health care, and the volatile fossil fuel industry. The oil and gas industry in Altus provides some of the city’s best-paying jobs, but the Pauls Valley Democrat reports that the industry in Oklahoma has lost over 20,000 jobs in the last two years, with the most significant loss occurring during the pandemic. According to the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, at the end of 2020, the state had 13 active drilling rigs, down from 148 at the end of 2018. Altus has a respectable median household income of $47,691 and poverty and unemployment rates that are comparable to the state average. Wall Street, on the other hand, deducted points for food security 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. According to the website, 86 percent of Jackson County residents live in low-access areas, which are defined as being more than a mile away from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles away in rural areas.
Altus, Oklahoma
