Income Convergence in the South: Myth or Reality?

County-level data for 11 southern states for 1980 and 2000 are used to examine income convergence. Ordinary least squares regression of logarithmic difference on average per capita income in 1980 demonstrated conditional income convergence with higher income changes in counties with smaller initial populations, smaller changes in African Americans, employment, education, age structure, travel time to work, or dependent age populations. The estimated rate of income convergence was 3.82% per year.