Spatial relationship between human well- being and community capital in the Black Belt region of Alabama

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between human well-being and forms of community capital in the eight Black
Belt counties in the west- central region of Alabama. This region is one of the poorest in the United States with high
proportion of African- American populations. Cross-sectional spatial regression models were estimated using the data
from the U.S. Population and Economic Census, Geographic Information System, and satellite imageries of 2000. The
results indicate that geographic space is highly segregated in these counties and African Americans are less likely to
be found in areas high in built, natural, and political capital. Service-providing entities such as financial, industrial, and
social capital are located more in urbanized centers. The results suggest that social capital is strongly correlated with
human well-being. The findings provide spatially-explicit empirical insights and suggest targeting rural development
policies to create more social capital and address specific needs of the region, especially of African-American
populations.