This index combines 6 facors: low employment growth (1990-2006), high percent of families in poverty (2000), high unemployment rate (2007), low per capita income (2006), low percent of adults with a college degree (2000), and low housing affordability (2000).
US Census 2000, US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Information System 2006, US Bureau of Labor Statistics Download Original JPEG Map (2-6 Meg)