ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with economic differences and proceeds to socioeconomic distinctions. It shows that the economic and socioeconomic structures of megapolitan areas differ rather remarkably from those structures as found in nonmegapolitan areas. The chapter looks at housing stress, low education, low employment, persistent poverty, and child poverty. It reviews the United States Department of Agriculture method for sorting counties according to their dependency on four basic economic sectors: farming, mining, manufacturing, and federal and state government employment. As the nation headed into the 21st century, much of the population faced various forms of socioeconomic stress, such as poor housing conditions, lack of education, underemployment, and poverty. Classic regional economic literature divides regions into core-periphery or center-hinterland dichotomies. If anything, the new characterization of the core-periphery or center-hinterland relationship advanced by the megapolitan scheme shows America's newly defined core or center as tightening its grip on the nation's economy.
