There is a Uranium enrichment plant there...which was supposed to boom the economy with a cutting edge new technology but in 2015 that was halted and it was a big blow to the region.
In my community there is one big employer that is a chicken processing plant- you would know the name. And a lot of locals are chicken farmers for this plant. A lot of locals work at this plant- it is open 24 hours with three shifts. But a lot of people don't work. They buy and fix things and sell them- cars, motorcycles etc. They claim disability- even if they could work. They are content with very little, and a lot of the entertainment factors revolve around fire pits or hanging out in the parking lot of the local grocery store.
Agreed, in this area there is what is called generational poverty. Which is different then situational poverty.
Basically I'm poor because we have always been poor and I cannot break the cycle because I don't know any better.
Situational poverty would be the factory shuts down and suddenly you need to be on assistance until you get back on your feet.
Generational poverty tend (some exceptions) to feel they could not survive without assistance or that that's just what you do.
For example, your teenage daughter gets pregnant, what are your first thoughts? Mine would be thinking how difficult this will make her future, what if she doesn't finish school, getting her good prenatal care. generational poverty goes into survival mode...how will we feed this baby, clothe this baby, pay doctor bills, etc. their first call would probably be to sign up for WIC before calling to get a doctors appt.
http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2008/aug/25/families-generational-poverty-form-their-own-cultu/
This describes it so much better then me.
This is based on my experience living in rural Appalachian Ohio working with generational poverty for 15 years.