(a) Pervasive poverty. Conditions of poverty must be reasonably distributed throughout the entire nominated area. The degree of poverty shall be demonstrated by citing available statistics on low-income population, levels of public assistance, numbers of persons or families in poverty or similar data.

(b) Unemployment. The degree of unemployment shall be demonstrated by the provision of information on the number of persons unemployed, underemployed (those with only a seasonal or part-time job) or discouraged workers (those capable of working but who have dropped out of the labor market—hence are not counted as unemployed), increase in unemployment rate, job loss, plant or military base closing, or other relevant unemployment indicators having a direct effect on the nominated area.

(c) General distress. General distress shall be evidenced by describing adverse conditions within the nominated area other than those of pervasive poverty and unemployment. Below average or decline in per capita income, earnings per worker, per capita property tax base, average years of school completed; outmigration and population decline, a high or rising incidence of crime, narcotics use, abandoned housing, deteriorated infrastructure, school dropouts, teen pregnancy, incidents of domestic violence, incidence of certain health conditions and illiteracy are examples of appropriate indicators of general distress. The data and methods used to produce such indicators that are used to describe general distress must all be stated.