What Is the Rust Belt? You Might Live There

In Rochester, NY, we wear our Rust Belt location with pride.  Gray skies and snow—no problem.  Urban blight—whatever.  A touch of economic stagnation—challenge accepted.  Abandoned factories—heck, we even have a fully abandoned subway system.  Bad football team—not anymore!

We note with amusement when certain Rust Belt cities try to masquerade as East Coast hotspots.  You know who you are, Baltimore.  And we chuckle when Rust Belt cities think that a vibrant financial sector and high-end shopping can earn an exemption from the label.  We’re looking at you, Chicago.

But what exactly is the Rust Belt? How did the term originate? And what are the boundaries? Not that I want Hamilton (Canada) or Northern England to feel left out, but for the purposes of this exercise, I’ll be focused on the United States.

 

The Concept

The Rust Belt, or manufacturing belt, refers to a somewhat ill-defined region in the Northeast and Midwest that was once dominated by manufacturing, with the production of steel being at the core of the operation.  The steel had many uses, including but not limited to automobile creation.  The term Rust Belt is often extended to include areas that provided two key ingredients, namely iron ore (steel is an alloy of iron and carbon) and the coal needed to power the manufacturing process.  Transportation played an important role in connecting the region and ultimately allowing for the movement of finished goods.  As such, the area is defined by numerous canals, rivers, and the Great Lakes, with many now-defunct railroads providing other crucial connections.

The prosperity of the region attracted a multitude of workers from Eastern Europe and the American South.  By the middle of the 20th century, however, many well-documented developments began to adversely affect the regional economy.  These included the increased availability of cheaper and higher quality foreign goods, a decreased demand for steel, automation, the move of manufacturing to the American South due to decreased labor costs, and a similar move of manufacturing overseas.

The result of these factors was population loss, increased unemployment, reduced municipal tax revenue, and abandoned factories.  Rust is formed on iron (or its alloys like steel) due to oxidation in the presence of water.  Thus, a region once built on steel has been left with a healthy dose of rust.

 

The Origins

The term Rust Belt is usually credited to Walter Mondale, the Democratic candidate for the American presidency in 1984.  At the time, he accused President Ronald Reagan of ignoring America’s manufacturing communities, turning parts of the country into a rust bowl.  The term morphed into Rust Belt and has remained in the national discourse ever since.

 

The Boundaries

As the Rust Belt refers largely to the aforementioned economic trajectory, no definitive boundaries exist.  Most would not argue with the inclusion of parts of states such as Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.  Those in New England might get a little sensitive when cities such as Springfield, Massachusetts, are included.  Similarly, while not typically viewed as part of the Rust Belt, certain cities in states like New Jersey and Maryland fit the bill rather nicely.

While the term Rust Belt has been used derogatorily, given the broad geographic reach, not all Rust Belt cities are created equal.  Some have successfully embraced advanced manufacturing, higher education, technology, and the service sector, helping to transform themselves into surprisingly modern economies.  Hear the names BNY Mellon, Google, and Apple, and you wouldn’t think Rust Belt.  But all those companies have a significant presence in Pittsburgh.  Not to mention an elite medical center and several cutting edge universities such as Carnegie Mellon.

 

Ultimately, the Rust Belt is comprised of a group of cities with a shared history, one defined by a prominent manufacturing past.  Fast forward to today, and that shared history reveals itself through various stages of reinvention.  So no need to shy away from the label.  Because one of those abandoned factories just might be making stuff again, even if it is hydrogen fuel cells or third wave coffee.