Exploring America's Poorest Region Alone

This is a story I've been wanting to tell for a long time - West Virginia. Appalachian accents. Southern hospitality.

I spent 24 hours driving alone through America's poorest region, called McDowell County. It's a place where the minimum household income is less than $29,000 USD, and where ghost towns have been left behind in the aftermath of a booming coal industry.

In many respects, this is the forgotten America—a place where time has seemingly stood still. Yet, the narratives you’ll encounter here are among the most compelling I’ve ever told, anywhere in the world.

I've been telling travel stories since 2017 - more than 1,200 videos - and about 97% of them have been overseas. But now I'm beginning to realize that the most captivating ones are right here, in my own backyard.

Thank you for watching this story - and a special shoutout to Dave and Tess who spontaneously joined me to help bring this West Virginia story to life! Also shoutout to my friend @PeterSantenello who first introduced me to the people and culture in this region - check out his channel, he makes great stories!