Poverty measurements based on geopolitical boundaries may not accurately reflect the concentration of poverty in a given area. Building upon the findings of the Study on Persistent Poverty in the South that identified 91 persistent poverty counties in Georgia, this article argues that a new unit of analysis is needed to understand the conditions associated with poverty. By using census block groups based on population density, it is possible to perform analysis in ways that transcend traditional geopolitical jurisdictions. The article uses this new unit to present findings based on the 2000 U.S. Census results. Implications for economic development policy are also discussed.