<P> The Rust Belt is a region of the United States, made up mostly of places in the Midwest and Great Lakes . Rust refers to the deindustrialization, or economic decline, population loss, and urban decay due to the shrinking of its once - powerful industrial sector . The term gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1980s . </P> <P> The Rust Belt begins in western New York and traverses west through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, ending in northern Illinois, eastern Iowa, and southeastern Wisconsin . Previously known as the industrial heartland of America, industry has been declining in the region since the mid-20th century due to a variety of economic factors, such as the transfer of manufacturing further West, increased automation, and the decline of the US steel and coal industries . While some cities and towns have managed to adapt by shifting focus towards services and high - tech industries, others have not fared as well, witnessing rising poverty and declining populations . </P>

Where does the term rust belt come from