RICHMOND, Va. – Automation in the 21st century economy will yield affluence to some Virginian communities while increasing unemployment in others, according to a report from the McKinsey Global Institute.

While the disparity between urban and rural communities has grown for decades, that trend accelerated after the 2008 recession. At least 25 populated areas have accounted for more than two-thirds of economic growth while 360,000 jobs have been lost in distressed areas like Southside Virginia.

The report predicts that the City of Danville and Appomattox County could be adversely affected by the new trend. Both are projected to register negative economic growth in the coming decades, as more jobs in the food service and office support industries are replaced by machines.