Local area personal income for 2013.
Lenze, David G.
PERSONAL INCOME grew at nearly the same rate in both the
metropolitan and nonmetropolitan portions of the United States in 2013,
2.0 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively. (1) The percent change ranged
widely, from -35.0 percent in LaMoure County, North Dakota, to 32.3
percent in Greeley County, Kansas. However, more than three-fourths of
the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and almost one-half of the
nonmetropolitan counties and grew at rates between 0.1 percent and 3.0
percent (chart 1). (2) Inflation, as measured by the national price
index for personal consumption expenditures, was 1.2 percent in 2013.
The local area personal income estimates presented in this article
continue the successively more detailed series of data releases from the
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) depicting the geographic distribution
of the nation's personal income for 2013. National estimates of
personal income for 2013 were released in January 2014, followed by
preliminary state personal income estimates in March. The local area
personal income estimates provide the first glimpse of personal income
for 2013 in counties and MSAs. The geographic picture will be completed
with the release of real personal income for states and metropolitan
areas in July 2015.
The estimates discussed in this article incorporate the results of
the annual revisions of the national income and product accounts (NIPAs)
and state personal income accounts, which were released in July and
September 2014, respectively. In 2015, the estimates of gross domestic
product (GDP) by state and metropolitan area for 2013 and earlier years
will be revised to incorporate the results of these annual revisions of
the national, state and local area personal income accounts.
County Growth
In 2013, the nonmetropolitan portion of the country accounted for
slightly less than 10 percent of the nation's earnings. However,
reflecting the rural affinity of much mining and farming, the
nonmetropolitan portion of the United States accounted for more than 38
percent of national earnings in natural resource industries (table A).
The nonmetropolitan area also accounted for 15.0 percent of
manufacturing and utilities earnings, 12.0 percent of government
earnings, and 11.8 percent of transportation and warehousing earnings.
In contrast, relatively little--less than 4.0 percent--of earnings in
the information and business services industries was generated in
nonmetropolitan counties.
[GRAPHIC 1 OMITTED]
Personal income growth in the nonmetropolitan portion slowed
substantially in 2013 to less than half of its 4.4 percent pace in 2012
(table B). The slowdown was attributable to net earnings--which grew 2.0
percent in 2013, down from 4.2 percent in 2012--and to property income
(dividends, interest, and rent)--which grew 2.3 percent in 2013, down
from 8.7 percent in 2012. The growth in transfer receipts, in contrast,
accelerated to 2.2 percent growth in 2013 from 1.7 percent in 2012.
Similar growth patterns occurred in the metropolitan portion of the
United States.
New York County, New York had the highest per capita personal
income in 2013, $121,632, up 1.0 percent from 2012. Per capita personal
income in Williams County, North Dakota, which was the highest of all
counties in 2012, fell 4.6 percent in 2013. Both personal income and
population grew robustly in Williams County in 2013, but population grew
faster (10.7 percent) than personal income (5.6 percent). Loving County,
Texas, and Teton County, Wyoming, have also appeared at the top of the
per capita personal income rankings over the last 10 years (chart 2).
Per capita personal income fell 1.2 percent to $17,536 in Telfair
County, Georgia, in 2013. It had the lowest per capita personal income
of all counties in 2012 and 2013. In recent years, Crowley County,
Colorado (2007, 2010, and 2011), McPherson County, Nebraska (2008 and
2009), Buffalo County, South Dakota (2006), and Starr County, Texas
(2003-2005) have had the lowest per capita personal income (chart 3).
The churning at the top and bottom of the per capita personal income
distribution for counties contrasts with the stability in the MSA
distribution: McAllen, Texas, has had the lowest per capital personal
income every year in 2003-2013, while Bridgeport, Connecticut, has had
the highest in 2003-2011 and Midland, Texas, the highest in 2012 and
2013.
[GRAPHIC 2 OMITTED]
[GRAPHIC 3 OMITTED]
MSA Growth
Wage-and-salary employment in the metropolitan portion of the
United States grew faster than population in 2013, as it did in 2012
(table C). (3) However, the employment-to-population ratio, which
reached 46.2 percent in 2013, is still down 3 percentage points compared
with 2007, before the onset of the last recession. In seven MSAs that
have fully recovered from the recession, however, the
employment-to-population ratio in 2013 is at its highest level since
2003: Bismarck, North Dakota; Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont;
Longview, Texas; Midland, Texas; Bloomsburg-Berwick, Pennsylvania;
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Springfield, Massachusetts (chart 4). (4)
Source Data
The primary 2013 county-level data used by BEA to prepare the
estimates of local area personal income presented in this article were
wage and salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, benefits paid
by the Social Security Administration, Medicare enrollment and
fee-for-service expenditure data from the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, and Medicaid payments from state departments of
social services. In addition, tabulations of 2012 federal income tax
returns from the Internal Revenue Service were used, primarily for
dividends, interest, nonfarm proprietors' income, and the residence
adjustment. (5) Other 2013 county-level data used by BEA to prepare
estimates of various components of local area personal income include
the following (table D):
* Farm cash receipts, government payments, crop production and crop
insurance indemnity payments by county for 2013 from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and state offices of agricultural statistics were used in
the estimation of local area farm income.
* The number of full-time military and coast guard personnel by
county for 2013 from the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security
was used in the estimation of military earnings.
* County-level data for 2013 from state employment security
agencies was used to estimate state unemployment insurance compensation.
* Population (excluding population in group quarters) by county for
2013 from the Census Bureau was used to allocate state estimates of a
few small components of personal income.
[GRAPHIC 4 OMITTED]
By David G. Lenze
(1) Personal income, which is measured in current dollars, is the
sum of net earnings by place of residence, property income, and personal
current transfer receipts.
(2) For statistical purposes, nonmetropolitan counties are those
counties that remain after metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) have
been delineated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). According
to the OMB, an MSA has at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more
residents plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and
economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties. MSAs
are defined in terms of whole counties. By these criteria, there are
1,967 nonmetropolitan counties and 1,146 metropolitan counties in the
United States. Personal income statistics are available for 3,113 of the
3,143 counties identified by Federal Information Processing Standards
(FIPS) codes. BEA combines some small counties (mostly in Virginia but
also in Hawaii) with larger nearby counties. For details see the
appendix to the Local Area Personal Income Methodology available on the
BEA Web site.
(3) The regional income division's total employment estimate
includes both proprietors and wage and salary jobs.
(4) The employment-to-population ratio in another three
MSAs--Pittsfield and Barnstable Town (both in Massachusetts) and
Wheeling, West Virginia-Ohio--is also above its 2003 level. But this was
accomplished through population loss.
(5) For complete details about the estimation methodology and data
sources, see the Local Area Personal Income Methodology on BEA's
Web site.
Data Availability
The following annual estimates for counties, metropolitan
statistical areas, micropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan
divisions, combined statistical areas, and the metropolitan and
nonmetropolitan portions of states are available on BEA's Web site.
For more information about the statistics, contact the Regional
Income Division at 202-606-5360, fax 202-606-5322, or e-mail
reis@bea.gov.
Acknowledgments
The Regional Income Division of the Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA), under the direction of Mauricio Ortiz, Chief, prepared the annual
estimates of local area personal income. Joel D. Platt, Associate
Director for Regional Economics, provided general guidance. The
preparation of the revised estimates was a division-wide effort.
The Compensation Branch, under the supervision of John A. Rusinko,
Chief, prepared the estimates of nonfarm wages and salaries and
supplements to wages and salaries. Major responsibilities were assigned
to Peter Battikha, Michael L. Berry, Elizabeth P. Cologer, John D.
Laffman, David G. Lenze, Paul K. Medzerian, and Joseph L. Stauffer.
Contributing staff members were Terence J. Fallon, Michael W. Jadoo,
Russell C. Lusher, Nathaniel R. Milhous, Michael A. Reid, and Ross A.
Stepp.
The Regional Income Branch under the supervision of Lisa C.
Ninomiya, Chief, prepared the estimates of nonfarm proprietors'
income, property income, personal current transfer receipts,
contributions for government social insurance, and the adjustment for
residence.
Major responsibilities were assigned to Brian J. Maisano, James P.
Stehle, and Matthew A. von Kerczek. Contributing staff members were Suet
M. Boudhraa, Andy K. Kim, Toan A. Ly, W. Timothy McKeel, Linda M. Morey,
and Troy P. Watson.
The Farm Income and Employment Section, under the supervision of
James M. Zavrel, Assistant to the Division Chief, prepared the estimates
of farm wages and salaries, farm supplements to wages and salaries, and
farm proprietors' income. Major responsibilities were assigned to
Carrie L. Litkowski. Contributing staff members were Daniel R. Corrin,
Michelle A. Harder, and Brooke N. Pearson.
The public use tabulations and data files were assembled and the
tables were prepared by the Data and Administrative Systems Group. Major
responsibilities were assigned to Jeffrey L. Newman, Michael J. Paris,
and Callan S. Swenson. Contributing staff members were Melanie V.
Carrales, Monique B. Tyes, and Jonas D. Wilson.
Alternative Measures of County Employment and Wages
Three widely used measures of county employment and wages by place
of work are (1) employment and payroll in the County Business Patterns
(CBP) series from the Census Bureau, (2) employment and wages from the
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), and (3) wage and salary disbursements and
employment from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). These measures
differ in source data and coverage.
The CBP data are derived from Census Bureau business establishment
surveys and federal administrative records. The QCEW data are
tabulations of monthly employment and quarterly wages of workers who are
covered by state unemployment insurance programs or by the unemployment
insurance program for federal employees. (1) The BEA estimates of
employment and wages are primarily derived from the BLS data; the
estimates for industries that are either not covered or not fully
covered in the QCEW are also based on supplemental data from other
agencies, such as the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the Railroad Retirement Board.
The coverage of the Census Bureau data differs from that of the BLS
data primarily because the Census Bureau data exclude most government
employees and because the BLS data cover civilian government employees.
(2) The CBP data also exclude several private industries that are partly
covered by the QCEW: crop and animal production; rail transportation;
insurance and employee benefit funds; trusts, estates, and agency
accounts; and private households. However, the CBP data cover the
employees of educational institutions, membership organizations, and
small nonprofit organizations in other industries more completely than
the BLS data. (3) In addition, the Census Bureau reports employment only
for the month of March; the BLS employment data are quarterly and annual
averages of monthly data.
In 2001, both BLS and BEA began to include employees of Indian
tribal councils in local government. These employees were previously
included in the relevant private industries. (4) In the Census Bureau
data, these employees are still classified in private industries.
BEA estimates of employment and wages differ from the BLS data
because BEA adjusts the estimates to account for employment and wages
that are not covered or that are not fully covered by the unemployment
insurance programs. BEA adds estimates of employment and wages to the
BLS data to bridge small gaps in coverage for nonprofit organizations
that do not participate in the unemployment insurance program (in
several industries), for students and their spouses employed by colleges
or universities, for elected officials and members of the judiciary, for
interns employed by hospitals and by social service agencies, and for
insurance agents classified as statutory employees. In addition, BEA
uses supplemental source data to estimate most, or all, of the
employment and wages for the following: farms, farm labor contractors
and crew leaders, private households, private elementary and secondary
schools, religious membership organizations, rail transportation, and
military. BEA also adjusts for employment and wages subject to
unemployment insurance, but not reported by employers. Other adjustments
to wages include estimates for unreported tips, judicial fees paid to
jurors and witnesses, compensation of prison inmates, and marriage and
license fees paid to justices of the peace. (5)
The Census Bureau released 2012 data for total employment and
payrolls for counties on its Web site on May 29, 2014. BLS released
county data on total employment and average weekly pay for 2013 on its
Web site on June 19, 2014. BEA released estimates for 2013 and revised
estimates for 2011-2012 of total wage employment and total wage and
salary disbursements for counties on its Web site on November 20, 2014.
(1) The QCEW data account for 93 percent of BEA's estimates of
wages and salaries.
(2) The Census Bureau data cover only those government employees
who work in government hospitals, federally chartered savings
institutions and credit unions, liquor stores, and wholesale liquor
establishments, and university publishers. The BLS data in most states
exclude state and local elected officials, members of the judiciary,
state national and air national guardsmen, temporary emergency
employees, and employees in policy and advisory positions.
(3) The BLS data do not cover certain religious elementary and
secondary schools because a Supreme Court decision exempts some of these
schools from unemployment compensation taxes. The BLS data also exclude
college students (and their spouses) who are employed by the school in
which they are enrolled and student nurses and interns who are employed
by hospitals as part of their training. In half of the states, the BLS
data only include nonprofit organizations with four or more employees
during 20 weeks in a calendar year.
(4) For example, employees of casinos owned by tribal councils were
included in "Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries."
(5) A detailed description of the sources and methods used to
prepare the estimates is available on BEA's Web site.
Michael Jadoo
Table Time
number Table title series
CA1 Personal Income Summary: Personal Income,
Population, Per Capita Personal Income 1969-2013
CA04 Personal Income and Employment by Major Component 1969-2013
Personal Income by Major Component and
CA05N Earnings by NAICS Industry 2001-2013
CA05 Earnings by SIC Industry 1969-2000
Compensation of Employees by
CA06N NAICS Industry 2001-2013
CA06 SIC Industry 1998-2000
Total Full-Time and Part-Time Employment by
CA25N NAICS Industry 2001-2013
CA25 SIC Industry 1969-2000
CA30 Economic Profile 1969-2013
CA34 Wage and Salary Summary: Wages and Salaries, Wage
Employment and Average Wage Per Job 1969-2013
CA35 Personal Current Transfer Receipts 1969-2013
CA45 Farm Income and Expenses 1969-2013
CA91 Gross Flow of Earnings 1990-2013
BEA Regional Fact Sheets (BEARFACTS) 2013
BEA Bureau of Economic Analysis
NAICS North American Industry Classification System
SIC Standard Industrial Classification
National Totals of BEA County Estimates of Wages
and Salaries and CBP Payrolls and QCEW Wages
[Billions of dollars]
2011 2012 2013
Total CBP payrolls 5,164.9 5,414.3 n.a.
Plus: Differences in coverage:
QCEW civilian government wages (1) 1,033.7 1,036.1 n.a.
Other differences, net (2) 18.7 40.8 n.a.
Equals: Total QCEW wages 6,217.3 6,491.2 6,671.9
Plus: BEA adjustments:
For unreported wages and unreported tips
on employment tax returns 73.6 80.1 82.5
For wages and salaries not covered or not
fully covered by unemployment insurance:
Private 202.9 222.2 229.4
Government 131.4 131.7 130.1
Other BEA adjustments (3) -1.9 -4.3 -3.4
Equals: BEA estimates of wages and
salaries (4) 6,623.3 6,920.9 7,110.4
(1) Adjusted to remove the wages of Indian tribal councils that are
included in the Census Bureau's total payroll data.
(2) Includes differences of coverage in private education, membership
organizations, and government.
(3) Adjusted to remove wage and salary of employees of U.S. companies
stationed overseas and to reflect updates to QCEW data.
(4) Consists of the earnings of persons who live in the United States
and of foreign residents working in the United States. The regional
total differs from the national estimate; see "Personal income in the
NIPAs and State Personal Income," SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS 94
(October 2014): 9.
NOTE. Details may not equal totals due to rounding.
n.a. Not available
BEA Bureau of Economic Analysis
CBP County Business Patterns
NIPAs National income and product accounts
QCEW Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Table A. Industrial Structure of Metropolitan and
Nonmetropolitan Portions of the United States for 2013
Earnings by
place of work
(billions of dollars)
Metropolitan Nonmetropolitan
Natural resources (1) 195.0 120.5
Construction 499.0 61.2
Manufacturing and utilities 902.3 158.6
Wholesale and retail trade 1,016.4 106.2
Transportatbn and warehousing 303.7 40.7
Information 325.0 9.9
Finance and insurance 695.8 29.6
Real estate and rental and leasing 201.1 11.9
Business services (2) 1,606.1 64.5
Education, health care, and social
assistance 1,170.5 109.0
Leisure, hospitality, and other (3) 724.2 80.3
Government and government enterprises 1,525.2 208.5
Local 807.4 126.3
Total 9,164.4 1,000.9
Industry's share of
area's total earnings
(percent)
Metropolitan Nonmetropolitan
Natural resources (1) 2.1 12.0
Construction 5.4 6.1
Manufacturing and utilities 9.8 15.8
Wholesale and retail trade 11.1 10.6
Transportation and warehousing 3.3 4.1
Information 3.5 1.0
Finance and insurance 7.6 3.0
Real estate and rental and leasing 2.2 1.2
Business services (2) 17.5 6.4
Education, health care, and social
assistance 12.8 10.9
Leisure, hospitality, and other (3) 7.9 8.0
Government and government enterprises 16.6 20.8
Local 8.8 12.6
Total 100.0 100.0
Nonmetropolitan
share of
national
earnings
(percent)
Natural resources (1) 38.2
Construction 10.9
Manufacturing and utilities 15.8
Wholesale and retail trade 9.5
Transportatbn and warehousing 11.8
Information 3.0
Finance and insurance 4.1
Real estate and rental and leasing 5.6
Business services (2) 3.9
Education, health care, and social
assistance 8.5
Leisure, hospitality, and other (3) 10.0
Government and government enterprises 12.0
Local 13.5
Total 9.8
(1) Consists of farm; forestry, fishing, and related activities; and
mining.
(2) Consists of professional, scientific, and technical services;
management of companies and enterprises; and administrative and waste
management services.
(3) Consists of arts, entertainment and recreation; accommodation and
food services; and other services, except public administration.
Table B. Personal Income Change by Component for U.S. Metropolitan and
Nonmetropolitan Portions
Percent change
Personal Net Dividends, Transfer
income earnings interest, receipts
and rent
2011-2012
United States 5.2 4.9 9.3 1.9
Metropolitan portion 5.3 5.0 9.4 1.9
Nonmetropolitan portion 4.4 4.2 8.7 1.7
2012-2013
United States 2.0 1.8 2.1 2.7
Metropolitan portion 2.0 1.8 2.0 2.8
Nonmetropolitan portion 2.1 2.0 2.3 2.2
Dollar change (billions of dollars)
Personal Net Dividends, Transfer
income earnings interest, receipts
and rent
2011-2012
United States 683.2 418.2 222.2 42.8
Metropolitan portion 613.8 380.0 197.6 36.2
Nonmetropolitan portion 69.4 38.2 24.6 6.6
2012-2013
United States 278.3 160.7 53.8 63.8
Metropolitan portion 243.5 142.1 46.7 54.8
Nonmetropolitan portion 34.7 18.6 7.1 9.0
Table C. Population and Jobs for U.S. Metropolitan
and Nonmetropolitan Portions
Percent change Change
2012 2013 2012 2013
Metropolitan portion
Population 0.9 0.9 2,338,676 2,282,949
Wage and salary jobs 1.8 2.1 2,219,376 2,573,426
Nonmetropolitan portion
Population -0.1 -0.1 -47,555 -27,795
Wage and salary jobs 1.0 0.6 167,624 107,574
Table D. County Source Data Used to Estimate Local Area Personal
Income (1)
Wages and salaries by industry
In general BLS Quarterly Census of Employment
and Wages data.
Farm USDA Census of Agriculture data.
Agriculture and forestry support
activities USDA Census of Agriculture data.
Rail transportation RRB payroll and employment data;
Census Bureau Journey to Work
(Census of Population) data.
Educational services Census Bureau County Business
Patterns payroll data; State
departments of education
employment data; DOE Private
School Universe Survey employment
data; Official Catholic Directory
number of teachers in religious
orders data.
Membership associations and
organizations Household population data. (2)
Private households Household population data; (2)
Census Bureau Journey to Work
(Census of Population) data.
Military DOD personnel data; DHS Coast
Guard personnel and payroll data;
Household population data. (2)
State and local government Census Bureau American Community
Survey wage data; RRB payroll and
employment data.
Employer contributions for employee
pension and insurance funds
by industry
All industries BEA estimates of employment. (3)
Employer contributions for government
social insurance by industry
All industries BLS state unemployment insurance
programs employer contributions
data.
Proprietors income
Farm USDA Census of Agriculture data;
USDA National Agriculture and
Statistic Service crop production
and livestock stocks data; Cash
receipts data from state offices
of agricultural statistics; USDA
Farm Service Agency government
payments to farmers data; USDA
Risk Management Agency crop
indemnity payments data.
Nonfarm industries IRS data on net receipts and
profits of sole proprietorships
and partnerships; Census Bureau
Nonemployer Statistics.
Residence adjustment Census Bureau Journey to Work
(Census of Population) workers
and wages data; Civilian
population data; (4) IRS wage
data.
Dividends, interest, and rent IRS income tax returns data on
dividends and taxable interest;
OPM federal civilian retirement
payments data; DOD military
retirement payments data; Census
Bureau Census of Housing data on
the aggregate gross rental value
of owner-occupied single family
dwellings and number of mobile
homes; USDA gross rental value of
farm dwellings data.
Personal current transter receipts SSA Social Security and
Supplemental Security Income
enrollees and benefits data; CMS
data on the number of enrollees
in the Medicare Hospital
Insurance, Supplementary Medical
Insurance, and Part D programs
and Medicare Advantage
fee-for-services data; Census
Bureau data from the Federal
Assistance Award Data System
(railroad retirement, disability,
and unemployment compensation
benefits and number of
beneficiaries) and Consolidated
Federal Funds Report (black lung
benefits, compensation of
survivors of public safety
officers, and higher education
student assistance), Small
Area Income and Poverty Estimates
of persons and children age 0-17
in poverty, number of
Supplemental Nutritional
Assistance Program recipients,
American Indian and Alaska Native
Alone population, and household
population data; (2) DOD Tricare
payments data; IRS Earned Income
Tax Credit data; Number of
unemployed persons from the BLS
Local Area Unemployment
Statistics program; DVA veterans'
pension, disability, life
insurance, and readjustment
benefits data and number of
pension and disability
beneficiaries; NSF federal
fellowship benefits data; Federal
Reserve Bank of New York data on
the number of mortgage debtors,
per debtor mortgage debt balance
and percent of mortgage debt in
delinquency; Gulf Coast Claims
Facility claims data; Medicaid
payments, Children's Health
Insurance Program enrollment,
Supplemental Nutritional
Assistance Program benefits,
energy assistance payments,
general assistance benefits, and
family assistance benefits data
from the state departments of
social services; State
unemployment insurance
compensation data from the state
employment security agencies.
Employee and self-employed
contributions for government social
insurance CMS Medicare Parts B and D
enrollment data; Census Bureau
American Community Survey veteran
population data; Civilian
population age 18 and over data.
(4)
(1) BEA prepares some county estimates by aggregating source data
available by ZIP code.
(2) Household population for counties is calculated as the difference
between the Census Bureau population and the Census Bureau population
in group quarters estimates.
(3) See the Local Area Personal Income Methodology for the data sources
used by BEA to estimate employment.
(4) Civilian population for counties is based on Census Bureau
population, Coast Guard employment, and Department of Defense active
duty military employment data, adjusted to a place of residence basis.
BEA Bureau of Economic Analysis
BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics
CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
DHS Department of Homeland Security
DOD Department of Defense
DVA Department of Veterans Affairs
IRS Internal Revenue Service
NSF National Science Foundation
OPM Office of Personnel Management
RRB Railroad Retirement Board
SSA Social Security Administration
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture