Regions of the country are all rebounding from the Great Recession at different rates. Some of the starkest illustrations of the uneven recovery become even more apparent when taking a closer look at the metro areas within these regions.
For the first time, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) recently published an official measure estimating regional price-adjusted changes in purchasing power. BEA’s new real personal income data estimates purchasing power of personal income both across regions and over time.
For all regions, real personal income climbed an average of 2.3 percent in 2012.
The following table lists real per capita personal income estimates for metro areas with published data:
| Metro Area | 2011-12 % Change | 2011 Real Personal Income Per Capita ($) | 2012 Real Personal Income Per Capita ($ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Bluff, AR | 7.9 | 33,794 | 36,455 |
| Greenville, NC | 7.8 | 35,601 | 38,381 |
| Jackson, TN | 7.6 | 39,737 | 42,744 |
| Albany, GA | 7.4 | 35,245 | 37,850 |
| Danville, IL | 7.3 | 37,776 | 40,538 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 7.0 | 33,649 | 36,021 |
| Odessa, TX | 6.6 | 40,555 | 43,242 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 6.4 | 42,216 | 44,907 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 6.4 | 34,611 | 36,813 |
| Rome, GA | 6.3 | 37,142 | 39,491 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 6.3 | 34,587 | 36,774 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 6.2 | 34,598 | 36,757 |
| Cleveland, TN | 6.2 | 35,687 | 37,891 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 5.9 | 35,236 | 37,331 |
| Columbus, IN | 5.8 | 44,603 | 47,209 |
| Gadsden, AL | 5.6 | 34,689 | 36,647 |
| Joplin, MO | 5.6 | 33,921 | 35,813 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 5.6 | 41,712 | 44,038 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 5.6 | 37,688 | 39,789 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 5.6 | 37,651 | 39,748 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 5.5 | 34,072 | 35,954 |
| Alexandria, LA | 5.3 | 38,479 | 40,522 |
| Monroe, LA | 5.3 | 36,653 | 38,587 |
| Monroe, MI | 5.1 | 35,846 | 37,687 |
| Kokomo, IN | 5.1 | 34,894 | 36,676 |
| Victoria, TX | 4.8 | 43,675 | 45,771 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 4.8 | 38,090 | 39,912 |
| Midland, TX | 4.8 | 76,841 | 80,504 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 4.7 | 35,883 | 37,570 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 4.7 | 34,506 | 36,116 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 4.6 | 39,101 | 40,886 |
| Dothan, AL | 4.4 | 38,307 | 39,975 |
| Muncie, IN | 4.3 | 32,774 | 34,190 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 4.3 | 36,778 | 38,362 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 4.3 | 39,786 | 41,499 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 4.3 | 43,706 | 45,582 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 4.2 | 35,816 | 37,335 |
| Trenton, NJ | 4.2 | 45,513 | 47,404 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 4.1 | 32,286 | 33,623 |
| Macon, GA | 4.1 | 38,211 | 39,781 |
| Peoria, IL | 4.1 | 46,253 | 48,151 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 4.0 | 35,605 | 37,035 |
| Lafayette, LA | 4.0 | 42,777 | 44,493 |
| Florence, SC | 3.9 | 36,775 | 38,211 |
| Tulsa, OK | 3.9 | 45,464 | 47,220 |
| Kankakee, IL | 3.8 | 32,283 | 33,512 |
| Rockford, IL | 3.8 | 36,191 | 37,555 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 3.8 | 35,138 | 36,457 |
| Jackson, MS | 3.8 | 39,479 | 40,960 |
| Decatur, AL | 3.7 | 34,859 | 36,162 |
| Evansville, IN-KY | 3.7 | 40,930 | 42,446 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 3.7 | 38,767 | 40,200 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 3.7 | 37,470 | 38,855 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 3.7 | 41,851 | 43,397 |
| Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 3.7 | 35,473 | 36,782 |
| Burlington, NC | 3.7 | 33,504 | 34,732 |
| Montgomery, AL | 3.7 | 38,507 | 39,916 |
| Longview, TX | 3.5 | 41,864 | 43,332 |
| Johnstown, PA | 3.5 | 37,471 | 38,776 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 3.4 | 40,404 | 41,793 |
| Laredo, TX | 3.4 | 26,949 | 27,871 |
| Valdosta, GA | 3.4 | 35,640 | 36,855 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 3.4 | 45,123 | 46,656 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 3.4 | 40,427 | 41,797 |
| Pueblo, CO | 3.4 | 33,009 | 34,123 |
| Ocala, FL | 3.4 | 35,498 | 36,694 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 3.4 | 37,999 | 39,277 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 3.4 | 43,583 | 45,047 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 3.3 | 33,262 | 34,375 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 3.3 | 41,380 | 42,751 |
| Owensboro, KY | 3.3 | 38,802 | 40,086 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 3.3 | 25,814 | 26,661 |
| Sumter, SC | 3.3 | 34,066 | 35,180 |
| Decatur, IL | 3.2 | 43,356 | 44,757 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 3.2 | 35,533 | 36,673 |
| Flint, MI | 3.2 | 31,789 | 32,804 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 3.1 | 36,388 | 37,534 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 3.1 | 46,158 | 47,610 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 3.1 | 39,532 | 40,758 |
| Abilene, TX | 3.1 | 38,202 | 39,378 |
| Akron, OH | 3.1 | 43,726 | 45,068 |
| New Haven-Milford, CT | 3.1 | 41,385 | 42,652 |
| Battle Creek, MI | 3.0 | 36,238 | 37,337 |
| Springfield, OH | 3.0 | 37,670 | 38,812 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 3.0 | 33,542 | 34,554 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 3.0 | 41,529 | 42,767 |
| Mobile, AL | 3.0 | 34,242 | 35,256 |
| Muskegon, MI | 3.0 | 32,801 | 33,772 |
| Salisbury, MD-DE | 2.9 | 39,405 | 40,558 |
| Charleston, WV | 2.9 | 43,453 | 44,721 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 2.9 | 39,832 | 40,983 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 2.9 | 37,693 | 38,782 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 2.9 | 36,758 | 37,815 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 2.9 | 46,712 | 48,053 |
| Springfield, MO | 2.8 | 35,123 | 36,121 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 2.8 | 38,458 | 39,549 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 2.8 | 45,761 | 47,059 |
| Napa, CA | 2.8 | 42,696 | 43,898 |
| Bismarck, ND | 2.8 | 45,427 | 46,704 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 2.8 | 43,349 | 44,543 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 2.7 | 37,155 | 38,173 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | 2.7 | 42,475 | 43,637 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 2.7 | 38,358 | 39,407 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2.7 | 39,907 | 40,995 |
| Columbia, MO | 2.7 | 39,624 | 40,701 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 2.7 | 34,987 | 35,936 |
| Columbia, SC | 2.7 | 37,394 | 38,406 |
| Dayton, OH | 2.7 | 40,513 | 41,596 |
| New Bern, NC | 2.7 | 41,818 | 42,932 |
| Ames, IA | 2.6 | 46,467 | 47,697 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 2.6 | 38,054 | 39,051 |
| Saginaw, MI | 2.6 | 34,214 | 35,105 |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA | 2.6 | 43,569 | 44,699 |
| Columbus, OH | 2.6 | 42,119 | 43,208 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 2.6 | 37,510 | 38,479 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 2.5 | 32,766 | 33,597 |
| Morgantown, WV | 2.5 | 38,630 | 39,607 |
| Topeka, KS | 2.5 | 41,426 | 42,467 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 2.5 | 24,399 | 25,008 |
| Dover, DE | 2.5 | 35,580 | 36,468 |
| Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 2.5 | 32,225 | 33,021 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 2.5 | 31,219 | 31,990 |
| Lubbock, TX | 2.4 | 35,630 | 36,502 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 2.4 | 35,269 | 36,116 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 2.4 | 37,107 | 37,985 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 2.4 | 39,330 | 40,255 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 2.3 | 44,755 | 45,802 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA | 2.3 | 39,389 | 40,306 |
| Ocean City, NJ | 2.3 | 44,574 | 45,607 |
| Brunswick, GA | 2.3 | 37,139 | 37,996 |
| Bay City, MI | 2.3 | 36,285 | 37,119 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | 2.3 | 42,305 | 43,272 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 2.3 | 36,072 | 36,896 |
| Appleton, WI | 2.3 | 41,548 | 42,491 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 2.3 | 41,966 | 42,918 |
| Knoxville, TN | 2.2 | 38,361 | 39,211 |
| Waco, TX | 2.2 | 35,115 | 35,882 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2.2 | 47,586 | 48,612 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2.1 | 46,048 | 47,031 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 2.1 | 37,496 | 38,293 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 2.1 | 32,307 | 32,992 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 2.1 | 43,745 | 44,671 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 2.1 | 46,646 | 47,631 |
| Roanoke, VA | 2.1 | 41,506 | 42,382 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2.1 | 39,869 | 40,706 |
| Mankato-North Mankato, MN | 2.1 | 42,156 | 43,041 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 2.1 | 39,320 | 40,130 |
| Syracuse, NY | 2.1 | 40,494 | 41,327 |
| Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | 2.1 | 37,954 | 38,734 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 2.0 | 45,915 | 46,843 |
| Springfield, MA | 2.0 | 40,633 | 41,446 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 2.0 | 34,488 | 35,172 |
| Asheville, NC | 2.0 | 36,548 | 37,272 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2.0 | 39,860 | 40,647 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 2.0 | 36,914 | 37,638 |
| Gainesville, FL | 2.0 | 36,766 | 37,486 |
| Wichita, KS | 1.9 | 41,983 | 42,793 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 1.9 | 33,793 | 34,439 |
| Morristown, TN | 1.9 | 34,896 | 35,558 |
| Rochester, MN | 1.9 | 45,417 | 46,278 |
| Madera, CA | 1.9 | 30,124 | 30,692 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 1.9 | 33,537 | 34,168 |
| Dubuque, IA | 1.9 | 40,489 | 41,240 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 1.8 | 54,998 | 55,995 |
| Lima, OH | 1.8 | 34,589 | 35,215 |
| Raleigh, NC | 1.8 | 41,824 | 42,580 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 1.8 | 38,024 | 38,710 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 1.8 | 39,979 | 40,699 |
| Johnson City, TN | 1.8 | 36,513 | 37,156 |
| Williamsport, PA | 1.7 | 38,401 | 39,070 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1.7 | 42,417 | 43,155 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1.7 | 45,112 | 45,895 |
| Jefferson City, MO | 1.7 | 42,207 | 42,928 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1.7 | 40,610 | 41,301 |
| Tyler, TX | 1.7 | 40,765 | 41,458 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1.7 | 42,606 | 43,327 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 1.7 | 35,049 | 35,640 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1.7 | 38,379 | 39,024 |
| Provo-Orem, UT | 1.7 | 26,570 | 27,016 |
| Toledo, OH | 1.7 | 39,186 | 39,843 |
| The Villages, FL | 1.7 | 36,453 | 37,064 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1.7 | 50,177 | 51,017 |
| Albany, OR | 1.7 | 30,862 | 31,375 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 1.6 | 36,676 | 37,278 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 1.6 | 51,279 | 52,105 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 1.6 | 42,304 | 42,984 |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 1.6 | 34,886 | 35,437 |
| Dalton, GA | 1.6 | 31,368 | 31,861 |
| Bloomington, IN | 1.6 | 32,857 | 33,372 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1.5 | 50,322 | 51,095 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 1.5 | 46,227 | 46,925 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 1.5 | 35,638 | 36,166 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 1.5 | 43,241 | 43,876 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 1.4 | 36,546 | 37,062 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 1.4 | 42,234 | 42,824 |
| Lawrence, KS | 1.4 | 35,610 | 36,103 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 1.4 | 27,170 | 27,546 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 1.4 | 38,381 | 38,911 |
| Mansfield, OH | 1.4 | 34,199 | 34,669 |
| Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 1.4 | 36,534 | 37,031 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 1.3 | 42,533 | 43,106 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 1.3 | 41,536 | 42,092 |
| Modesto, CA | 1.3 | 32,274 | 32,704 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 1.3 | 38,197 | 38,705 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1.3 | 40,574 | 41,112 |
| Wausau, WI | 1.3 | 39,911 | 40,439 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 1.3 | 38,990 | 39,502 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1.3 | 46,685 | 47,290 |
| Gettysburg, PA | 1.3 | 34,912 | 35,357 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 1.3 | 33,746 | 34,175 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1.3 | 40,200 | 40,706 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 1.2 | 35,446 | 35,888 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 1.2 | 62,559 | 63,336 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 1.2 | 53,959 | 54,625 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 1.2 | 37,714 | 38,176 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 1.2 | 38,075 | 38,540 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 1.2 | 43,199 | 43,726 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1.2 | 34,844 | 35,267 |
| Rochester, NY | 1.2 | 42,022 | 42,527 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 1.2 | 31,832 | 32,212 |
| Kingston, NY | 1.2 | 39,235 | 39,693 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 1.2 | 38,283 | 38,726 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 1.1 | 40,878 | 41,347 |
| Longview, WA | 1.1 | 34,756 | 35,153 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 1.1 | 36,440 | 36,851 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 1.1 | 34,663 | 35,053 |
| Richmond, VA | 1.1 | 43,997 | 44,491 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 1.1 | 45,054 | 45,555 |
| Greeley, CO | 1.1 | 30,430 | 30,765 |
| Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 1.1 | 39,345 | 39,778 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 1.1 | 31,413 | 31,756 |
| Racine, WI | 1.1 | 40,702 | 41,146 |
| Billings, MT | 1.1 | 40,840 | 41,284 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 1.1 | 41,878 | 42,332 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 1.1 | 33,640 | 34,003 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 1.1 | 34,837 | 35,205 |
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 1.0 | 31,534 | 31,859 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 1.0 | 39,110 | 39,495 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 1.0 | 45,652 | 46,097 |
| Huntsville, AL | 1.0 | 42,827 | 43,243 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 1.0 | 36,841 | 37,194 |
| Jackson, MI | 0.9 | 33,787 | 34,100 |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 0.9 | 36,036 | 36,369 |
| Medford, OR | 0.9 | 34,818 | 35,135 |
| East Stroudsburg, PA | 0.9 | 31,786 | 32,075 |
| Springfield, IL | 0.9 | 42,366 | 42,740 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 0.9 | 40,978 | 41,339 |
| Reading, PA | 0.9 | 39,311 | 39,654 |
| Lincoln, NE | 0.9 | 42,115 | 42,482 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 0.9 | 36,973 | 37,294 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 0.9 | 38,569 | 38,897 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 0.8 | 43,328 | 43,687 |
| Carson City, NV | 0.8 | 40,585 | 40,909 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 0.8 | 39,128 | 39,436 |
| Carbondale-Marion, IL | 0.8 | 40,021 | 40,332 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 0.8 | 42,779 | 43,104 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 0.8 | 38,799 | 39,090 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | 0.7 | 46,424 | 46,771 |
| Worcester, MA-CT | 0.7 | 41,886 | 42,199 |
| Elmira, NY | 0.7 | 38,042 | 38,319 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 0.7 | 41,319 | 41,619 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 0.7 | 45,398 | 45,724 |
| Green Bay, WI | 0.7 | 42,576 | 42,877 |
| San Angelo, TX | 0.7 | 40,645 | 40,931 |
| Redding, CA | 0.7 | 35,931 | 36,180 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 0.7 | 43,948 | 44,249 |
| Tucson, AZ | 0.7 | 35,304 | 35,545 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 0.7 | 40,130 | 40,397 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | 0.7 | 36,874 | 37,115 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 0.6 | 37,548 | 37,783 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 0.6 | 41,115 | 41,371 |
| Logan, UT-ID | 0.6 | 30,358 | 30,545 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 0.6 | 37,461 | 37,690 |
| Eugene, OR | 0.6 | 34,681 | 34,891 |
| Grand Island, NE | 0.6 | 46,110 | 46,387 |
| El Paso, TX | 0.6 | 31,356 | 31,544 |
| Norwich-New London, CT | 0.6 | 46,061 | 46,335 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 0.6 | 42,806 | 43,059 |
| Beckley, WV | 0.6 | 38,905 | 39,130 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 0.6 | 36,311 | 36,517 |
| Amarillo, TX | 0.6 | 38,975 | 39,190 |
| Altoona, PA | 0.5 | 37,759 | 37,964 |
| Iowa City, IA | 0.5 | 44,520 | 44,757 |
| Casper, WY | 0.5 | 55,543 | 55,828 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 0.5 | 45,147 | 45,364 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 0.5 | 51,120 | 51,362 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 0.4 | 44,031 | 44,226 |
| Fresno, CA | 0.4 | 32,977 | 33,118 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 0.4 | 41,995 | 42,161 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 0.4 | 36,016 | 36,155 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 0.4 | 31,047 | 31,163 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 0.4 | 33,343 | 33,467 |
| Yakima, WA | 0.4 | 34,582 | 34,707 |
| Bloomington, IL | 0.4 | 43,422 | 43,578 |
| Erie, PA | 0.3 | 37,288 | 37,403 |
| Salem, OR | 0.3 | 33,940 | 34,041 |
| Farmington, NM | 0.3 | 33,789 | 33,889 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 0.3 | 45,065 | 45,196 |
| Yuba City, CA | 0.3 | 33,460 | 33,553 |
| Cheyenne, WY | 0.3 | 49,868 | 50,004 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 0.2 | 46,226 | 46,337 |
| Santa Fe, NM | 0.2 | 42,072 | 42,172 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 0.2 | 36,658 | 36,745 |
| Corvallis, OR | 0.2 | 38,773 | 38,864 |
| Bellingham, WA | 0.2 | 37,307 | 37,391 |
| Savannah, GA | 0.2 | 40,591 | 40,676 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 0.1 | 39,502 | 39,549 |
| Sebring, FL | 0.1 | 32,841 | 32,879 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 0.1 | 41,908 | 41,956 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 0.1 | 42,141 | 42,184 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 0.1 | 38,397 | 38,433 |
| Reno, NV | 0.0 | 41,312 | 41,329 |
| Great Falls, MT | 0.0 | 41,084 | 41,094 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 0.0 | 38,369 | 38,376 |
| Madison, WI | 0.0 | 46,566 | 46,570 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 0.0 | 44,842 | 44,841 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 0.0 | 57,920 | 57,911 |
| Lebanon, PA | 0.0 | 41,275 | 41,267 |
| Prescott, AZ | -0.1 | 31,166 | 31,145 |
| Olympia-Tumwater, WA | -0.1 | 39,940 | 39,907 |
| Boulder, CO | -0.1 | 46,875 | 46,836 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | -0.1 | 47,772 | 47,727 |
| Missoula, MT | -0.1 | 36,022 | 35,986 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -0.1 | 35,671 | 35,633 |
| Pocatello, ID | -0.1 | 31,485 | 31,440 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | -0.2 | 36,868 | 36,798 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | -0.2 | 39,482 | 39,404 |
| Fort Collins, CO | -0.2 | 39,183 | 39,100 |
| Bangor, ME | -0.2 | 35,150 | 35,066 |
| Chico, CA | -0.2 | 33,884 | 33,802 |
| Boise City, ID | -0.3 | 35,524 | 35,435 |
| Binghamton, NY | -0.3 | 38,175 | 38,079 |
| Wilmington, NC | -0.3 | 36,979 | 36,885 |
| Hammond, LA | -0.3 | 34,994 | 34,897 |
| Albuquerque, NM | -0.3 | 35,749 | 35,647 |
| Panama City, FL | -0.3 | 36,826 | 36,700 |
| Merced, CA | -0.3 | 30,461 | 30,355 |
| Anchorage, AK | -0.4 | 44,979 | 44,811 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | -0.4 | 40,116 | 39,963 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | -0.4 | 46,475 | 46,296 |
| St. George, UT | -0.4 | 28,629 | 28,518 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -0.4 | 39,601 | 39,431 |
| Las Cruces, NM | -0.5 | 31,814 | 31,663 |
| El Centro, CA | -0.5 | 31,960 | 31,795 |
| Bend-Redmond, OR | -0.6 | 37,968 | 37,754 |
| Ithaca, NY | -0.6 | 35,541 | 35,334 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | -0.6 | 28,643 | 28,472 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | -0.7 | 40,724 | 40,435 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | -0.7 | 41,288 | 40,992 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | -0.7 | 39,097 | 38,806 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | -0.8 | 37,764 | 37,468 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -0.8 | 37,249 | 36,956 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | -0.8 | 37,491 | 37,192 |
| Lancaster, PA | -0.8 | 38,913 | 38,600 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -0.8 | 40,857 | 40,514 |
| Midland, MI | -0.9 | 50,049 | 49,615 |
| Lawton, OK | -0.9 | 38,716 | 38,380 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | -0.9 | 41,470 | 41,103 |
| California-Lexington Park, MD | -0.9 | 44,579 | 44,170 |
| Yuma, AZ | -1.0 | 27,712 | 27,447 |
| Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | -1.0 | 43,110 | 42,660 |
| Gainesville, GA | -1.1 | 34,724 | 34,338 |
| Rapid City, SD | -1.1 | 44,339 | 43,832 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -1.2 | 37,370 | 36,922 |
| Salinas, CA | -1.3 | 38,613 | 38,111 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | -1.4 | 31,531 | 31,081 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | -1.5 | 40,246 | 39,657 |
| Walla Walla, WA | -1.5 | 37,951 | 37,390 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | -1.6 | 34,095 | 33,566 |
| Wenatchee, WA | -1.6 | 37,137 | 36,526 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -1.9 | 32,238 | 31,626 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | -2.0 | 48,880 | 47,897 |
| Fairbanks, AK | -2.1 | 41,207 | 40,354 |
| Hinesville, GA | -2.2 | 29,851 | 29,200 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | -2.3 | 49,804 | 48,645 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -2.5 | 41,690 | 40,627 |
| State College, PA | -2.6 | 38,991 | 37,962 |
| Jacksonville, NC | -2.9 | 46,766 | 45,422 |
| Manhattan, KS | -4.0 | 45,659 | 43,852 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -4.2 | 45,844 | 43,907 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | -5.4 | 38,318 | 36,255 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
One of the key components differentiating BEA’s estimates from other measures is that it takes into account regional price parities, using data for various spending categories (rent, food, etc.) compiled from multiple federal surveys. Personal income is adjusted by price levels for consumer goods and services within each metro area.
Metro areas recording the highest 2012 regional price parities, shown as a percentage of the national price index, were Honolulu (122.9), New York-Newark-Jersey City (122.2) and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (122.0).
Comparing BEA data a few more years back illustrates the extent to which metro areas recovered from the depths of the recession. The map below shows percentage changes in real per capita personal income growth between 2012 and 2009 – the year unemployment peaked. Metro areas recording the largest gain in purchasing power are shaded in dark green. (Click to open interactive map in new window)
As these income maps always seem to show, oil-rich areas of Texas and North Dakota fared quite well. Meanwhile, regions hit hard by the bursting of the housing bubble were still losing purchasing power over the three-year period. It’s also important to note that metro area economies incur different cycles. Washington, D.C., and much of the Great Plains, for example, weathered the recession well, so they didn't have as much income loss to recover as other areas.
