Introduction
Blair County vs. Pennsylvania
Blair County:
2022 PCI = $55,101
2022 Percent of State = 85.42%
Pennsylvania:
2022 PCI = $64,506
Per Capita Income (PCI) is one of the most widely used indicators for gauging the economic performance and changing fortunes of local economies. It is used as a yardstick to assess the economic well being of a region's residents and the quality of consumer markets. It serves as a barometer for calibrating the economic performance of a region over time and to judge differences in relative economic prosperity between regions. Shifting trends in local per capita income growth have important social and political ramifications and significant implications in formulating local economic development strategies and initiatives.
Data Definition:
This measure of income is calculated as the total personal income of the residents of an area divided by the population of the area. Per capita personal income is often used as an indicator of consumers' purchasing power and of the economic well-being of the residents of an area.
Personal income is measured as a flow throughout the year, while the measurement of population is at one point in mid-year. Therefore, per capita income is distorted if a significant change in population occurs during the year.
For smaller counties in particular, per capita income in any given year may be exceptionally high or low for the short run because of unusual local conditions, such as a bumper crop, a catastrophe, or a major construction project as the building of a dam or nuclear power plant.
Farm incomes are notorious for being especially volatile year-to-year, owing to changing weather, commodity market conditions, and alterations in government programs. Therefore, the per capita income of farm-dependent counties may exhibit sharp fluctuations over time.
The presence of large institutional populations--such as residents attending a local college or the residents of a local prison or state mental institution--can significantly lower the per capita income estimates of an area. Such results may not reflect the relative economic well being of the non-institutional population and may mislead if care is not given to their interpretation.
Page 2 of 13
Blair County Per Capita Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Blair County Per Capita Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Blair County's annual per capita personal income over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of Blair County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Blair County's per capita personal income increased 1,488.05%, from $3,470 in 1970 to $55,101 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 170.50%, from $17,554 in 1970 to $47,483 in 2022.
Page 3 of 13
Real Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
Real Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Blair County's and Pennsylvania's annual real per capita personal income for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real per capita personal income patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Blair County's real per capita personal income rose from $16,847 in 1969 to $47,483 in 2022, for a net gain of $30,636, or 181.85%. In comparison, Pennsylvania's real per capita personal income increased from $20,453 in 1969 to $55,588 in 2022, for a net advance of $35,135, or 171.78%.
Page 4 of 13
Real Per Capita Personal Income Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Per Capita Personal Income Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Blair County's real per capita personal income growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Pennsylvania, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real per capita personal income in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real per capita personal incomes in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real per capita personal income growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Blair County's overall real per capita personal income growth was 181.85% over 1969-2022 outpaced Pennsylvania's increase of 171.78%, and outpaced the United States' increase of 171.04%.
Page 5 of 13
Per Capita Personal Income as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Per Capita Personal Income as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 displays the trends for per capita personal income relative to the national average by tracing Blair County and Pennsylvania per capita personal income as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Blair County's per capita personal income amounted to 80.93% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 84.16%. Similarly, in 1969, Pennsylvania's per capita personal income totaled 98.26% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 98.53%.
Page 6 of 13
Blair County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Blair County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Blair County's real per capita personal income growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Blair County's real per capita personal income grew at an annual rate of 2.00% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 2020 (8.47%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2022 (-6.17%). In 2022, Blair County's real per capita personal income declined by -6.17%
Page 7 of 13
Blair County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Blair County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again traces the annual percent change in Blair County's real per capita personal income since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Blair County's annual real per capita personal income growth rate averaged 2.72%. It averaged 1.41% throughout the 1980s, 2.73% throughout the 1990s, 1.41% throughout the 2000s, 1.69% in the 2010s, 2.14% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Page 8 of 13
Real Per Capita Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Per Capita Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Blair County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Pennsylvania and the nation. As the chart reveals, Blair County's average annual real per capita personal income growth outpaced Pennsylvania's average during the 1970s (2.72% vs. 2.46%), amounted to less than Pennsylvania's average in the 1980s (1.41% vs. 2.20%), recorded above Pennsylvania's average in the 1990s (2.73% vs. 2.01%), recorded under Pennsylvania's average during the 2000s (1.41% vs. 1.44%), lagged Pennsylvania's average throughout the 2010s (1.69% vs. 1.78%), and topped Pennsylvania's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (2.14% vs. 0.95%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real per capita personal income growth trends, Blair County surpassed the nation in the 1970s (2.72% vs. 2.37%), fell under the nation over the 1980s (1.41% vs. 2.19%), outgained the nation throughout the 1990s (2.73% vs. 2.01%), exceeded the nation during the 2000s (1.41% vs. 1.10%), trailed the nation throughout the 2010s (1.69% vs. 1.97%), and outpaced the nation over 2020-2022 (2.14% vs. 1.78%).
   
 
Real* Per Capita Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
2.00
2.72
1.41
2.73
1.41
1.69
2.14
-6.17
 
1.92
2.46
2.20
2.01
1.44
1.78
0.95
-5.39
 
1.92
2.37
2.19
2.01
1.10
1.97
1.78
-4.55
 
   
Page 9 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Blair County:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,181
0.189
16,847
100.0
N
82.37
80.93
1970
 
3,470
0.198
17,554
104.2
4.20
83.91
82.65
1971
 
3,644
0.206
17,684
105.0
0.74
83.54
81.51
1972
 
3,891
0.213
18,260
108.4
3.26
81.87
80.11
1973
 
4,319
0.225
19,233
114.2
5.33
82.75
80.53
1974
 
4,725
0.248
19,060
113.1
-0.90
82.28
80.98
1975
 
5,220
0.269
19,434
115.4
1.97
83.40
82.55
1976
 
5,847
0.283
20,636
122.5
6.18
85.51
85.04
1977
 
6,402
0.302
21,215
125.9
2.80
85.30
85.18
1978
 
7,013
0.323
21,728
129.0
2.42
84.67
83.93
1979
 
7,730
0.351
21,994
130.6
1.23
84.42
83.72
1980
 
8,357
0.389
21,468
127.4
-2.39
83.25
82.06
1981
 
9,085
0.424
21,420
127.1
-0.22
82.00
80.46
1982
 
9,464
0.448
21,138
125.5
-1.32
79.88
78.93
1983
 
9,913
0.467
21,238
126.1
0.47
79.71
78.05
1984
 
10,629
0.484
21,943
130.2
3.32
79.10
76.53
1985
 
11,426
0.501
22,793
135.3
3.87
79.91
77.48
1986
 
12,137
0.512
23,696
140.7
3.96
80.79
78.39
1987
 
12,553
0.528
23,773
141.1
0.33
79.36
77.35
1988
 
13,256
0.549
24,162
143.4
1.63
77.35
76.00
1989
 
14,453
0.573
25,241
149.8
4.47
78.02
77.46
1990
 
15,309
0.598
25,611
152.0
1.47
78.24
78.03
1991
 
15,972
0.618
25,856
153.5
0.96
78.81
79.66
1992
 
17,033
0.634
26,858
159.4
3.87
80.20
80.81
1993
 
17,837
0.650
27,442
162.9
2.17
81.41
82.15
1994
 
18,571
0.664
27,987
166.1
1.99
82.20
82.35
1995
 
19,323
0.678
28,519
169.3
1.90
82.03
81.95
1996
 
20,485
0.692
29,601
175.7
3.79
82.94
82.85
1997
 
21,621
0.704
30,708
182.3
3.74
83.36
83.40
1998
 
22,792
0.710
32,117
190.6
4.59
83.46
82.90
1999
 
23,775
0.720
33,020
196.0
2.81
83.67
83.15
2000
 
24,903
0.738
33,733
200.2
2.16
82.08
81.51
2001
 
25,293
0.753
33,589
199.4
-0.43
80.14
80.18
2002
 
26,170
0.763
34,303
203.6
2.13
81.57
82.29
2003
 
27,211
0.779
34,934
207.4
1.84
82.29
83.32
2004
 
28,561
0.798
35,779
212.4
2.42
81.93
83.55
2005
 
29,653
0.821
36,106
214.3
0.92
81.97
83.13
2006
 
30,530
0.844
36,156
214.6
0.14
80.76
80.68
2007
 
32,037
0.866
36,992
219.6
2.31
80.08
80.93
2008
 
33,289
0.892
37,333
221.6
0.92
80.28
81.48
2009
 
33,755
0.889
37,961
225.3
1.68
83.46
85.88
2010
 
35,024
0.905
38,695
229.7
1.93
83.20
86.36
2011
 
36,961
0.928
39,827
236.4
2.93
83.77
86.66
2012
 
37,573
0.945
39,745
235.9
-0.21
82.33
84.93
2013
 
37,498
0.958
39,149
232.4
-1.50
81.69
84.45
2014
 
38,992
0.971
40,148
238.3
2.55
82.14
84.24
2015
 
40,944
0.973
42,081
249.8
4.82
83.06
85.19
2016
 
41,604
0.983
42,330
251.3
0.59
82.26
84.96
2017
 
42,754
1.000
42,754
253.8
1.00
82.40
83.82
2018
 
44,979
1.020
44,077
261.6
3.09
82.58
84.37
2019
 
46,379
1.035
44,805
266.0
1.65
82.64
83.49
2020
 
50,853
1.046
48,600
288.5
8.47
84.31
85.97
2021
 
55,162
1.090
50,607
300.4
4.13
86.13
85.62
2022
 
55,101
1.160
47,483
281.8
-6.17
85.42
84.16
Source: Calculations by the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Analysis Project (PA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_700_PSN
 
   
Page 10 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Pennsylvania:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,862
0.189
20,453
100.0
N
98.26
1970
 
4,135
0.198
20,921
102.3
2.29
98.51
1971
 
4,362
0.206
21,168
103.5
1.18
97.56
1972
 
4,753
0.213
22,305
109.1
5.37
97.86
1973
 
5,219
0.225
23,244
113.6
4.21
97.32
1974
 
5,743
0.248
23,163
113.2
-0.35
98.41
1975
 
6,259
0.269
23,304
113.9
0.61
98.98
1976
 
6,838
0.283
24,133
118.0
3.56
99.46
1977
 
7,505
0.302
24,871
121.6
3.06
99.86
1978
 
8,283
0.323
25,662
125.5
3.18
99.12
1979
 
9,156
0.351
26,053
127.4
1.52
99.17
1980
 
10,038
0.389
25,786
126.1
-1.02
98.57
1981
 
11,079
0.424
26,121
127.7
1.30
98.12
1982
 
11,847
0.448
26,461
129.4
1.30
98.81
1983
 
12,436
0.467
26,643
130.3
0.69
97.91
1984
 
13,437
0.484
27,740
135.6
4.12
96.74
1985
 
14,298
0.501
28,523
139.5
2.82
96.96
1986
 
15,022
0.512
29,329
143.4
2.83
97.03
1987
 
15,818
0.528
29,958
146.5
2.14
97.48
1988
 
17,137
0.549
31,235
152.7
4.26
98.25
1989
 
18,526
0.573
32,353
158.2
3.58
99.29
1990
 
19,566
0.598
32,733
160.0
1.17
99.73
1991
 
20,267
0.618
32,808
160.4
0.23
101.08
1992
 
21,238
0.634
33,489
163.7
2.07
100.77
1993
 
21,911
0.650
33,709
164.8
0.66
100.91
1994
 
22,592
0.664
34,047
166.5
1.00
100.18
1995
 
23,556
0.678
34,767
170.0
2.11
99.91
1996
 
24,699
0.692
35,691
174.5
2.66
99.89
1997
 
25,935
0.704
36,836
180.1
3.21
100.04
1998
 
27,309
0.710
38,482
188.1
4.47
99.33
1999
 
28,416
0.720
39,466
193.0
2.56
99.38
2000
 
30,339
0.738
41,098
200.9
4.13
99.31
2001
 
31,563
0.753
41,915
204.9
1.99
100.05
2002
 
32,084
0.763
42,055
205.6
0.34
100.89
2003
 
33,066
0.779
42,451
207.5
0.94
101.25
2004
 
34,860
0.798
43,669
213.5
2.87
101.98
2005
 
36,173
0.821
44,046
215.3
0.86
101.41
2006
 
37,803
0.844
44,769
218.9
1.64
99.89
2007
 
40,008
0.866
46,195
225.9
3.19
101.06
2008
 
41,467
0.892
46,503
227.4
0.67
101.50
2009
 
40,446
0.889
45,485
222.4
-2.19
102.90
2010
 
42,098
0.905
46,510
227.4
2.25
103.80
2011
 
44,120
0.928
47,541
232.4
2.22
103.45
2012
 
45,638
0.945
48,277
236.0
1.55
103.17
2013
 
45,904
0.958
47,926
234.3
-0.73
103.39
2014
 
47,469
0.971
48,876
239.0
1.98
102.55
2015
 
49,293
0.973
50,662
247.7
3.65
102.57
2016
 
50,574
0.983
51,457
251.6
1.57
103.27
2017
 
51,888
1.000
51,888
253.7
0.84
101.73
2018
 
54,468
1.020
53,376
261.0
2.87
102.17
2019
 
56,125
1.035
54,220
265.1
1.58
101.04
2020
 
60,320
1.046
57,648
281.9
6.32
101.97
2021
 
64,042
1.090
58,754
287.3
1.92
99.40
2022
 
64,506
1.160
55,588
271.8
-5.39
98.53
Source: Calculations by the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Analysis Project (PA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_700_PSN
 
   
Page 11 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,931
0.189
20,816
100.0
N
1970
 
4,198
0.198
21,238
102.0
2.03
1971
 
4,471
0.206
21,697
104.2
2.16
1972
 
4,857
0.213
22,793
109.5
5.05
1973
 
5,363
0.225
23,883
114.7
4.78
1974
 
5,836
0.248
23,537
113.1
-1.45
1975
 
6,324
0.269
23,544
113.1
0.03
1976
 
6,875
0.283
24,265
116.6
3.07
1977
 
7,516
0.302
24,906
119.6
2.64
1978
 
8,356
0.323
25,889
124.4
3.95
1979
 
9,232
0.351
26,271
126.2
1.47
1980
 
10,184
0.389
26,160
125.7
-0.42
1981
 
11,291
0.424
26,621
127.9
1.76
1982
 
11,990
0.448
26,781
128.7
0.60
1983
 
12,701
0.467
27,210
130.7
1.61
1984
 
13,889
0.484
28,674
137.7
5.38
1985
 
14,746
0.501
29,417
141.3
2.59
1986
 
15,482
0.512
30,227
145.2
2.75
1987
 
16,228
0.528
30,733
147.6
1.67
1988
 
17,442
0.549
31,790
152.7
3.44
1989
 
18,658
0.573
32,584
156.5
2.50
1990
 
19,619
0.598
32,821
157.7
0.73
1991
 
20,050
0.618
32,457
155.9
-1.11
1992
 
21,077
0.634
33,234
159.7
2.39
1993
 
21,713
0.650
33,405
160.5
0.51
1994
 
22,552
0.664
33,986
163.3
1.74
1995
 
23,577
0.678
34,798
167.2
2.39
1996
 
24,725
0.692
35,729
171.6
2.67
1997
 
25,925
0.704
36,822
176.9
3.06
1998
 
27,493
0.710
38,740
186.1
5.21
1999
 
28,592
0.720
39,711
190.8
2.51
2000
 
30,551
0.738
41,384
198.8
4.21
2001
 
31,548
0.753
41,895
201.3
1.23
2002
 
31,801
0.763
41,684
200.2
-0.50
2003
 
32,659
0.779
41,928
201.4
0.59
2004
 
34,183
0.798
42,821
205.7
2.13
2005
 
35,669
0.821
43,432
208.6
1.43
2006
 
37,843
0.844
44,816
215.3
3.19
2007
 
39,588
0.866
45,710
219.6
1.99
2008
 
40,854
0.892
45,816
220.1
0.23
2009
 
39,307
0.889
44,204
212.4
-3.52
2010
 
40,557
0.905
44,808
215.3
1.36
2011
 
42,649
0.928
45,956
220.8
2.56
2012
 
44,237
0.945
46,795
224.8
1.83
2013
 
44,401
0.958
46,357
222.7
-0.94
2014
 
46,287
0.971
47,659
229.0
2.81
2015
 
48,060
0.973
49,394
237.3
3.64
2016
 
48,971
0.983
49,826
239.4
0.88
2017
 
51,004
1.000
51,004
245.0
2.36
2018
 
53,309
1.020
52,240
251.0
2.42
2019
 
55,547
1.035
53,662
257.8
2.72
2020
 
59,153
1.046
56,533
271.6
5.35
2021
 
64,430
1.090
59,110
284.0
4.56
2022
 
65,470
1.160
56,419
271.0
-4.55
Source: Calculations by the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Analysis Project (PA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_700_PN
 
   
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