Roanoke City vs. Virginia
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Per Capita Personal Income Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Roanoke City vs. Virginia
Roanoke City:
2022 PCI = $50,807
2022 Percent of State = 73.65%
Virginia:
2022 PCI = $68,985
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.
Roanoke City Per Capita Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Roanoke City Per Capita Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Roanoke City'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 Roanoke City over time.
When measured in current dollars, Roanoke City's per capita personal income increased 1,170.82%, from $3,998 in 1970 to $50,807 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 116.46%, from $20,226 in 1970 to $43,782 in 2022.
Real Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
Real Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Roanoke City's and Virginia'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, Roanoke City's real per capita personal income rose from $19,916 in 1969 to $43,782 in 2022, for a net gain of $23,866, or 119.83%. In comparison, Virginia's real per capita personal income increased from $20,485 in 1969 to $59,448 in 2022, for a net gain of $38,963, or 190.21%.
Real Per Capita Personal Income Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Per Capita Personal Income Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Roanoke City's real per capita personal income growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Virginia, 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.
Roanoke City's overall real per capita personal income growth was 119.83% over 1969-2022 trailed Virginia's increase of 190.21%, and fell below the United States' increase of 171.04%.
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 Roanoke City and Virginia per capita personal income as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Roanoke City's per capita personal income amounted to 95.68% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 77.60%. Similarly, in 1969, Virginia's per capita personal income totaled 98.41% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 105.37%.
Roanoke City Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Roanoke City Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Roanoke City'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 illustrated 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, Roanoke City's real per capita personal income grew at an annual rate of 1.54% over 1970-2022. The independent city posted its highest growth in 1972 (7.87%) and posted its lowest growth in 1979 (-4.56%). In 2022, Roanoke City's real per capita personal income declined by -4.00%
Roanoke City Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Roanoke City Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some independent cities have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again illustrates the annual percent change in Roanoke City'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, Roanoke City's annual real per capita personal income growth rate averaged 2.03%. It averaged 2.32% throughout the 1980s, 1.12% in the 1990s, 1.31% throughout the 2000s, 0.53% in the 2010s, 2.87% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
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 Roanoke City noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Virginia and the nation. As the chart reveals, Roanoke City's average annual real per capita personal income growth amounted to less than Virginia's average in the 1970s (2.03% vs. 2.75%), fell below Virginia's average in the 1980s (2.32% vs. 2.75%), recorded under Virginia's average in the 1990s (1.12% vs. 1.93%), lagged Virginia's average throughout the 2000s (1.31% vs. 1.58%), posted below Virginia's average in the 2010s (0.53% vs. 1.31%), and outperformed Virginia's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (2.87% vs. 1.84%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real per capita personal income growth trends, Roanoke City recorded underneath the nation during the 1970s (2.03% vs. 2.37%), topped the nation during the 1980s (2.32% vs. 2.19%), recorded underneath the nation over the 1990s (1.12% vs. 2.01%), outgained the nation in the 2000s (1.31% vs. 1.10%), trailed the nation in the 2010s (0.53% vs. 1.97%), and registered above the nation over 2020-2022 (2.87% vs. 1.78%).
   
 
Real* Per Capita Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.54
2.03
2.32
1.12
1.31
0.53
2.87
-4.00
 
2.05
2.75
2.75
1.93
1.58
1.31
1.84
-3.05
 
1.92
2.37
2.19
2.01
1.10
1.97
1.78
-4.55
 
   

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

   
 
Roanoke City:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,761
0.189
19,916
100.0
N
97.22
95.68
1970
 
3,998
0.198
20,226
101.6
1.56
96.17
95.24
1971
 
4,307
0.206
20,901
104.9
3.34
95.60
96.33
1972
 
4,804
0.213
22,545
113.2
7.87
97.60
98.91
1973
 
5,327
0.225
23,722
119.1
5.22
98.21
99.32
1974
 
5,878
0.248
23,709
119.0
-0.05
99.23
100.73
1975
 
6,114
0.269
22,761
114.3
-4.00
95.47
96.68
1976
 
6,720
0.283
23,718
119.1
4.20
96.43
97.75
1977
 
7,434
0.302
24,636
123.7
3.87
97.65
98.92
1978
 
8,177
0.323
25,335
127.2
2.84
96.04
97.86
1979
 
8,498
0.351
24,180
121.4
-4.56
90.16
92.04
1980
 
9,291
0.389
23,866
119.8
-1.30
87.89
91.23
1981
 
9,990
0.424
23,554
118.3
-1.31
85.45
88.48
1982
 
10,564
0.448
23,596
118.5
0.18
84.33
88.11
1983
 
11,406
0.467
24,437
122.7
3.56
85.48
89.81
1984
 
12,726
0.484
26,272
131.9
7.51
87.01
91.63
1985
 
13,623
0.501
27,176
136.5
3.44
87.21
92.38
1986
 
14,315
0.512
27,948
140.3
2.84
86.38
92.46
1987
 
15,241
0.528
28,865
144.9
3.28
87.16
93.92
1988
 
16,090
0.549
29,326
147.2
1.60
85.31
92.25
1989
 
17,370
0.573
30,334
152.3
3.44
86.32
93.10
1990
 
18,087
0.598
30,259
151.9
-0.25
86.79
92.19
1991
 
18,217
0.618
29,490
148.1
-2.54
84.92
90.86
1992
 
18,702
0.634
29,489
148.1
0.00
83.53
88.73
1993
 
19,118
0.650
29,413
147.7
-0.26
82.48
88.05
1994
 
19,900
0.664
29,990
150.6
1.96
82.63
88.24
1995
 
19,936
0.678
29,424
147.7
-1.89
79.71
84.56
1996
 
20,659
0.692
29,853
149.9
1.46
79.66
83.55
1997
 
21,402
0.704
30,398
152.6
1.83
78.32
82.55
1998
 
23,081
0.710
32,524
163.3
6.99
79.69
83.95
1999
 
24,322
0.720
33,781
169.6
3.87
79.55
85.07
2000
 
25,271
0.738
34,232
171.9
1.34
77.44
82.72
2001
 
26,292
0.753
34,915
175.3
1.99
77.46
83.34
2002
 
27,627
0.763
36,212
181.8
3.72
80.09
86.87
2003
 
28,209
0.779
36,214
181.8
0.01
78.03
86.37
2004
 
29,526
0.798
36,988
185.7
2.14
77.53
86.38
2005
 
30,122
0.821
36,677
184.2
-0.84
75.25
84.45
2006
 
31,004
0.844
36,717
184.4
0.11
73.53
81.93
2007
 
33,725
0.866
38,940
195.5
6.05
76.61
85.19
2008
 
35,118
0.892
39,383
197.7
1.14
77.38
85.96
2009
 
34,140
0.889
38,393
192.8
-2.51
77.43
86.85
2010
 
35,343
0.905
39,047
196.1
1.70
77.77
87.14
2011
 
36,595
0.928
39,433
198.0
0.99
76.94
85.81
2012
 
38,277
0.945
40,491
203.3
2.68
78.04
86.53
2013
 
37,061
0.958
38,693
194.3
-4.44
76.89
83.47
2014
 
37,702
0.971
38,820
194.9
0.33
75.76
81.45
2015
 
39,303
0.973
40,394
202.8
4.06
76.14
81.78
2016
 
38,914
0.983
39,593
198.8
-1.98
73.90
79.46
2017
 
39,728
1.000
39,728
199.5
0.34
73.06
77.89
2018
 
41,237
1.020
40,410
202.9
1.72
73.46
77.35
2019
 
41,789
1.035
40,371
202.7
-0.10
71.60
75.23
2020
 
45,563
1.046
43,544
218.6
7.86
74.12
77.02
2021
 
49,714
1.090
45,609
229.0
4.74
74.38
77.16
2022
 
50,807
1.160
43,782
219.8
-4.00
73.65
77.60
Source: Calculations by the Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (VA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_700_PSN
 
   

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

   
 
Virginia:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,868
0.189
20,485
100.0
N
98.41
1970
 
4,157
0.198
21,031
102.7
2.67
99.03
1971
 
4,505
0.206
21,863
106.7
3.95
100.77
1972
 
4,922
0.213
23,099
112.8
5.66
101.34
1973
 
5,424
0.225
24,154
117.9
4.57
101.13
1974
 
5,924
0.248
23,893
116.6
-1.08
101.51
1975
 
6,404
0.269
23,841
116.4
-0.22
101.26
1976
 
6,969
0.283
24,598
120.1
3.17
101.37
1977
 
7,613
0.302
25,229
123.2
2.57
101.30
1978
 
8,514
0.323
26,380
128.8
4.56
101.89
1979
 
9,425
0.351
26,820
130.9
1.67
102.09
1980
 
10,571
0.389
27,154
132.6
1.24
103.80
1981
 
11,692
0.424
27,565
134.6
1.51
103.55
1982
 
12,526
0.448
27,979
136.6
1.50
104.47
1983
 
13,344
0.467
28,588
139.6
2.18
105.06
1984
 
14,626
0.484
30,196
147.4
5.62
105.31
1985
 
15,620
0.501
31,160
152.1
3.19
105.92
1986
 
16,572
0.512
32,355
157.9
3.84
107.04
1987
 
17,487
0.528
33,118
161.7
2.36
107.76
1988
 
18,860
0.549
34,375
167.8
3.80
108.13
1989
 
20,122
0.573
35,141
171.5
2.23
107.85
1990
 
20,840
0.598
34,865
170.2
-0.79
106.23
1991
 
21,452
0.618
34,727
169.5
-0.39
106.99
1992
 
22,390
0.634
35,304
172.3
1.66
106.23
1993
 
23,180
0.650
35,661
174.1
1.01
106.76
1994
 
24,085
0.664
36,296
177.2
1.78
106.80
1995
 
25,011
0.678
36,915
180.2
1.71
106.08
1996
 
25,935
0.692
37,477
182.9
1.52
104.89
1997
 
27,328
0.704
38,814
189.5
3.57
105.41
1998
 
28,965
0.710
40,814
199.2
5.15
105.35
1999
 
30,574
0.720
42,464
207.3
4.04
106.93
2000
 
32,631
0.738
44,202
215.8
4.09
106.81
2001
 
33,940
0.753
45,072
220.0
1.97
107.58
2002
 
34,495
0.763
45,214
220.7
0.32
108.47
2003
 
36,151
0.779
46,411
226.6
2.65
110.69
2004
 
38,082
0.798
47,706
232.9
2.79
111.41
2005
 
40,027
0.821
48,738
237.9
2.16
112.22
2006
 
42,164
0.844
49,934
243.8
2.45
111.42
2007
 
44,020
0.866
50,827
248.1
1.79
111.20
2008
 
45,383
0.892
50,895
248.5
0.13
111.09
2009
 
44,091
0.889
49,585
242.1
-2.57
112.17
2010
 
45,443
0.905
50,205
245.1
1.25
112.05
2011
 
47,564
0.928
51,253
250.2
2.09
111.52
2012
 
49,052
0.945
51,888
253.3
1.24
110.88
2013
 
48,198
0.958
50,321
245.7
-3.02
108.55
2014
 
49,764
0.971
51,239
250.1
1.82
107.51
2015
 
51,620
0.973
53,053
259.0
3.54
107.41
2016
 
52,659
0.983
53,579
261.6
0.99
107.53
2017
 
54,380
1.000
54,380
265.5
1.50
106.62
2018
 
56,133
1.020
55,007
268.5
1.15
105.30
2019
 
58,368
1.035
56,387
275.3
2.51
105.08
2020
 
61,474
1.046
58,751
286.8
4.19
103.92
2021
 
66,838
1.090
61,319
299.3
4.37
103.74
2022
 
68,985
1.160
59,448
290.2
-3.05
105.37
Source: Calculations by the Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (VA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_700_PSN
 
   

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 Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (VA-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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