Economy score
Four income measures from four agencies: income per person, middle household income (an estimate from a statistical model), personal income per person, and average adjusted gross income on tax returns. Read it as four ways of measuring income, not as a broad economic summary. It moves very closely with middle household income (a link of 0.91 on a scale where 1 is perfect), and the site already adjusts for that. So a link with this score and a link with income are close to the same question.
Reported for3,143areas, in 51 states — none in PR
Link to density0.27not mostly about how urban a place is
Nearby places alike0.55Moran’s I: strongly, neighbouring places tend to be similar
Typeratestandard deviations
How it has moved
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Every state, every year
Nothing to draw here: this measure has no state figures. Its publisher reports it for counties. This site does not add county numbers up into state figures, since a home-made figure could clash with one an agency publishes itself. The chart above covers the whole country, year by year.
Where it comes from
· derived from 4 measures (ACS, BEA, IRS, SAIPE)
The average of 4 measures from 4 publishers. Each measure is first put on a common scale: how many typical gaps between places (standard deviations) it sits above or below the average. Each is also flipped where needed, so higher is always better. Measures from the same publisher are averaged first, then the publishers are averaged together. Each level is scaled on its own. A county's score shows where it stands among counties, and a state's shows where it stands among states. The two are not on one scale, so do not compare them with each other. This is a summary, not a measurement.
Combining areas: it cannot be combined, so it is shown only where its publisher works it out.
What it goes with
The strongest links that have a page of their own. Unadjusted is the link before adjusting for anything, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step). Adjusted compares places with the same population density, income and education levels, so those differences can’t explain the link. This list leaves out the 17 pairs built from the same numbers or the same model as this measure, since they are bound to match.
| Measure | Unadjusted | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Economy score and Median household incomeWhere Economy score is higher, Median household income tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Median household income by US county | +0.89 | +0.78 |
| Economy score and Share with a bachelor's degree or higherWhere Economy score is higher, Share with a bachelor's degree or higher tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share with a bachelor's degree or higher by US county | +0.79 | +0.52 |
| Economy score and Poverty rate (model-based)Where Economy score is higher, Poverty rate (model-based) tends to be lower: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Poverty rate (model-based) by US county | -0.78 | -0.44 |
| Economy score and Mean income of departing householdsWhere Economy score is higher, Mean income of departing households tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Mean income of departing households by US county | +0.83 | +0.43 |
| Economy score and Mean income of arriving householdsWhere Economy score is higher, Mean income of arriving households tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Mean income of arriving households by US county | +0.75 | +0.39 |
| Economy score and Threat of utility shut-offWhere Economy score is higher, Threat of utility shut-off tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Threat of utility shut-off by US county | -0.73 | -0.38 |
| Economy score and Lack of reliable transportationWhere Economy score is higher, Lack of reliable transportation tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Lack of reliable transportation by US county | -0.72 | -0.38 |
| Economy score and Disability-free scoreLinked across counties, but mostly as both follow how urban, rich and educated a place is. Comparing only places with similar density, income and education, a weak link of +0.37 remains. Disability-free score by US county | +0.83 | +0.37 |
| Economy score and Housing insecurityWhere Economy score is higher, Housing insecurity tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Housing insecurity by US county | -0.67 | -0.36 |
| Economy score and Independent-living disabilityLinked across counties, but mostly as both follow how urban, rich and educated a place is. Comparing only places with similar density, income and education, a weak link of -0.36 remains. Independent-living disability by US county | -0.83 | -0.36 |
Population makeup
How this measure varies with the racial and ethnic makeup of counties. Every group is shown, whatever its rank. These are links across counties: they describe places, not people. They say nothing about any person’s risk or behaviour based on their race. Counties with a larger share of one group also differ in much else, such as income, segregation, region and history. The adjusted figure only accounts for density, income and education.
| Share of residents | Unadjusted | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Economy score and Share White, not HispanicWhere Economy score is higher, Share White, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share White, not Hispanic by US county | +0.13 | +0.22 |
| Economy score and Share Black, not HispanicWhere Economy score is higher, Share Black, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Black, not Hispanic by US county | -0.34 | -0.21 |
| Economy score and Share Hispanic or Latino, any raceCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Hispanic or Latino, any race by US county | +0.02 | -0.05 |
| Economy score and Share Asian, not HispanicWhere Economy score is higher, Share Asian, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Asian, not Hispanic by US county | +0.45 | -0.11 |
| Economy score and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicWhere Economy score is higher, Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county | -0.23 | -0.21 |
Highest and lowest
Of 3,143 counties reporting it. These are the two ends of a national ranking. For most measures, that ranking mostly sorts places by income and how urban they are. That is why the place pages compare each place with similar places instead.
Highest
- Teton County, WY — 5.78
- Pitkin County, CO — 4.81
- Summit County, UT — 4.73
- Marin County, CA — 4.44
- San Mateo County, CA — 4.38
Lowest
- Kusilvak Census Area, AK — -1.28
- Oglala Lakota County, SD — -1.19
- Buffalo County, SD — -1.09
- Issaquena County, MS — -1.08
- Wheeler County, GA — -1.07
The middle area reports 0.818. The middle half of counties falls between 0.371 and 1.31 (the 25th to 75th percentile).
All measures · Explore its pairs · How the US county data works