Introduction
Washington County vs. Maryland
Washington County:
2022 PCI = $53,382
2022 Percent of State = 76.01%
Maryland:
2022 PCI = $70,228
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
Washington County Per Capita Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Washington County Per Capita Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Washington 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 Washington County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Washington County's per capita personal income increased 1,305.12%, from $3,799 in 1970 to $53,382 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 139.34%, from $19,220 in 1970 to $46,002 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 Washington County's and Maryland'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, Washington County's real per capita personal income rose from $19,283 in 1969 to $46,002 in 2022, for a net gain of $26,718, or 138.56%. In comparison, Maryland's real per capita personal income advanced from $23,598 in 1969 to $60,519 in 2022, for a net gain of $36,921, or 156.46%.
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 Washington County's real per capita personal income growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Maryland, 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.
Washington County's overall real per capita personal income growth was 138.56% over 1969-2022 trailed Maryland's increase of 156.46%, and fell below 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 Washington County and Maryland per capita personal income as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Washington County's per capita personal income amounted to 92.64% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 81.54%. Similarly, in 1969, Maryland's per capita personal income totaled 113.37% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 107.27%.
Page 6 of 13
Washington County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Washington County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Washington 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, Washington County's real per capita personal income grew at an annual rate of 1.68% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 2001 (7.23%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2022 (-5.48%). In 2022, Washington County's real per capita personal income declined by -5.48%
Page 7 of 13
Washington County Real Per Capita Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Washington 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 shows the annual percent change in Washington County's real per capita personal income since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Washington County's annual real per capita personal income growth rate averaged 2.47%. It averaged 1.51% throughout the 1980s, 1.35% throughout the 1990s, 2.13% throughout the 2000s, 1.04% in the 2010s, 1.39% 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 Washington County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Maryland and the nation. As the chart reveals, Washington County's average annual real per capita personal income growth recorded above Maryland's average throughout the 1970s (2.47% vs. 2.22%), amounted to less than Maryland's average in the 1980s (1.51% vs. 2.79%), fell below Maryland's average in the 1990s (1.35% vs. 1.73%), outpaced Maryland's average throughout the 2000s (2.13% vs. 1.77%), topped Maryland's average during the 2010s (1.04% vs. 0.91%), and outperformed Maryland's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (1.39% vs. 0.57%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real per capita personal income growth trends, Washington County outpaced the nation in the 1970s (2.47% vs. 2.37%), fell below the nation throughout the 1980s (1.51% vs. 2.19%), trailed the nation during the 1990s (1.35% vs. 2.01%), topped the nation throughout the 2000s (2.13% vs. 1.10%), fell below the nation throughout the 2010s (1.04% vs. 1.97%), and lagged the nation over 2020-2022 (1.39% vs. 1.78%).
   
 
Real* Per Capita Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.68
2.47
1.51
1.35
2.13
1.04
1.39
-5.48
 
1.81
2.22
2.79
1.73
1.77
0.91
0.57
-4.47
 
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.

   
 
Washington County:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,641
0.189
19,283
100.0
N
81.72
92.64
1970
 
3,799
0.198
19,220
99.7
-0.33
78.05
90.50
1971
 
4,096
0.206
19,879
103.1
3.43
77.99
91.62
1972
 
4,483
0.213
21,040
109.1
5.84
78.95
92.31
1973
 
4,894
0.225
21,794
113.0
3.58
78.67
91.25
1974
 
5,444
0.248
21,956
113.9
0.74
80.64
93.28
1975
 
5,921
0.269
22,045
114.3
0.41
81.50
93.63
1976
 
6,371
0.283
22,485
116.6
2.00
80.77
92.66
1977
 
7,054
0.302
23,376
121.2
3.97
82.94
93.86
1978
 
7,815
0.323
24,213
125.6
3.58
83.08
93.53
1979
 
8,639
0.351
24,582
127.5
1.52
83.78
93.57
1980
 
9,248
0.389
23,757
123.2
-3.36
80.58
90.81
1981
 
10,107
0.424
23,828
123.6
0.30
79.77
89.51
1982
 
10,728
0.448
23,962
124.3
0.56
78.48
89.48
1983
 
11,132
0.467
23,849
123.7
-0.47
76.46
87.65
1984
 
12,259
0.484
25,307
131.2
6.11
76.90
88.26
1985
 
12,864
0.501
25,662
133.1
1.40
75.22
87.23
1986
 
13,483
0.512
26,325
136.5
2.59
74.22
87.09
1987
 
14,249
0.528
26,985
139.9
2.51
74.16
87.80
1988
 
15,227
0.549
27,754
143.9
2.85
73.36
87.30
1989
 
16,312
0.573
28,487
147.7
2.64
73.77
87.43
1990
 
16,639
0.598
27,837
144.4
-2.28
72.02
84.81
1991
 
16,790
0.618
27,180
141.0
-2.36
71.06
83.74
1992
 
17,209
0.634
27,135
140.7
-0.17
70.26
81.65
1993
 
17,685
0.650
27,208
141.1
0.27
70.12
81.45
1994
 
18,878
0.664
28,449
147.5
4.56
72.22
83.71
1995
 
19,412
0.678
28,650
148.6
0.71
71.79
82.33
1996
 
20,462
0.692
29,568
153.3
3.20
72.90
82.76
1997
 
22,087
0.704
31,370
162.7
6.09
75.22
85.19
1998
 
22,744
0.710
32,049
166.2
2.16
72.40
82.73
1999
 
23,374
0.720
32,463
168.3
1.29
70.94
81.75
2000
 
25,143
0.738
34,059
176.6
4.92
70.86
82.30
2001
 
27,502
0.753
36,522
189.4
7.23
74.31
87.18
2002
 
27,987
0.763
36,684
190.2
0.44
73.66
88.01
2003
 
28,876
0.779
37,071
192.2
1.05
73.49
88.42
2004
 
30,724
0.798
38,488
199.6
3.82
74.01
89.88
2005
 
31,928
0.821
38,876
201.6
1.01
73.72
89.51
2006
 
33,625
0.844
39,822
206.5
2.43
74.24
88.86
2007
 
35,227
0.866
40,675
210.9
2.14
74.90
88.99
2008
 
36,064
0.892
40,445
209.7
-0.57
73.56
88.28
2009
 
35,545
0.889
39,974
207.3
-1.16
73.37
90.43
2010
 
36,532
0.905
40,361
209.3
0.97
73.63
90.08
2011
 
37,923
0.928
40,864
211.9
1.25
73.21
88.92
2012
 
38,656
0.945
40,891
212.1
0.07
73.64
87.38
2013
 
38,715
0.958
40,421
209.6
-1.15
74.62
87.20
2014
 
40,049
0.971
41,236
213.8
2.02
75.44
86.52
2015
 
41,130
0.973
42,271
219.2
2.51
74.73
85.58
2016
 
42,077
0.983
42,812
222.0
1.28
74.32
85.92
2017
 
42,968
1.000
42,968
222.8
0.37
73.76
84.25
2018
 
44,614
1.020
43,719
226.7
1.75
74.46
83.69
2019
 
45,857
1.035
44,301
229.7
1.33
74.31
82.56
2020
 
49,195
1.046
47,016
243.8
6.13
75.89
83.16
2021
 
53,049
1.090
48,669
252.4
3.52
76.83
82.34
2022
 
53,382
1.160
46,002
238.6
-5.48
76.01
81.54
Source: Calculations by the Maryland Regional Economic Analysis Project (MD-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.

   
 
Maryland:
Per Capita Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
4,456
0.189
23,598
100.0
N
113.37
1970
 
4,867
0.198
24,624
104.3
4.35
115.94
1971
 
5,252
0.206
25,489
108.0
3.51
117.47
1972
 
5,679
0.213
26,652
112.9
4.56
116.93
1973
 
6,221
0.225
27,702
117.4
3.94
115.99
1974
 
6,751
0.248
27,228
115.4
-1.71
115.68
1975
 
7,265
0.269
27,049
114.6
-0.66
114.89
1976
 
7,887
0.283
27,838
118.0
2.91
114.72
1977
 
8,505
0.302
28,185
119.4
1.25
113.17
1978
 
9,407
0.323
29,144
123.5
3.40
112.57
1979
 
10,311
0.351
29,341
124.3
0.68
111.69
1980
 
11,477
0.389
29,482
124.9
0.48
112.70
1981
 
12,669
0.424
29,870
126.6
1.32
112.20
1982
 
13,670
0.448
30,533
129.4
2.22
114.01
1983
 
14,559
0.467
31,192
132.2
2.16
114.63
1984
 
15,941
0.484
32,909
139.5
5.51
114.77
1985
 
17,100
0.501
34,114
144.6
3.66
115.97
1986
 
18,167
0.512
35,469
150.3
3.97
117.34
1987
 
19,214
0.528
36,389
154.2
2.59
118.40
1988
 
20,757
0.549
37,833
160.3
3.97
119.01
1989
 
22,110
0.573
38,613
163.6
2.06
118.50
1990
 
23,104
0.598
38,651
163.8
0.10
117.76
1991
 
23,627
0.618
38,248
162.1
-1.04
117.84
1992
 
24,492
0.634
38,618
163.6
0.97
116.20
1993
 
25,222
0.650
38,803
164.4
0.48
116.16
1994
 
26,140
0.664
39,393
166.9
1.52
115.91
1995
 
27,039
0.678
39,907
169.1
1.30
114.68
1996
 
28,070
0.692
40,562
171.9
1.64
113.53
1997
 
29,363
0.704
41,704
176.7
2.81
113.26
1998
 
31,417
0.710
44,270
187.6
6.15
114.27
1999
 
32,948
0.720
45,761
193.9
3.37
115.23
2000
 
35,480
0.738
48,062
203.7
5.03
116.14
2001
 
37,012
0.753
49,151
208.3
2.27
117.32
2002
 
37,995
0.763
49,803
211.0
1.33
119.48
2003
 
39,295
0.779
50,446
213.8
1.29
120.32
2004
 
41,515
0.798
52,006
220.4
3.09
121.45
2005
 
43,311
0.821
52,737
223.5
1.41
121.43
2006
 
45,293
0.844
53,640
227.3
1.71
119.69
2007
 
47,033
0.866
54,306
230.1
1.24
118.81
2008
 
49,026
0.892
54,980
233.0
1.24
120.00
2009
 
48,448
0.889
54,484
230.9
-0.90
123.25
2010
 
49,617
0.905
54,817
232.3
0.61
122.34
2011
 
51,803
0.928
55,820
236.5
1.83
121.46
2012
 
52,490
0.945
55,525
235.3
-0.53
118.66
2013
 
51,880
0.958
54,166
229.5
-2.45
116.85
2014
 
53,084
0.971
54,658
231.6
0.91
114.68
2015
 
55,041
0.973
56,568
239.7
3.50
114.52
2016
 
56,614
0.983
57,603
244.1
1.83
115.61
2017
 
58,251
1.000
58,251
246.8
1.13
114.21
2018
 
59,919
1.020
58,717
248.8
0.80
112.40
2019
 
61,707
1.035
59,613
252.6
1.53
111.09
2020
 
64,825
1.046
61,953
262.5
3.93
109.59
2021
 
69,052
1.090
63,350
268.5
2.25
107.17
2022
 
70,228
1.160
60,519
256.5
-4.47
107.27
Source: Calculations by the Maryland Regional Economic Analysis Project (MD-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 Maryland Regional Economic Analysis Project (MD-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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