Per capita income is an important indicator of material well being and of local economic conditions. Because per capita income is an average, it doesn’t account for potentially large income disparities. Nonetheless, per capita income allows us to identify high- and low-income communities which may be useful for targeting state and federal resources. Although per capita income in North Carolina has grown significantly since 1990, it was below the national average in every year covered in our report. Between 1990 and 2000, per capita income in North Carolina grew by 17.3 percent compared to 11.4 percent for the country as a whole. The 2010-2012 American Community Survey estimates for per capita income was $24,609 ($23,372 in 2010 dollars) in North Carolina and $27,385 ($25,009 in 2010 dollars) in the United States.
Generally speaking, the wealthiest communities in North Carolina can be found in the Triangle and Charlotte areas. Three cities were in the top ten for each year included in our report (Cary, Chapel Hill, and Matthews). Thomasville is the only city that was in the bottom ten for each year.
Data is presented in 2010 dollars. The non-adjusted figures can be found in the reports tab at the top of this page. Per capita income estimates are from the U.S. Census, consisting of the sources and tables listed below. We used the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) to adjust for changes in the cost of living and allow us to compare income over time.