Whatcom County vs. Washington
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Total Personal Income Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Whatcom County vs. Washington
Whatcom County:
2022 TPI = $13,608,269K
2022 Percent of State = 2.32%
Washington:
2022 TPI = $586,520,188K
2022 Percent of U.S. = 2.69%
The annual total personal incomes (TPI) estimates compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, (BEA) are among the most comprehensive, consistent, comparable and timely measures of economic activity available statewide and at the national levels. Personal income estimates are also the best available local level indicator of general purchasing power, and are therefore central to tracking and comparing county patterns of economic growth and change.
The following graphs highlight trends in the pattern of growth and change in the total personal income of Whatcom County and Washington with comparison to the nation. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce. The 2017 constant dollar (real) estimates of total personal income reported in the tables and portrayed graphically below are determined using the Implicit Price Deflator for Personal Consumption.
Data Definition:
Personal income is the income received by persons from participation in production, plus transfer receipts from government and business, plus government interest (which is treated like a transfer receipt). It is defined as the sum of wages and salaries, supplements to wages and salaries, proprietors' income with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments, rental income of persons with capital consumption adjustment, personal dividend income, personal interest income, and personal current transfer receipts, less contributions for government social insurance. Because the personal income of an area represents the income that is received by, or on behalf of, all the persons who live in that area, and because the estimates of some components of personal income (wages and salaries, supplements to wages and salaries, and contributions for government social insurance) are made on a place-of-work basis, state personal income includes an adjustment for residence. The residence adjustment represents the net flow of compensation (less contributions for government social insurance) of interstate commuters.
Whatcom County Total Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars (Millions)
Whatcom County Total Personal Income, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars (Millions)
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Whatcom County's annual total 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 Whatcom County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Whatcom County's total personal income increased 4,137.32%, from $321M in 1970 to $13,608M in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 621.76%, from $1,625M in 1970 to $11,727M in 2022.
Real Total Personal Income, 1969-2022 (Millions)
Real Total Personal Income, 1969-2022 (Millions)
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Whatcom County's and Washington's annual real total personal income for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real total personal income patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Whatcom County's real total personal income rose from $1,487M in 1969 to $11,727M in 2022, for a net gain of $10,240M, or 688.62%. In comparison, Washington's real total personal income increased from $75,389M in 1969 to $505,433M in 2022, for a net advance of $430,044M, or 570.43%.
Real Total Personal Income Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Total Personal Income Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Whatcom County's real total personal income growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Washington, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real total personal income in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real total personal incomes in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real total personal income growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Whatcom County's overall real total personal income growth was 688.62% over 1969-2022 outpaced Washington's increase of 570.43%, and outpaced the United States' increase of 348.76%.
Total Personal Income as a Percent of the Washington Total: 1969-2022
Total Personal Income as a Percent of the Washington Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of contrasting the total personal income growth of Whatcom County is to compare its individual percentage contributions to Washington's statewide total personal income over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's total personal income grew faster, or declined less, than Washington's total personal income, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Whatcom County's total personal income comprised 1.97% of Washington's total personal income, while in 2022 it totaled 2.32% thereby yielding a +0.35% share-shift.
   
 
Total Personal Income Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
+0.35%
=
2.32%
-
1.97%
 
   
Whatcom County Real Total Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Whatcom County Real Total Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Whatcom County's real total 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, Whatcom County's real total personal income grew at an annual rate of 4.01% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1971 (10.23%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2022 (-3.76%). In 2022, Whatcom County's real total personal income declined by -3.76%
Whatcom County Real Total Personal Income:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Whatcom County Real Total 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 Whatcom County's real total 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, Whatcom County's annual real total personal income growth rate averaged 5.76%. It averaged 2.94% during the 1980s, 4.66% in the 1990s, 3.96% during the 2000s, 3.41% throughout the 2010s, 1.81% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Total Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Total Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Whatcom County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Washington and the nation. As the chart reveals, Whatcom County's average annual real total personal income growth exceeded Washington's average throughout the 1970s (5.76% vs. 4.43%), lagged Washington's average in the 1980s (2.94% vs. 3.12%), amounted to less than Washington's average during the 1990s (4.66% vs. 4.73%), registered above Washington's average throughout the 2000s (3.96% vs. 2.30%), amounted to less than Washington's average in the 2010s (3.41% vs. 4.14%), and posted below Washington's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (1.81% vs. 2.72%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real total personal income growth trends, Whatcom County registered above the nation in the 1970s (5.76% vs. 3.50%), posted below the nation over the 1980s (2.94% vs. 3.16%), outperformed the nation in the 1990s (4.66% vs. 3.27%), outpaced the nation during the 2000s (3.96% vs. 2.06%), registered above the nation throughout the 2010s (3.41% vs. 2.72%), and fell under the nation over 2020-2022 (1.81% vs. 2.10%).
   
 
Real* Total Personal Income Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
4.01
5.76
2.94
4.66
3.96
3.41
1.81
-3.76
 
3.69
4.43
3.12
4.73
2.30
4.14
2.72
-4.06
 
2.89
3.50
3.16
3.27
2.06
2.72
2.10
-4.19
 
   

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

   
 
Whatcom County:
Total Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
280,795
0.189
1,487,025
100.0
N
1.97
1970
 
321,153
0.198
1,624,775
109.3
9.26
2.14
1971
 
369,028
0.206
1,790,963
120.4
10.23
2.33
1972
 
389,183
0.213
1,826,464
122.8
1.98
2.28
1973
 
434,564
0.225
1,935,266
130.1
5.96
2.26
1974
 
490,746
0.248
1,979,373
133.1
2.28
2.25
1975
 
557,944
0.269
2,077,230
139.7
4.94
2.26
1976
 
635,961
0.283
2,244,595
150.9
8.06
2.32
1977
 
703,824
0.302
2,332,397
156.8
3.91
2.31
1978
 
799,446
0.323
2,476,905
166.6
6.20
2.26
1979
 
911,718
0.351
2,594,309
174.5
4.74
2.24
1980
 
997,048
0.389
2,561,262
172.2
-1.27
2.16
1981
 
1,077,955
0.424
2,541,448
170.9
-0.77
2.10
1982
 
1,132,608
0.448
2,529,780
170.1
-0.46
2.08
1983
 
1,242,704
0.467
2,662,405
179.0
5.24
2.13
1984
 
1,325,788
0.484
2,737,026
184.1
2.80
2.13
1985
 
1,418,202
0.501
2,829,161
190.3
3.37
2.14
1986
 
1,521,647
0.512
2,970,864
199.8
5.01
2.15
1987
 
1,613,694
0.528
3,056,123
205.5
2.87
2.16
1988
 
1,752,644
0.549
3,194,466
214.8
4.53
2.15
1989
 
1,976,577
0.573
3,451,873
232.1
8.06
2.19
1990
 
2,261,852
0.598
3,783,943
254.5
9.62
2.28
1991
 
2,455,182
0.618
3,974,459
267.3
5.03
2.31
1992
 
2,605,234
0.634
4,107,906
276.2
3.36
2.27
1993
 
2,715,193
0.650
4,177,220
280.9
1.69
2.25
1994
 
2,896,828
0.664
4,365,586
293.6
4.51
2.29
1995
 
3,062,608
0.678
4,520,188
304.0
3.54
2.29
1996
 
3,310,010
0.692
4,783,044
321.7
5.82
2.30
1997
 
3,476,542
0.704
4,937,779
332.1
3.24
2.25
1998
 
3,750,283
0.710
5,284,545
355.4
7.02
2.21
1999
 
3,909,082
0.720
5,429,205
365.1
2.74
2.17
2000
 
4,131,943
0.738
5,597,170
376.4
3.09
2.15
2001
 
4,457,786
0.753
5,919,877
398.1
5.77
2.26
2002
 
4,537,386
0.763
5,947,472
400.0
0.47
2.26
2003
 
4,889,519
0.779
6,277,145
422.1
5.54
2.34
2004
 
5,294,136
0.798
6,632,012
446.0
5.65
2.36
2005
 
5,623,699
0.821
6,847,564
460.5
3.25
2.42
2006
 
6,085,213
0.844
7,206,553
484.6
5.24
2.40
2007
 
6,664,769
0.866
7,695,416
517.5
6.78
2.43
2008
 
7,151,388
0.892
8,019,948
539.3
4.22
2.47
2009
 
7,100,242
0.889
7,984,888
537.0
-0.44
2.56
2010
 
7,347,345
0.905
8,117,358
545.9
1.66
2.57
2011
 
7,765,222
0.928
8,367,335
562.7
3.08
2.57
2012
 
8,223,205
0.945
8,698,675
585.0
3.96
2.53
2013
 
8,171,689
0.958
8,531,639
573.7
-1.92
2.47
2014
 
8,610,703
0.971
8,865,954
596.2
3.92
2.42
2015
 
9,090,722
0.973
9,343,079
628.3
5.38
2.42
2016
 
9,427,108
0.983
9,591,702
645.0
2.66
2.37
2017
 
9,946,133
1.000
9,946,133
668.9
3.70
2.35
2018
 
10,698,779
1.020
10,484,168
705.0
5.41
2.37
2019
 
11,530,224
1.035
11,138,914
749.1
6.25
2.38
2020
 
12,250,878
1.046
11,708,203
787.4
5.11
2.34
2021
 
13,281,368
1.090
12,184,629
819.4
4.07
2.31
2022
 
13,608,269
1.160
11,726,919
788.6
-3.76
2.32
Source: Calculations by the Washington Regional Economic Analysis Project (WA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_300_PSN
 
   

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

   
 
Washington:
Total Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
14,235,772
0.189
75,389,356
100.0
N
1.80
1970
 
15,036,667
0.198
76,073,394
100.9
0.91
1.76
1971
 
15,838,561
0.206
76,867,561
102.0
1.04
1.71
1972
 
17,079,016
0.213
80,153,069
106.3
4.27
1.68
1973
 
19,236,035
0.225
85,664,819
113.6
6.88
1.70
1974
 
21,826,702
0.248
88,035,744
116.8
2.77
1.75
1975
 
24,719,584
0.269
92,031,214
122.1
4.54
1.81
1976
 
27,398,764
0.283
96,702,658
128.3
5.08
1.83
1977
 
30,411,983
0.302
100,782,022
133.7
4.22
1.84
1978
 
35,366,608
0.323
109,575,561
145.3
8.73
1.91
1979
 
40,752,946
0.351
115,963,196
153.8
5.83
1.97
1980
 
46,254,685
0.389
118,821,118
157.6
2.46
2.00
1981
 
51,365,099
0.424
121,101,259
160.6
1.92
1.98
1982
 
54,573,628
0.448
121,895,039
161.7
0.66
1.96
1983
 
58,291,800
0.467
124,886,023
165.7
2.45
1.96
1984
 
62,358,723
0.484
128,736,603
170.8
3.08
1.90
1985
 
66,336,846
0.501
132,334,915
175.5
2.80
1.89
1986
 
70,833,996
0.512
138,296,328
183.4
4.50
1.91
1987
 
74,745,705
0.528
141,558,473
187.8
2.36
1.90
1988
 
81,651,774
0.549
148,823,064
197.4
5.13
1.91
1989
 
90,213,844
0.573
157,548,495
209.0
5.86
1.96
1990
 
99,135,239
0.598
165,847,326
220.0
5.27
2.02
1991
 
106,288,273
0.618
172,059,884
228.2
3.75
2.10
1992
 
114,669,850
0.634
180,810,233
239.8
5.09
2.12
1993
 
120,546,409
0.650
185,456,014
246.0
2.57
2.14
1994
 
126,690,099
0.664
190,924,858
253.3
2.95
2.14
1995
 
133,934,768
0.678
197,678,023
262.2
3.54
2.13
1996
 
143,929,234
0.692
207,981,206
275.9
5.21
2.16
1997
 
154,610,940
0.704
219,595,978
291.3
5.58
2.19
1998
 
169,365,441
0.710
238,653,798
316.6
8.68
2.23
1999
 
179,870,334
0.720
249,816,439
331.4
4.68
2.25
2000
 
192,317,794
0.738
260,515,556
345.6
4.28
2.23
2001
 
197,445,687
0.753
262,205,103
347.8
0.65
2.20
2002
 
201,073,137
0.763
263,560,757
349.6
0.52
2.20
2003
 
209,167,846
0.779
268,528,829
356.2
1.88
2.21
2004
 
224,342,927
0.798
281,036,400
372.8
4.66
2.24
2005
 
232,783,787
0.821
283,443,675
376.0
0.86
2.21
2006
 
253,199,891
0.844
299,857,758
397.7
5.79
2.24
2007
 
274,770,444
0.866
317,261,242
420.8
5.80
2.30
2008
 
289,381,122
0.892
324,527,444
430.5
2.29
2.33
2009
 
277,889,805
0.889
312,513,135
414.5
-3.70
2.30
2010
 
285,436,747
0.905
315,350,937
418.3
0.91
2.27
2011
 
302,460,806
0.928
325,913,545
432.3
3.35
2.27
2012
 
324,882,731
0.945
343,667,602
455.9
5.45
2.34
2013
 
330,952,568
0.958
345,530,500
458.3
0.54
2.35
2014
 
355,276,626
0.971
365,808,245
485.2
5.87
2.40
2015
 
376,360,823
0.973
386,808,521
513.1
5.74
2.43
2016
 
397,270,635
0.983
404,206,824
536.2
4.50
2.50
2017
 
423,017,231
1.000
423,017,231
561.1
4.65
2.54
2018
 
451,609,165
1.020
442,550,163
587.0
4.62
2.58
2019
 
484,334,162
1.035
467,896,942
620.6
5.73
2.64
2020
 
522,713,789
1.046
499,559,219
662.6
6.77
2.67
2021
 
574,266,835
1.090
526,845,474
698.8
5.46
2.68
2022
 
586,520,188
1.160
505,433,493
670.4
-4.06
2.69
Source: Calculations by the Washington Regional Economic Analysis Project (WA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_300_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:
Total Personal Income, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
791,229,000
0.189
4,190,165,758
100.0
N
1970
 
855,525,000
0.198
4,328,265,709
103.3
3.30
1971
 
924,613,000
0.206
4,487,323,465
107.1
3.67
1972
 
1,016,408,000
0.213
4,770,076,966
113.8
6.30
1973
 
1,133,468,000
0.225
5,047,731,018
120.5
5.82
1974
 
1,244,912,000
0.248
5,021,223,733
119.8
-0.53
1975
 
1,362,505,000
0.269
5,072,617,275
121.1
1.02
1976
 
1,495,704,000
0.283
5,279,017,400
126.0
4.07
1977
 
1,651,632,000
0.302
5,473,329,799
130.6
3.68
1978
 
1,855,849,000
0.323
5,749,934,936
137.2
5.05
1979
 
2,073,296,000
0.351
5,899,598,782
140.8
2.60
1980
 
2,313,972,000
0.389
5,944,235,512
141.9
0.76
1981
 
2,590,995,000
0.424
6,108,676,176
145.8
2.77
1982
 
2,777,640,000
0.448
6,204,105,336
148.1
1.56
1983
 
2,969,333,000
0.467
6,361,584,112
151.8
2.54
1984
 
3,275,415,000
0.484
6,761,937,695
161.4
6.29
1985
 
3,508,482,000
0.501
6,999,046,441
167.0
3.51
1986
 
3,717,756,000
0.512
7,258,548,586
173.2
3.71
1987
 
3,931,800,000
0.528
7,446,308,852
177.7
2.59
1988
 
4,264,433,000
0.549
7,772,592,728
185.5
4.38
1989
 
4,605,107,000
0.573
8,042,309,775
191.9
3.47
1990
 
4,897,332,000
0.598
8,192,943,538
195.5
1.87
1991
 
5,072,291,000
0.618
8,211,045,100
196.0
0.22
1992
 
5,406,546,000
0.634
8,524,985,809
203.5
3.82
1993
 
5,643,648,000
0.650
8,682,535,385
207.2
1.85
1994
 
5,933,938,000
0.664
8,942,579,420
213.4
3.00
1995
 
6,278,125,000
0.678
9,266,058,093
221.1
3.62
1996
 
6,660,854,000
0.692
9,625,094,288
229.7
3.87
1997
 
7,068,422,000
0.704
10,039,373,926
239.6
4.30
1998
 
7,584,003,000
0.710
10,686,661,406
255.0
6.45
1999
 
7,978,449,000
0.720
11,081,025,264
264.5
3.69
2000
 
8,620,234,000
0.738
11,677,052,911
278.7
5.38
2001
 
8,990,104,000
0.753
11,938,732,039
284.9
2.24
2002
 
9,146,700,000
0.763
11,989,225,466
286.1
0.42
2003
 
9,474,684,000
0.779
12,163,560,736
290.3
1.45
2004
 
10,008,929,000
0.798
12,538,275,270
299.2
3.08
2005
 
10,540,800,000
0.821
12,834,755,927
306.3
2.36
2006
 
11,291,446,000
0.844
13,372,153,008
319.1
4.19
2007
 
11,925,044,000
0.866
13,769,145,681
328.6
2.97
2008
 
12,423,410,000
0.892
13,932,275,429
332.5
1.18
2009
 
12,058,253,000
0.889
13,560,635,845
323.6
-2.67
2010
 
12,547,501,000
0.905
13,862,497,514
330.8
2.23
2011
 
13,299,818,000
0.928
14,331,082,712
342.0
3.38
2012
 
13,905,749,000
0.945
14,709,785,897
351.1
2.64
2013
 
14,063,283,000
0.958
14,682,748,144
350.4
-0.18
2014
 
14,778,160,000
0.971
15,216,235,418
363.1
3.63
2015
 
15,467,113,000
0.973
15,896,476,839
379.4
4.47
2016
 
15,884,741,000
0.983
16,162,082,333
385.7
1.67
2017
 
16,658,962,000
1.000
16,658,962,000
397.6
3.07
2018
 
17,514,402,000
1.020
17,163,073,878
409.6
3.03
2019
 
18,343,601,000
1.035
17,721,060,157
422.9
3.25
2020
 
19,609,985,000
1.046
18,741,324,605
447.3
5.76
2021
 
21,392,812,000
1.090
19,626,252,970
468.4
4.72
2022
 
21,820,248,000
1.160
18,803,588,325
448.8
-4.19
Source: Calculations by the Washington Regional Economic Analysis Project (WA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_300_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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