25 Years of Income Growth:
The Bottom 10
Just as some of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas have shown a significant uptick in income growth over a quarter-century, others have shown a slower rate of growth. Click through to see the bottom 10 areas that have shown the weakest growth over the long term, as measured by movements in per capita income.
91: Austin, Texas
Portfolio.com income growth index: -27.93
Per capita income (2009): $35,522
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 151.1%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 116.2%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 65.8%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 13.5%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 8.5%
Population (2009): 1,705,075
92: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Portfolio.com income growth index: -32.34
Per capita income (2009): $32,983
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 154.7%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 93.0%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 54.0%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 23.4%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 7.8%
Population (2009): 778,009
93: Riverside-San Bernardino, California
Portfolio.com income growth index: -32.60
Per capita income (2009): $29,930
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 120.6%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 73.5%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 62.8%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 33.3%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 10.9%
Population (2009): 4,143,113
94: Greensboro, North Carolina
Portfolio.com income growth index: -33.22
Per capita income (2009): $34,300
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 158.7%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 88.3%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 54.2%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 23.8%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 8.9%
Population (2009): 714,765
95: Phoenix
Portfolio.com income growth index: -33.59
Per capita income (2009): $34,282
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 144.1%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 92.4%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 63.5%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 27.4%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 7.5%
Population (2009): 4,364,094
96: Charlotte, North Carolina
Portfolio.com income growth index: -36.94
Per capita income (2009): $37,372
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 181.9%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 98.0%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 57.4%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 19.5%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 3.5%
Population (2009): 1,745,524
97: Toledo, Ohio
Portfolio.com income growth index: -38.40
Per capita income (2009): $33,069
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 136.1%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 82.9%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 47.9%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 22.9%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 9.8%
Population (2009): 672,220
98: Raleigh, North Carolina
Portfolio.com income growth index: -42.24
Per capita income (2009): $37,849
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 167.0%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 87.9%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 52.9%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 17.1%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 6.7%
Population (2009): 1,125,827
99: Detroit
Portfolio.com income growth index: -44.09
Per capita income (2009): $37,541
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 150.3%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 84.5%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 49.8%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 19.1%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 5.2%
Population (2009): 4,403,437
100: Atlanta
Portfolio.com income growth index: -48.81
Per capita income (2009): $36,482
25-year income growth rate (1984-2009): 154.2%
20-year income growth rate (1989-2009): 87.1%
15-year income growth rate (1994-2009): 50.7%
10-year income growth rate (1999-2009): 16.0%
5-year income growth rate (2004-2009): 5.4%
Population (2009): 5,475,213
Back to: A Quarter-Century of Growth
25 Years of Income Growth: The Top 10
