Per Capita Personal Income Why is this important? These are measures of the income of the residents and families within each state. What are the policy implications? Per capita personal income is highly correlated with the percentage of the population with a bachelor's degree and a vibrant economy - as measured by the Progressive Policy Institute's New Economy Index - 2002 (Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.80 and 0.78, respectively). Quality of life is also improved for individuals and families with higher levels of income. Other factors to consider: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher State New Economy Index - Progressive Policy Institute Historical per capita income data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Data sources and related links: http://www.census.gov
