Note on Per Capita Personal Income and Population

Note on Per Capita Personal Income and Population

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis county and metropolitan area per capita personal income statistics are calculated by dividing personal income with population. BEA used U.S. Census Bureau (Census) population figures to calculate annual per capita personal income statistics for 2020 through 2023. For 2010 through 2019, BEA produced intercensal annual county and metropolitan area population statistics that are tied to the Census decennial counts for 2010 and 2020. BEA developed intercensal population statistics because these data were not published when Census released county and metropolitan area population data for 2020 through 2023, which are based on the 2020 decennial counts. In early 2025, BEA will incorporate official intercensal population data released by Census on November 7.

BEA produced intercensal population figures to create consistent time series that are used to prepare per capita personal income statistics. BEA used the Census Das Gupta method, modified to account for an extra leap year day, to produce the intercensal population figures that will be used until the recently released official intercensal population data are incorporated.