Outcome: Increase income and reduce poverty

Per capita personal income and median household income

About this indicator

Per capita income is total personal income divided by the total population. Median household income is the income of the "middle" household. When the household income distribution is arranged in order from lowest to highest, half of all incomes are below and half are above the median.

Key findings

• Median household income in King County: $67,806 (2009)
• Per capita personal income in King County: $58,141 (2009)
• Per capita income for people who are Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of county per capita income: 50% (2009)

Graphs and tables

• Table:  Median household income: King County and U.S. (1999-2009)
• Table:  Per capita personal income: King County and U.S. (1999-2009)
• Table:  Per capita income in King County by race/ethnicity, as a percent of county average (2009)

Last updated March 2011

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Technical notes

Median household income data taken from the American Community Survey, available from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Per capita income data by race/ethnicity taken from the American Community Survey, available from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Per capita income data for King County and U.S. taken from U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Per capita income is derived by dividing the total income of all people 15 years old and over by the total population. Income is not included for people under 15 years old even though those people are included in the denominator of per capita income.

According to BEA, total personal income is defined as the sum of the amounts reported separately for wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips; self-employment income from own nonfarm or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships; interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, or income from estates and trusts; Social Security or Railroad Retirement income; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); any public assistance or welfare payments from the state or local welfare office; retirement, survivor, or disability pensions; and any other sources of income received regularly such as Veterans' (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support, or alimony. Personal current transer receipts include payments to persons for which no services are performed, including: retirement, disability, medical payments (primarily Medicare and Medicaid), veterans benefits, and Federal grants/ loans to students among others.