PinnedThe North Carolina Per-Capita Income PuzzleOn this site I’d like to explore with you a vexing economic question for residents of North Carolina. If we examine the period since 1960…Feb 21, 2021Feb 21, 2021
8. Do other states exhibit this puzzle?North Carolina followed two paths with regard to per-capita income and per-capita gross state product (GSP) after 1960. The first path was…Mar 3, 2021Mar 3, 2021
8. Labor force participationAs we look at the labor market in North Carolina, we find one difference from the US in aggregate that is not based in demography, but in…Feb 20, 2021Feb 20, 2021
7. The Ratchet EffectThe per capita income puzzle in North Carolina may be related to what I call the “ratchet effect” in worker compensation in the US as a…Feb 16, 2021Feb 16, 2021
5. Manufacturing’s RoleWithin the United States, the manufacturing sector played a dominant role in the 1960s that has been declining over time. We can see this…Feb 12, 2021Feb 12, 2021
4. Is it demography or economy?The per capita GDP puzzle as laid out in reading 1 can be clarified by returning to our per capita income comparison of Figure 1. If NC…Feb 5, 2021Feb 5, 2021
3. Is North Carolina different in its demography?Our puzzle could depend in part upon demographic differences between North Carolina and the US on average. Let’s begin with a longer look…Feb 5, 2021Feb 5, 2021
2. Is there really a puzzle?The idea that North Carolina is falling behind the US on average in terms of per capita production and income— in fact, has been falling…Feb 3, 2021Feb 3, 2021
The North Carolina per-capita income puzzle.True confession: I am not a Tar Heel born, nor a Tar Heel bred. I came to North Carolina in 1983 as an assistant professor at the…Feb 2, 2021Feb 2, 2021
