According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2001, Louisiana had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $24,454 which ranked 45th in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and was 80% of the national average, $30,413. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 5.5% from 2000 compared to the national change of 2.2%. In 2001, Louisiana had a total personal income (TPI) of $109,317,405,000 which ranked 25th in the United States and accounted for 1.3% of the national total. The 2001 TPI reflected an increase of 5.5% from 2000 compared to the national change of 3.3%.
Earnings of persons employed in Louisiana increased from $71,550,764,000 in 2000 to $74,526,989,000 in 2001, an increase of 4.2%. The largest industries in 2001 were services, 27.2% of earnings; state and local government, 14.6%; and retail trade, 9.1%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 2001, the slowest growing from 2000 to 2001 was construction (7.2% of earnings in 2001), which decreased 1.2%; the fastest was mining (5.0% of earnings in 2001), which increased 13.2%.
According to data released by the US Census Bureau, in 2000, the median household income was $30,219 compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $51,234 compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 1999 to 2001, the average poverty rate was 17.5% which placed it 50th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked lowest to highest.