According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2001, North Carolina had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $27,308 which ranked 33rd in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and was 90% of the national average, $30,413. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 1.4% from 2000 compared to the national change of 2.2%. In 2001, North Carolina had a total personal income (TPI) of $224,093,955,000 which ranked 13th in the United States and accounted for 2.6% of the national total. The 2001 TPI reflected an increase of 2.9% from 2000 compared to the national change of 3.3%.
Earnings of persons employed in North Carolina increased from $158,315,629,000 in 2000 to $161,595,258,000 in 2001, an increase of 2.1%. The largest industries in 2001 were services, 24.7% of earnings; state and local government, 12.6%; and durable goods manufacturing, 10.3%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 2001, the slowest growing from 2000 to 2001 was durable goods manufacturing, which decreased 6.3%; the fastest was state and local government, which increased 6.2%.
According to data released by the US Census Bureau, in 2000, the median household income was $38,829 compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $56,500 compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 1999 to 2001, the average poverty rate was 12.9% which placed it 38th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked lowest to highest.