LANSING – Personal incomes in most of Michigan’s largest metro regions fell in 2009 compared to 2008, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Department of Commerce, but by far less than the average decline nationwide.
The data, which looked at incomes in metro areas across the United States, also showed that in the 14 metro areas in Michigan studied by the department, the average personal income in 2009 was $32,351 compared to the average $40,757 nationwide.
According to the figures, the average personal income fell by 1.18 percent in Michigan in 2009 compared to 2008. Nationally, the average income fell by 2.8 percent from 2008 to 2009.
The statistics show that personal incomes fell in 223 metro regions nationwide, while they increased in 134 regions and held steady in nine.
In Michigan last year, incomes rose in four regions – Battle Creek, Bay City, Flint and Saginaw-Saginaw Township – with the biggest percentage increase coming in Battle Creek where incomes rose on average 1.2 percent to $32,018.
In the other areas (Ann Arbor, Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Holland-Grand Haven, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Portage, Lansing-East Lansing, Monroe, Muskegon-Norton Shores, Niles-Benton Harbor) personal incomes fell between the two years. The biggest decrease on a percentage basis was in Holland-Grand Haven where incomes fell by an average of 3.9 percent to $31,735.
No region in Michigan boasted an average personal income that topped the U.S. average. Ann Arbor had the highest average income at $38,032 during 2009. Muskegon-Norton Shores had the lowest at $27,703.
Even with the declines, Michigan communities did not fare as badly as some other states, where the economies are marginally better than Michigan.
For example, in Indiana, personal incomes fell on average by 1.8 percent, according to the data.
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