Western Regional Data

The table below includes data on measures of equity and growth for metros in the Western Region. Benner and Pastor examined changes in two measures of equity (the 80/20 household income and the poverty rate) and two measures of growth (change in employment and change in earnings per job) between 1979 and 2010, as well as two endpoint measures of the level of equity and growth in 2010 (the Gini coefficient and median household income, respectively).

The change metrics for the two measures of equity and two measures of growth were calculated over four time periods: 1979-2010 as well as each of the three decades in between. The result was 16 difference metrics of change for each metro (four measures times four time periods)—eight for equity and eight for growth. Each metro was compared with other metros falling in the Western Region under each of eight metrics for change in equity and eight for growth and the results were used to form a composite Equity Index and Growth Index, respectively. (Note that while used to develop the Equity Index and Growth Index, data points for 1989 and 1999 are not included in the table.)

For details on the data sources and methodology used, see Appendix B and Chapter 3 of Equity, Growth, and Community.

Metropolitan Region1979
80-20 ratio
1979
Poverty
1979
Jobs (000s)
1979
Earnings Per Job - 2010
2010
80-20 ratio
2010
Poverty
2010
Jobs (000s)
2010
Earnings Per Job - 2010
Equity Index
Value
Equity Index
Rank
Growth Index
Value
Growth Index
Rank
2010
Gini
2010
Median Income -2010
West average (unweighted)48.970.114324384150.150.167644994709509546.1254791
Albuquerque, NM4.250.14248406504.830.17482452470.1671-0.01910.4647383
Anchorage, AK4.070.08119647414.320.09230630420.4632-0.221180.4371490
Bakersfield, CA4.40.13197493155.040.2135453837-0.46161-0.151100.4545524
Boise City-Nampa, ID4.010.11150395744.320.16349447190.11810.21630.4447237
Boulder, CO3.980.1110396895.240.1523052140-0.591710.4470.4961859
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA3.760.0865507963.740.11120512790.438-0.171120.4156303
Chico, CA4.210.1558369104.530.2100405770.0986-0.261250.4441657
Colorado Springs, CO3.710.1164386134.750.1337048059-0.331520.63340.4451683
Denver-Aurora, CO3.870.08870469154.530.13163758154-0.241340.15750.4658732
Eugene-Springfield, OR4.410.13133426534.90.1918439964-0.05109-1.081860.4640276
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO4.010.1172366374.510.14189405180.13780.47400.4454154
Fresno, CA4.470.14267437015.310.2742646369-0.7178-0.441460.4645221
Honolulu, HI4.080.1454447384.120.09603524460.7213-0.281270.4268537
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV3.840.09252464294.240.15105848311-0.21281.2650.4451437
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA4.530.125315504595.130.16731158042-0.03105-0.421440.4856691
Merced, CA3.780.1564411935.050.239145658-0.84187-0.41410.4942449
Modesto, CA4.370.12123410795.060.220947789-0.38158-0.151090.4648044
Ogden-Clearfield, UT3.40.08121417913.580.1272406510.3643-0.061010.3959171
Olympia, WA4.020.153440924.090.1128483250.880.18710.461011
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA3.710.08213429144.530.1141952867-0.271380.29530.4471864
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ3.930.11793436834.610.16222649264-0.211300.66290.4550385
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA4.090.09719463054.320.131304506950.1475-0.261240.4453078
Provo-Orem, UT3.730.1584366763.870.15254383690.8550.56370.4254201
Reno-Sparks, NV3.660.07135447624.80.1624748403-1.39191-0.391370.4750699
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA4.280.11597422244.550.17164243866-0.01990.45440.4353548
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA4.310.11533472154.560.151147560880.27570.24610.4456233
Salem, OR4.070.11118389564.140.18195429270.1279-0.361340.4245584
Salinas, CA3.880.11162428904.360.1722252030-0.13117-0.291280.4554534
Salt Lake City, UT3.710.09351420704.030.1378049537-0.011010.28560.4357419
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA4.170.11951435814.560.151822565030.17680.46410.4659923
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA4.490.11895527605.310.112691708690.1769-0.071030.4773027
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA3.640.07770523454.910.11113789221-0.721790.73280.4583944
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA4.40.1465387734.550.14149430590.66180.21620.4653978
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA4.240.11169427825.230.1824850385-0.64174-0.231200.556767
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA4.730.1282367845.020.15139450020.3941-0.061000.4661071
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA4.160.1128400794.340.13263465390.24610.12800.4459055
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA4.080.081123512824.30.122148631070.23620.13790.4463088
Spokane, WA4.460.11163442814.40.14262443830.6220-0.641720.4447039
Stockton, CA4.710.13163456514.310.19269474790.5326-0.451470.4450011
Tucson, AZ4.310.13225408964.830.18484432500.05920.01900.4644274
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA3.860.0995503844.060.12169533600.2855-0.141080.4163384
Visalia-Porterville, CA3.870.16118397944.790.2418643616-0.5166-0.461480.4543397
Yakima, WA4.210.1582381094.810.2411941775-0.25135-0.481490.4740648