According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2001, Rhode Island had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $30,256 which ranked 17th in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and was 99% of the national average, $30,413. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 3.4% from 2000 compared to the national change of 2.2%. In 2001, Rhode Island had a total personal income (TPI) of $32,060,552,000 which ranked 43rd in the United States and accounted for 0.4% of the national total. The 2001 TPI reflected an increase of 4.3% from 2000 compared to the national change of 3.3%.
Earnings of persons employed in Rhode Island increased from $19,899,129,000 in 2000 to $20,566,915,000 in 2001, an increase of 3.4%. The largest industries in 2001 were services,32.2% of earnings; state and local government, 12.7%; and durable goods manufacturing, 10.0%. 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 2.9%; the fastest was finance, insurance, and real estate (8.7% of earnings in 2001), which increased 9.0%.
According to data released by the US Census Bureau, in 2000, the median household income was $42,973 compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $70,446 compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 1999 to 2001, the average poverty rate was 10.0% which placed it 20th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked lowest to highest.