According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2001, West Virginia had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $22,862 which ranked 49th in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and was 75% of the national average, $30,413. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 4.8% from 2000 compared to the national change of 2.2%. In 2001, West Virginia had a total personal income (TPI) of $41,173,821,000 which ranked 39th in the United States and accounted for 0.5% of the national total. The 2001 TPI reflected an increase of 4.4% from 2000 compared to the national change of 3.3%.
Earnings of persons employed in West Virginia increased from $24,648,169,000 in 2000 to $25,618,719,000 in 2001, an increase of 3.9%. The largest industries in 2001 were services, 26.6% of earnings; state and local government, 15.8%; and retail trade, 9.3%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 2001, the slowest growing from 2000 to 2001 was durable goods manufacturing (7.4% of earnings in 2001), which decreased 3.8%; the fastest was mining (6.0% of earnings in 2001), which increased 12.0%.
According to data released by the US Census Bureau, in 2000, the median household income was $29,052 compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $49,470 compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 1999 to 2001, the average poverty rate was 15.6% which placed it 46th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked lowest to highest.