Comments on: In 2008, Rich States Vote Democratic, Poor States Vote Republican — Again http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/2008/11/rich-states-vote-democratic-again/ Why Americans Vote the Way they Do Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:59:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: William T http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/2008/11/rich-states-vote-democratic-again/comment-page-1/#comment-1116 William T Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:42:10 +0000 http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/?p=223#comment-1116 Is it just me or do the "red states" show a bigger increase in income between 2004-08? They all seem to fall to the right of the trend line in the latter case (or is that simply because the trend line is flatter?). In fact, it seems (by eyeball) that states such as Florida and Virginia haven't increased in income quite so much as some of the other red states.... Is it just me or do the “red states” show a bigger increase in income between 2004-08? They all seem to fall to the right of the trend line in the latter case (or is that simply because the trend line is flatter?).

In fact, it seems (by eyeball) that states such as Florida and Virginia haven’t increased in income quite so much as some of the other red states….

]]> By: Boris http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/2008/11/rich-states-vote-democratic-again/comment-page-1/#comment-1109 Boris Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:30:49 +0000 http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/?p=223#comment-1109 Yes, Wyoming had a huge jump in income. See here for the data from BEA: http://bea.gov/regional/spi/default.cfm?satable=summary Select "per capita income" and 2004/2007 (2008 data won't be available till next year, of course). A little digging around suggests that WY income increased because of a boom in prices for natural resources. And as you suggest, this is an artifact of using mean income by BEA (and the undiversified WY economy). Yes, Wyoming had a huge jump in income. See here for the data from BEA:

http://bea.gov/regional/spi/default.cfm?satable=summary

Select “per capita income” and 2004/2007 (2008 data won’t be available till next year, of course).

A little digging around suggests that WY income increased because of a boom in prices for natural resources. And as you suggest, this is an artifact of using mean income by BEA (and the undiversified WY economy).

]]> By: John P http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/2008/11/rich-states-vote-democratic-again/comment-page-1/#comment-1084 John P Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:33:38 +0000 http://redbluerichpoor.com/blog/?p=223#comment-1084 The average income in Wyoming (WY) increased from (peers at graphs) $38,000 to $46,000 in four years? Hard to believe. Was there a gold rush up there? Did all the poor people move or die? Or perhaps a very rich person moved in? I think median income would be a better metric. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States" rel="nofollow">Income distribution</a> is skewed in the US. Are the raw data available? The average income in Wyoming (WY) increased from (peers at graphs) $38,000 to $46,000 in four years? Hard to believe. Was there a gold rush up there? Did all the poor people move or die? Or perhaps a very rich person moved in?

I think median income would be a better metric. Income distribution is skewed in the US.

Are the raw data available?

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