How personal income has changed in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

The start of the 2020s saw dramatic movement in Americans' personal incomes—and a positive one at that for those in the middle- and lower-income brackets.

Stimulus checks and pandemic-era welfare programs added thousands to households' bottom lines through tax credits for things like child care. A cultural revolution in the workforce, referred to as the Great Resignation, led to roughly 1 in 3 workers changing jobs in pursuit of better benefits, more fulfillment, and greater compensation.

But by 2022, inflation reached historic highs, peaking at around 9% and threatening to wipe out the newfound purchasing power attained by the working class.

Personal income rose at a much slower rate, on average, in 2022 than it did in 2021. For Americans living and working in big metropolitan areas, individuals' income grew about 1.7% over the year, compared with the 8.9% growth seen in 2021. In nonmetropolitan and rural areas, Americans saw personal income grow slightly less at 1.2% in 2022, compared to 8.9% the year before.

Stacker analyzed Bureau of Economic Analysis data to see how personal income has changed in Matanuska-Susitna Borough and how it compares to state and national levels. Income can include more than salaries and hourly wages. Passive income earned by investments like stock holdings or a 401(k), as well as commissions and bonuses, are all considered income.

Personal income in Matanuska-Susitna Borough was $58,048 per capita in 2022, BEA data shows. That was up 5.4% from 2021.

Matanuska-Susitna Borough had the #26 highest income per capita out of 30 boroughs in the state included in the data. Matanuska-Susitna Borough's typical personal income level was $10,587 below that of the state and $7,422 below that of the country.

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten, writing by Dom DiFurio, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 3,101 counties.