Williamson County Income*

Personal Income: According to the most recent data released by the BEA 2004, Williamson County's total personal income, excluding farm, was $9,144,772,000 which represented an increase of $664,604,000 when compared to the 2003 total personal income, excluding farm, of $ 8,480,168,000. For Statewide personal income, the total of $650,874,586,000 for 2003 and $690,587,968,000 for the year 2004, shows an increase of $39,713,382,000. This indicates that Williamson County has a personal income showing a rate change of 7.8 percent compared to the statewide income at a rate change of 6.1 percent for the same period. Income from all government and government enterprises for the area was a total of $640,612,000 for the year 2004. This was an increase of 5.5 percent from the 2003 figure of $607,001,000. Texas statewide had an increase of 5.4 percent for government income. Military income, excluding federal civilian income, for 2004 was $25,437,000 compared to $22,719,000 in 2003 for the study area. This was an increase of 12.0 percent compared to a statewide change of a decrease of 6.7 percent percent for the same period. For further information link to: http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/reis.

Per Capita Income: Total personal income is a widely used measure of regional economic health while per capita income is generally used to compare the relative well-being of residents across areas (not accounting for differences in area cost of living). The per capita personal income for 2004 was $28,744 in Williamson County while Texas statewide had a per capita income of $30,732. For more information on this data, please go to http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/reis.

Government Transfer Payments: The Williamson County region received over $760,802,000 in transfer of payments in FY2004 which reflected a $2,391 per capita transfer payment compared to the Texas per capita payment of $3,882. Transfer payments includes the total amount of government allocations to people who qualify for income assistance. This consists largely of supplemental security income payments, family assistance, general assistance payments, food stamp payments, and other assistance payments, including emergency assistance. For more information on this data, please go to http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/reis.

Residence Adjustment: Some areas function as major employment centers and others serve as "bedroom communities". This means that residents may work in one region but live, pay taxes and spend most of their income in their resident region. The degree to which a regional area serves as a bedroom community can be measured by a "residence adjustment" to the area personal income. The residence adjustment in the Williamson County region was $2,758,565 in 2003. By 2004 the adjustment represented an increase to $2,941,474. A negative number implies that workers commute into the region to earn income but do not reside there. Growth over time of negative residence adjustments generally implies an eroding tax base for the region. Similarly, a positive figure implies that on balance the region exports jobs and income to residents of other regions. For more information on this data, please go to http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/reis.

Average Weekly Wage: TWC reported an average weekly wage during 1st quarter 2005 for all covered wages and salaried employment in the Williamson County region to be $760.98. Average weekly wages for 1st quarter 2006 was $746.51, a decrease of -1.9 percent. This is compared to an increase of 6.7 percent statewide for the same period of time. The Texas statewide average weekly wage in the 1st quarter of 2006 was $785.35.  These wage data are the result of the reported quarterly wages and salaries paid by employers divided by 13 weeks. For the most current information, link to: http://www.tracer2.com/cgi/dataanalysis/AreaSelection.asp?tableName=Industry.

UI Benefits: The region had $23,325,806 in Unemployment Insurance benefits paid during calendar year 2001. In the Williamson County region, the average duration before exhausting regular UI benefits in calendar year 2001 was approximately 15.14 weeks, while the statewide average duration before exhausting regular UI benefits in calendar year 2001 was approximately 15.85 weeks. The most likely interpretation of longer duration times is greater difficulty finding a job. Therefore, duration can serve as a good barometer for local general economic conditions. The average weekly benefits payment for Regular UI in 2001 was $267.60 for the Williamson County region compared to $238.53 in Texas statewide.

Personal Income by Place of Residence: Personal income by place of residence, based on the 2000 Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) estimates was roughly $87,610 for the Williamson County region. This compares to $78,626 statewide. This figure is much higher than the per capita income level because it includes all wage earners living within a single household. Also, income data from BEA will be different than income data from other agencies due to that fact the BEA includes other sources of income such as farm wages, dividends, interest, rent and transfer payments. For more information on this data, please go to http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/reis.

Poverty Population: The U.S. Department of Census estimated a 2002 poverty population for the Williamson County region for people of all ages at 19,262 persons. That figure represents 6.6 percent of the non-institutional population compared to a Texas percentage of 15.4 percent for people of all ages. The estimated number of people under the age of 18 in the study area in poverty was 4,198 in 1999. This figure was 2.0 percent of all people under 18 in the study area compared to Texas statewide which was 6.0 percent of all people under 18 as estimated in 1999. According to the 2000 Census, the number of families living below poverty status in 1999 were 2,272 which was 3.4 percent of all families in the study area. This compared to 12.0 percent of all families statewide living in poverty status in 1999. The total number of individuals living below poverty status was 11,735 in 1999 which was 4.7 percent of all individuals in the study area. This compared to 15.0 percent of all individuals living below poverty status statewide. For the most recent Poverty information, see: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/county.html.

Gross Retail Sales: Income can be viewed in several ways and under different definitions. Per capita income tends to have a direct relationship with the growth of gross sales and most service sector industries in an area. Gross sales for the region estimated by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts were $973,576,577 in the 2nd quarter 2005 which represented an increase of 16.9 percent to $1,137,769,436.00 by the 2nd quarter 2006. The statewide change for the same period was an increase of 8.6 percent in gross sales. The total number of reporting outlets for the same period was 2,956 in the 2nd quarter 2005 and 2,503 in the 2nd quarter 2006. This region had a decrease of -15.3 percent in the study area compared to the statewide change for the same period of a decrease of -13.0 percent. For the most recent Gross Retail Sales information, please see: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/sales/.

read ABOUT Employment

* Information comes from the Williamson County Narrative Profile Report, from:

Labor Market and Career Information / Texas Workforce Commission
9001 North IH 35, Suite 103B
Austin, TX 78753-5233
Main:(512) 837-7484               Fax:(512) 491-4966
http://www.cdr.state.tx.us