Introduction
La Plata County vs. Colorado
La Plata County:
2022 Earnings = $2,356,786K
2022 Percent of State = 0.75%
Colorado:
2022 Earnings = $314,516,590K
2022 Percent of U.S. = 2.07%
Industry earnings are incomes received by people who are directly involved with producing goods and services. Earnings, referred to also as "labor and proprietors income", include (1) wage and salary disbursements, (2) other labor income such as employer contributions to private retirement and medical insurance programs, and (3) the net incomes of proprietors (i.e., the owners of unincorporated enterprises).
In contrast to the more frequently cited employment data, earnings data more accurately reflect qualitative differences in labor's contributions toward the production of goods and services, namely the productivity differences reflected in variations in earnings per job. Earnings data, therefore, are better for comparing and tracking long-term trends and identifying short-run shifts in the level and composition of economic activity within and among counties.
Just like the employment data compiled by BEA, earnings data are reported on a place-of-work, or more accurately on a place-where-earned, basis.
Note: the BEA earnings data presented and discussed here in the context of comparing and assessing the economic growth and performance of county and regional economies are entirely separate and apart from--and should not be confused with--corporate earnings, which are compiled from the balance sheets of individual private corporations.
Page 2 of 13
La Plata County Total Industry Earnings, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars (Millions)
La Plata County Total Industry Earnings, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars (Millions)
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts La Plata County's annual total industry earnings over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of La Plata County over time.
When measured in current dollars, La Plata County's total industry earnings increased 5,481.10%, from $42M in 1970 to $2,357M in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 850.65%, from $214M in 1970 to $2,031M in 2022.
Page 3 of 13
Real Total Industry Earnings, 1969-2022 (Millions)
Real Total Industry Earnings, 1969-2022 (Millions)
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces La Plata County's and Colorado's annual real total industry earnings for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real total industry earnings patterns over time. During this 54-year period, La Plata County's real total industry earnings rose from $205M in 1969 to $2,031M in 2022, for a net gain of $1,826M, or 891.97%. In comparison, Colorado's real total industry earnings increased from $35,511M in 1969 to $271,035M in 2022, for a net advance of $235,523M, or 663.23%.
Page 4 of 13
Real Total Industry Earnings Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Total Industry Earnings Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays La Plata County's real total industry earnings growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Colorado, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real total industry earnings in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real total industry earningss in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real total industry earnings growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
La Plata County's overall real total industry earnings growth was 891.97% over 1969-2022 outpaced Colorado's increase of 663.23%, and topped the United States' increase of 278.59%.
Page 5 of 13
Total Industry Earnings as a Percent of the Colorado Total: 1969-2022
Total Industry Earnings as a Percent of the Colorado Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of comparing the total industry earnings growth of La Plata County is to compare its individual percentage contributions to Colorado's statewide total industry earnings over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's total industry earnings grew faster, or declined less, than Colorado's total industry earnings, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, La Plata County's total industry earnings comprised 0.58% of Colorado's total industry earnings, while in 2022 it totaled 0.75% thereby yielding a +0.17% share-shift.
   
 
Total Industry Earnings Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
+0.17%
=
0.75%
-
0.58%
 
   
Page 6 of 13
La Plata County Real Total Industry Earnings:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
La Plata County Real Total Industry Earnings:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of La Plata County's real total industry earnings growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, La Plata County's real total industry earnings grew at an annual rate of 4.52% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 2013 (19.56%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2011 (-5.47%). In 2022, La Plata County's real total industry earnings grew by 2.03%
Page 7 of 13
La Plata County Real Total Industry Earnings:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
La Plata County Real Total Industry Earnings:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again shows the annual percent change in La Plata County's real total industry earnings since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, La Plata County's annual real total industry earnings growth rate averaged 7.39%. It averaged 2.64% during the 1980s, 7.36% throughout the 1990s, 4.53% during the 2000s, 1.31% throughout the 2010s, 2.42% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Page 8 of 13
Real Total Industry Earnings Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Total Industry Earnings Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for La Plata County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Colorado and the nation. As the chart reveals, La Plata County's average annual real total industry earnings growth led Colorado's average throughout the 1970s (7.39% vs. 6.05%), exceeded Colorado's average during the 1980s (2.64% vs. 2.51%), exceeded Colorado's average in the 1990s (7.36% vs. 6.01%), topped Colorado's average during the 2000s (4.53% vs. 1.44%), trailed Colorado's average during the 2010s (1.31% vs. 3.91%), and recorded under Colorado's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (2.42% vs. 3.54%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real total industry earnings growth trends, La Plata County registered above the nation during the 1970s (7.39% vs. 3.13%), recorded above the nation in the 1980s (2.64% vs. 2.62%), registered above the nation over the 1990s (7.36% vs. 3.43%), registered above the nation during the 2000s (4.53% vs. 1.47%), lagged the nation over the 2010s (1.31% vs. 2.53%), and led the nation over 2020-2022 (2.42% vs. 1.48%).
   
 
Real* Total Industry Earnings Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
4.52
7.39
2.64
7.36
4.53
1.31
2.42
2.03
 
3.96
6.05
2.51
6.01
1.44
3.91
3.54
2.88
 
2.57
3.13
2.62
3.43
1.47
2.53
1.48
0.05
 
   
Page 9 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
La Plata County:
Total Industry Earnings, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
38,661
0.189
204,740
100.0
N
0.58
1970
 
42,228
0.198
213,640
104.3
4.35
0.57
1971
 
47,935
0.206
232,638
113.6
8.89
0.57
1972
 
54,975
0.213
258,002
126.0
10.90
0.57
1973
 
62,883
0.225
280,040
136.8
8.54
0.57
1974
 
71,321
0.248
287,666
140.5
2.72
0.58
1975
 
82,382
0.269
306,709
149.8
6.62
0.62
1976
 
96,740
0.283
341,439
166.8
11.32
0.65
1977
 
109,290
0.302
362,175
176.9
6.07
0.66
1978
 
128,555
0.323
398,299
194.5
9.97
0.66
1979
 
146,333
0.351
416,393
203.4
4.54
0.65
1980
 
161,059
0.389
413,736
202.1
-0.64
0.64
1981
 
181,524
0.424
427,971
209.0
3.44
0.63
1982
 
194,101
0.448
433,542
211.8
1.30
0.62
1983
 
207,403
0.467
444,346
217.0
2.49
0.62
1984
 
230,897
0.484
476,676
232.8
7.28
0.63
1985
 
244,198
0.501
487,149
237.9
2.20
0.63
1986
 
255,005
0.512
497,872
243.2
2.20
0.64
1987
 
265,467
0.528
502,759
245.6
0.98
0.64
1988
 
290,933
0.549
530,271
259.0
5.47
0.66
1989
 
308,875
0.573
539,416
263.5
1.72
0.66
1990
 
347,325
0.598
581,054
283.8
7.72
0.70
1991
 
384,421
0.618
622,302
303.9
7.10
0.72
1992
 
435,696
0.634
687,001
335.5
10.40
0.75
1993
 
482,498
0.650
742,305
362.6
8.05
0.76
1994
 
548,769
0.664
827,007
403.9
11.41
0.81
1995
 
591,392
0.678
872,852
426.3
5.54
0.81
1996
 
640,141
0.692
925,019
451.8
5.98
0.82
1997
 
688,293
0.704
977,592
477.5
5.68
0.81
1998
 
745,080
0.710
1,049,896
512.8
7.40
0.78
1999
 
788,286
0.720
1,094,826
534.7
4.28
0.75
2000
 
875,364
0.738
1,185,777
579.2
8.31
0.75
2001
 
905,856
0.753
1,202,964
587.6
1.45
0.74
2002
 
963,203
0.763
1,262,538
616.7
4.95
0.78
2003
 
1,025,095
0.779
1,316,013
642.8
4.24
0.82
2004
 
1,137,494
0.798
1,424,949
696.0
8.28
0.88
2005
 
1,234,960
0.821
1,503,720
734.5
5.53
0.90
2006
 
1,362,316
0.844
1,613,354
788.0
7.29
0.93
2007
 
1,470,810
0.866
1,698,258
829.5
5.26
0.96
2008
 
1,546,381
0.892
1,734,194
847.0
2.12
0.99
2009
 
1,509,334
0.889
1,697,388
829.0
-2.12
1.02
2010
 
1,520,575
0.905
1,679,933
820.5
-1.03
1.00
2011
 
1,473,714
0.928
1,587,985
775.6
-5.47
0.92
2012
 
1,594,247
0.945
1,686,427
823.7
6.20
0.94
2013
 
1,931,168
0.958
2,016,233
984.8
19.56
1.05
2014
 
1,992,132
0.971
2,051,186
1,001.9
1.73
1.01
2015
 
1,972,855
0.973
2,027,621
990.3
-1.15
0.97
2016
 
1,940,675
0.983
1,974,558
964.4
-2.62
0.95
2017
 
1,872,423
1.000
1,872,423
914.5
-5.17
0.85
2018
 
1,934,815
1.020
1,896,004
926.1
1.26
0.82
2019
 
1,958,388
1.035
1,891,925
924.1
-0.22
0.77
2020
 
1,975,103
1.046
1,887,612
922.0
-0.23
0.76
2021
 
2,169,668
1.090
1,990,503
972.2
5.45
0.76
2022
 
2,356,786
1.160
2,030,959
992.0
2.03
0.75
Source: Calculations by the Colorado Regional Economic Analysis Project (CO-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1200_PSN
 
   
Page 10 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Colorado:
Total Industry Earnings, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,705,596
0.189
35,511,285
100.0
N
1.03
1970
 
7,472,827
0.198
37,806,471
106.5
6.46
1.08
1971
 
8,448,663
0.206
41,002,975
115.5
8.45
1.14
1972
 
9,673,208
0.213
45,397,072
127.8
10.72
1.18
1973
 
11,120,171
0.225
49,522,026
139.5
9.09
1.21
1974
 
12,350,026
0.248
49,812,552
140.3
0.59
1.24
1975
 
13,367,670
0.269
49,767,945
140.1
-0.09
1.26
1976
 
14,819,523
0.283
52,304,814
147.3
5.10
1.26
1977
 
16,644,705
0.302
55,158,752
155.3
5.46
1.28
1978
 
19,339,189
0.323
59,918,171
168.7
8.63
1.31
1979
 
22,343,445
0.351
63,578,650
179.0
6.11
1.36
1980
 
25,235,193
0.389
64,825,301
182.5
1.96
1.41
1981
 
28,734,774
0.424
67,746,726
190.8
4.51
1.47
1982
 
31,244,001
0.448
69,786,248
196.5
3.01
1.52
1983
 
33,340,966
0.467
71,430,641
201.1
2.36
1.52
1984
 
36,496,094
0.484
75,344,441
212.2
5.48
1.50
1985
 
38,559,207
0.501
76,921,495
216.6
2.09
1.47
1986
 
39,981,243
0.512
78,059,398
219.8
1.48
1.43
1987
 
41,412,760
0.528
78,430,287
220.9
0.48
1.38
1988
 
44,020,376
0.549
80,233,985
225.9
2.30
1.35
1989
 
46,582,306
0.573
81,350,843
229.1
1.39
1.34
1990
 
49,719,221
0.598
83,177,283
234.2
2.25
1.35
1991
 
53,107,379
0.618
85,970,439
242.1
3.36
1.40
1992
 
58,235,125
0.634
91,824,543
258.6
6.81
1.43
1993
 
63,306,635
0.650
97,394,823
274.3
6.07
1.49
1994
 
67,714,433
0.664
102,047,189
287.4
4.78
1.52
1995
 
72,615,581
0.678
107,175,342
301.8
5.03
1.55
1996
 
78,531,479
0.692
113,479,877
319.6
5.88
1.58
1997
 
85,205,563
0.704
121,018,596
340.8
6.64
1.61
1998
 
95,221,761
0.710
134,177,521
377.8
10.87
1.67
1999
 
104,750,108
0.720
145,484,241
409.7
8.43
1.72
2000
 
117,250,346
0.738
158,828,460
447.3
9.17
1.78
2001
 
122,914,630
0.753
163,228,905
459.7
2.77
1.79
2002
 
123,170,081
0.763
161,447,721
454.6
-1.09
1.76
2003
 
124,753,808
0.779
160,158,431
451.0
-0.80
1.72
2004
 
129,772,400
0.798
162,567,051
457.8
1.50
1.69
2005
 
137,463,612
0.821
167,379,317
471.3
2.96
1.71
2006
 
146,424,160
0.844
173,406,158
488.3
3.60
1.72
2007
 
153,495,186
0.866
177,231,847
499.1
2.21
1.73
2008
 
156,950,658
0.892
176,012,850
495.7
-0.69
1.74
2009
 
148,344,662
0.889
166,827,478
469.8
-5.22
1.71
2010
 
152,004,886
0.905
167,935,221
472.9
0.66
1.68
2011
 
160,960,050
0.928
173,440,854
488.4
3.28
1.70
2012
 
169,705,657
0.945
179,518,117
505.5
3.50
1.72
2013
 
183,164,874
0.958
191,232,994
538.5
6.53
1.80
2014
 
197,626,780
0.971
203,485,117
573.0
6.41
1.86
2015
 
202,604,679
0.973
208,228,943
586.4
2.33
1.84
2016
 
204,024,316
0.983
207,586,500
584.6
-0.31
1.80
2017
 
219,576,568
1.000
219,576,568
618.3
5.78
1.85
2018
 
237,094,549
1.020
232,338,578
654.3
5.81
1.91
2019
 
252,862,733
1.035
244,281,137
687.9
5.14
1.95
2020
 
259,750,429
1.046
248,244,305
699.1
1.62
1.97
2021
 
287,172,345
1.090
263,458,450
741.9
6.13
2.01
2022
 
314,516,590
1.160
271,034,522
763.2
2.88
2.07
Source: Calculations by the Colorado Regional Economic Analysis Project (CO-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1200_PSN
 
   
Page 11 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Total Industry Earnings, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
653,665,000
0.189
3,461,658,635
100.0
N
1970
 
693,352,000
0.198
3,507,801,275
101.3
1.33
1971
 
742,094,000
0.206
3,601,523,902
104.0
2.67
1972
 
819,646,000
0.213
3,846,658,532
111.1
6.81
1973
 
918,964,000
0.225
4,092,469,383
118.2
6.39
1974
 
993,909,000
0.248
4,008,829,105
115.8
-2.04
1975
 
1,059,492,000
0.269
3,944,497,394
113.9
-1.60
1976
 
1,173,271,000
0.283
4,141,005,188
119.6
4.98
1977
 
1,303,767,000
0.302
4,320,542,816
124.8
4.34
1978
 
1,476,080,000
0.323
4,573,305,242
132.1
5.85
1979
 
1,648,363,000
0.351
4,690,444,754
135.5
2.56
1980
 
1,784,597,000
0.389
4,584,353,165
132.4
-2.26
1981
 
1,961,173,000
0.424
4,623,772,250
133.6
0.86
1982
 
2,053,729,000
0.448
4,587,185,902
132.5
-0.79
1983
 
2,188,018,000
0.467
4,687,672,466
135.4
2.19
1984
 
2,432,402,000
0.484
5,021,577,654
145.1
7.12
1985
 
2,615,791,000
0.501
5,218,223,348
150.7
3.92
1986
 
2,786,901,000
0.512
5,441,146,840
157.2
4.27
1987
 
2,996,000,000
0.528
5,674,027,499
163.9
4.28
1988
 
3,259,979,000
0.549
5,941,819,010
171.6
4.72
1989
 
3,467,027,000
0.573
6,054,778,994
174.9
1.90
1990
 
3,679,460,000
0.598
6,155,516,520
177.8
1.66
1991
 
3,789,428,000
0.618
6,134,341,309
177.2
-0.34
1992
 
4,059,023,000
0.634
6,400,225,481
184.9
4.33
1993
 
4,237,437,000
0.650
6,519,133,846
188.3
1.86
1994
 
4,456,948,000
0.664
6,716,721,924
194.0
3.03
1995
 
4,674,849,000
0.678
6,899,738,761
199.3
2.72
1996
 
4,956,180,000
0.692
7,161,799,344
206.9
3.80
1997
 
5,288,047,000
0.704
7,510,683,597
217.0
4.87
1998
 
5,707,014,000
0.710
8,041,785,619
232.3
7.07
1999
 
6,098,042,000
0.720
8,469,385,147
244.7
5.32
2000
 
6,598,743,000
0.738
8,938,721,519
258.2
5.54
2001
 
6,865,291,000
0.753
9,117,010,172
263.4
1.99
2002
 
7,001,002,000
0.763
9,176,707,606
265.1
0.65
2003
 
7,243,377,000
0.779
9,299,017,896
268.6
1.33
2004
 
7,674,785,000
0.798
9,614,272,113
277.7
3.39
2005
 
8,039,238,000
0.821
9,788,788,097
282.8
1.82
2006
 
8,519,349,000
0.844
10,089,233,775
291.5
3.07
2007
 
8,866,261,000
0.866
10,237,349,175
295.7
1.47
2008
 
9,014,085,000
0.892
10,108,876,304
292.0
-1.25
2009
 
8,688,913,000
0.889
9,771,497,172
282.3
-3.34
2010
 
9,023,916,000
0.905
9,969,635,637
288.0
2.03
2011
 
9,444,387,000
0.928
10,176,702,513
294.0
2.08
2012
 
9,854,834,000
0.945
10,424,645,101
301.1
2.44
2013
 
10,180,570,000
0.958
10,629,007,841
307.0
1.96
2014
 
10,613,874,000
0.971
10,928,505,678
315.7
2.82
2015
 
11,039,821,000
0.973
11,346,284,134
327.8
3.82
2016
 
11,311,477,000
0.983
11,508,970,941
332.5
1.43
2017
 
11,848,205,000
1.000
11,848,205,000
342.3
2.95
2018
 
12,438,590,000
1.020
12,189,079,542
352.1
2.88
2019
 
12,989,097,000
1.035
12,548,276,062
362.5
2.95
2020
 
13,158,025,000
1.046
12,575,166,053
363.3
0.21
2021
 
14,278,043,000
1.090
13,099,001,844
378.4
4.17
2022
 
15,207,952,000
1.160
13,105,445,395
378.6
0.05
Source: Calculations by the Colorado Regional Economic Analysis Project (CO-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1200_PN
 
   
Page 12 of 13
A Special Thanks to Our Hosts & Sponsors:


Page 13 of 13
Brought To You By:
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.