Before the oil boom started in the Bakken region of western North Dakota, the Peace Garden State regularly ranked No. 38 for per capita income, placing it in the poorest one-third of America’s states. But then, as the Bakken oil boom energized the state’s economy with energy-related jobs, income, and prosperity starting in 2007, North Dakota has moved from No. 38 in 2006 for per-capita income to No. 6 last year according to data released today by the BEA.
Thanks to the shale revolution, North Dakota has gone from the bottom one-third of states for per-capita income to just one place shy of ranking in the top 10% of America’s highest income states last year.
And because the top five highest states for per-capita income (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland) are concentrated geographically in one part of the country, North Dakota now has the highest per capita personal income of any state in the country outside of the Northeast.That really is quite amazing: the top five -- Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland (federal government) and then North Dakota.
Then throw in cost of living and taxes, and my hunch is North Dakota is #1 in per capita disposable income.
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Note to the Granddaughters
I wonder if these three movies might not be the best "romantic" movies of all time: Casablanca, Doctor Zhivago, and Moulin Rouge.
The women in Doctor Zhivago are stunning, but Ingrid Bergman is even more so. And then there's Nicole Kidman. I never realized how beautiful Nicole was until I watched Moulin Rouge again. Nicole is absolutely incredible, and a most incredible actress.
I have not watched Doctor Zhivago with commentary, but have watched both Moulin Rouge and Casablanca with commentary, the latter too many times to count.
I think I've watched Doctor Zhivago only once, from start to finish, but I have watched it in bits and pieces several times. I am unable to watch Doctor Zhivago any more; it is simply too intense. I doubt I will even watch bits and pieces of it any more. It is just too intense for me.
On the other hand, I've watched Casablanca dozens of times and will watch it at least twice a year until I die, I suppose.
In between those extremes, I will probably watch Moulin Rouge once every three or four years.
