State Projected to Lead in Jobs Growth to 2001

One out of every six jobs created through the year 2000 will be located in California, according to a forecast published today by the Commerce Department.

California also will retain its rank as the most populous state, the projection by the department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said, and will continue to have the highest total personal income.

California is projected to gain 3.4 million of the 18.9 million new jobs created nationally between 1988 and 2000. Its population will total 33.2 million.

California and three other states--Florida, New York and Texas--are projected to account for one-third of the nation’s $4.1 trillion total personal income.

Personal income in California will be the highest in the nation at $568 billion. Incomes will total $330 billion in New York, $250 billion in Texas and $226 billion in Florida.

But Arizona and Nevada will post the fastest growth rates in total personal income, jobs and population, while Connecticut will continue to have the highest per capita income at $20,503.

Total personal income is projected to grow 46.2% in Nevada, well above the projected national income increase of 26.2%. Arizona income will increase by 40.6%.

The number of jobs will increase 31.5% in Nevada and 26.7% in Arizona, compared to 14.3% nationally.

Population in Nevada will jump 29.8%, followed by Arizona and Florida, 21.4% and 18.2% respectively. The national population is expected to grow 8.9%.

“The projected growth in Nevada and Arizona reflects rapid population growth and strength in their economies, in part due to the continued shift in economic activity toward the Sun Belt,” the study said. “Florida, Utah, California and Hawaii also are projected to show rapid growth.”

Populations will increase in every state except Wyoming, Louisiana and West Virginia, which will post declines of 1%, 0.1% and 0.4%, respectively.

New England and BEA’s Mideast region--Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania--will have the lowest total personal income growth, 21.6% and 21.3%, respectively, followed by the Great Lakes, with 22%.

According to the BEA, two-thirds of the states are projected to have per capita incomes below the national average, and 11 states--predominantly in the South--are projected to have per capita incomes that are 20% or more below the national average.