Las Cruces 2009 Income Up, Other Metros Drop

The per capita income in Las Cruces increased 1.4% between 2008 and 2009 to $28,855. Las Cruces was the only one of New Mexico's four metropolitan statistical areas to show an increase in per capita income for the 08-09 year. Las Cruces per capita income also increased 4.2% between 2007 and 2008, going from $26,242 to $27,855. Nationally. Las Cruces income ranked 334 in 2009, just behind El Paso which ranked 342 in 2009 and had an 08-09 increase of 2%.

The Fort Bliss expansion explains the relative economic health in Las Cruces and El Paso, said speakers at last week's 2010 Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Symposium in Las Cruces. The Symposium was sponsored by New Mexico State's Arrowhead Center among others. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released the income figures August 9.

Here are the per capita income figures for New Mexico's other three metro areas.

Albuquerque: 2007: $34,604. 2008: $35,415 (+2%). 2009: $35,165 (-0.7%).

2009 national rank: 169.

Farmington: 2007: $29,173. 2008: $31,158 (+8%). 2009: $30,479 (-3.3%)

2009 national rank: 306.

Santa Fe: 2007: $44,186. 2008: $44,927 (+1.7%). 2009: $43,002 (-4.3%)

2009 national rank: 40.