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WEDNESDAY, September 6, 2006 PERSONAL INCOME FOR METROPOLITAN AREAS, 2005 Personal income growth was slower in 2005 than in 2004 in most of the nation’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Despite the slowdown, 2005 per capita income grew faster than inflation (2.9 percent as measured by the national price index for personal consumption expenditure) in nearly three-fourths of the MSAs. The estimates for 2005 are based on a methodology developed by BEA to speed up the release of MSA personal income by seven months—one of BEA’s major goals in its strategic plan. On average, personal income grew 5.0 percent in 2005, down from 6.0 percent growth in 2004 and per capita income grew 4.0 percent in 2005, down from 4.9 percent in 2004. The slowdown in personal income was evident in three-fourths of the MSAs. Accelerated MSA estimates The 2005 accelerated estimates of personal income for metropolitan areas in this news release represent, for the first time, an acceleration of seven months over the previous publication schedule. This acceleration has been a major goal in BEA’s strategic plan for the regional program. In the past, MSA personal income for 2005 would not have been published until April 2007 as part of the local area personal income release. The acceleration has been accomplished by preparing MSA personal income in less detail than the local area personal income estimates and by extrapolating various components of income for which source data are lacking. The personal income estimates for 2005 are entirely consistent with estimates for earlier years released last April. BEA data—including GDP, personal income, the balance of payments, foreign direct investment, the input-output accounts, and economic data for states, local areas, and industries—are available on the BEA Web site: www.bea.gov. E-mail alerts are also available. Contact: Ralph Stewart 202–606–2649 Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce