Per capita income up in South Fla.

Report shows personal income here increased by as much as 4.4 percent

South Florida residents became wealthier in 2017, according to a new report on personal income released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Annual personal income per capita increased by 4.1 percent to $48,680 in Broward County, 4.4 percent to $74,754 in Palm Beach County, and 3.8 percent to $46,048 in MiamiDade County, according to estimates by the bureau, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In 2016, by comparison, Broward’s income grew by only 1.4 percent and Palm Beach County’s by 1.7 percent. Miami-Dade’s fell by 0.2 percent.

A major component of last year’s growth was wages and salaries, according to the 2017 income data.

“There’s a pretty strong economy in South Florida, and workers are receiving the benefits from that,” said J. Antonio Villamil, economist and founder of The Washington Economics Group in Coral Gables. He said that bodes well for 2018 results.

“I’m very encouraged by the numbers ... it’s not just retirees getting more from their dividends,” Villamil said.

The top growth rate was 4.5 percent in the metropolitan areas of the United States, and 3.2 percent in non-metro regions, according to the bureau. In annual dollars, personal income ranged from $11,937 in Issaquena County, Miss., to $233,860 in Teton County, Wyo.

Per capita income — income divided by population — grew by about 3.3 percent to $47,684 a year statewide. Personal income includes wages, dividends, interest earnings, home rental and business income, and government benefits such as Social Security.

While the bureau releases quarterly personal income numbers on a state-by-state basis, Thursday’s release is the first glimpse of personal income in individual counties and metropolitan areas for 2017.

In September, the bureau announced that state personal income, which mostly reflects earnings, increased by 4.2 percent for the second quarter of this year, slowing from 5.1 percent in the first quarter. Florida outpaced the national number with 4.3 percent growth.

Though South Florida is known for its relative wealth, other parts of the state and the country are much richer, at least on a per capita basis, according to the 2017 data.

Collier County, which includes Naples, had per capita income of $87,829.

Monroe County, which includes the Keys, had $83,328.

Martin County, which includes Sewall’s Point, had $79,104.

Across the United States, per capita personal income exceeded $100,000 in 12 counties:

Teton, Wyo. New York, N.Y. Pitkin, Colo. Bristol Bay, Alaska Marin, Calif. Summit, Utah San Francisco, Calif. Nantucket, Mass. San Mateo, Calif. Fairfield, Conn. Blaine, Idaho Westchester, N.Y.