Odd Sign of Strength: Trenton Tops City in Per Capita GDP

By ABRAHAM RIESMAN, Special to the Sun | July 17, 2008 As unlikely as it may seem, the New York metropolitan area has a lower per capita gross domestic product than Trenton, N.J., and even Casper, Wyo., according to a new economic study. Paradoxically, economists say it may be a sign of New York's economic strength. The report, "Human Capital and Economic Activity in Urban America," compiles a list of the country's top 20 metropolitan areas in terms of their average per capita GDP between 2001 and 2005. The greater New York area surveyed for the report comes in at no. 15, with an average of $51,440. Casper takes sixth place, with an average of $57,558, and the Trenton-Ewing area is no. 10, with an average of $52,843. The Fairfield County, Conn., area, which includes the cities of Stamford and Greenwich, takes the top spot,... [read full story]