Interesting GMP-per capita ranking

[GRDadof3]

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...t=0#entry394586

Maybe Phizzy or someone can explain this?

[dbrok]

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...t=0#entry394586

Maybe Phizzy or someone can explain this?

I think that GMP is Gross Metro Product similar to GNP being Gross National Product. It's a way to measure all the goods and services generated in a specific area. Basically, per the population of the Grand Rapids MSA (not sure if they're just using GR or Grand Rapids-Holland-Muskegon), we're the 25th most productive metro area in the country.

[GRDadof3]

I think that GMP is Gross Metro Product similar to GNP being Gross National Product. It's a way to measure all the goods and services generated in a specific area. Basically, per the population of the Grand Rapids MSA (not sure if they're just using GR or Grand Rapids-Holland-Muskegon), we're the 25th most productive metro area in the country.

I understand that, I just wonder what would drive one per capita to be higher than another. Ours is at $43 K per capita, and only 33 billion total. Does that mean we produce more costly goods and services? Is it due to being more heavily manufacturing related, as opposed to service? And then to see two cities in Connecticut cities top that list? Just curious.

[MJLO]

well it is a measurement of total production, but it's also a measurement of income. It makes sense to see, two conneticut cities at the top. The state of Connecticut is essentially, NYC's northern suburbs. The wealthiest ones. People in Connecticut make more income on average, than in any other state. Liken it to if Oakland County were it's own state. You'd have the same effect. What it shows, is that Grand Rapids area as a whole produces more per person, but also that we spend, and consume more per capita. Alot of that is shown in the fact that there is a great middle class in GR, sure we have gated communities, exclusive places, and our poor, underperforming areas too, like every other Metropolitan area as a whole. But GR (and alot of this can be attributed to the cultural herritage) has a very large middle class in comparison to other places. If you were to do the homework, GR is one of the highest ranked places for the ratio of people who make between, 50k- $100k per year, and that kind of white coller worker,/ higher paid blue collar worker mentality, raises us up a little when compared on a GMP level. It takes GR (which really is a poster child for mediocrity) and inflates things like GMP making us appear more affluent, then it probabally truely is.

am I making sense or am I rambling the way I do.

[Phizzy]

Maybe Phizzy or someone can explain this?

Sorry, I don't know where they get those numbers. I'm not disputing them, I just don't know where they come from. I do think it just represents the Grand Rapids MSA, not the CSA, though.