U.S. Regional Growth and Convergence, 1880-1980

The historical analysis of US regional growth is improved by augmenting existing estimates of state personal income per capita, extending previous studies of convergence across states, and more broadly, offering an improved basis for interpreting other issues in regional development such as the "catch-up" of the South and the convergence "from above" of the West. The income data are first adjusted for state differences in prices at six census years between 1880 to 1980.