Eastern Oregon’s Personal Income Grew by $3.4 Billion from 2012 to 2022

November 12, 2024

Total personal income reached $9.1 billion in 2022 in Eastern Oregon (Baker, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, and Wallowa counties), up from $5.7 billion in 2012, a growth rate of 61%. Harney County had the highest rate of personal income growth in the area (72%), followed by Morrow (71%), Wallowa (68%), Baker (64%), Umatilla (61%), Malheur (59%), Grant (56%), and Union (53%). Eastern Oregon’s rate of growth was well below Oregon’s statewide growth of 73%.

Umatilla County had the highest nominal growth in personal income within Eastern Oregon (up $1.5 billion) since 2012, followed by Malheur ($455 million), Union ($443 million), Baker ($321 million), Morrow ($281 million), Wallowa ($163 million), Harney ($157 million), and Grant ($133 million) counties.

Net earnings made up 54% of Eastern Oregon’s total personal income in 2022, while transfer receipts made up 31% and dividends, interest, and rent accounted for 14%. This is a significant change from 2012, when net earnings made up 55% of the area’s personal income and transfer receipts made up only 28% with dividends, interest, and rent accounting for 17%.

Morrow and Umatilla County residents had a higher percentage of their total personal income from net earnings, at 67% and 59%, respectively, while Harney (53%), Union (52%), Grant (48%), Malheur (47%), Baker (46%), and Wallowa (46%) all have much lower shares.

Income from transfer receipts has increased significantly statewide (86%) from about $29.7 billion in 2012 to about $55.1 billion in 2022. Within Eastern Oregon transfer receipts grew 88% from about $1.5 billion to about $2.9 billion over the same time period. This income includes but is not limited to government payments to individuals like Medicare and Medicaid, unemployment insurance compensation, veterans’ benefits, and Federal grants and loans to students.

Income from dividends, interest, and rent within the area increased by 34% from 2012 to 2022, to $1.3 billion. This was well below the growth rate statewide of 72%.