On a map, per capita income denotes:

On a map, per capita income denotes:

• A. The total income of the region.
• B. The income per business in the region.
• C. The median income of residents.
• D. The income per person in the region.

Answer: (D)

Per capita income measures the income available per person in a region. On a map, it’s calculated by dividing the region’s total income by its population, so it shows the average income each resident would have if the total were shared equally. This is different from total regional income alone, which ignores how many people share it, and from income per business, which would divide by the number of businesses rather than people. It’s also different from median income, which is the middle value of all individual incomes rather than the average. For example, a region with a total income of 2,000,000 and 20,000 people has a per capita income of 100 per person. Using this measure on a map helps compare living standards across areas by accounting for population size.

Per capita income measures the income available per person in a region. On a map, it’s calculated by dividing the region’s total income by its population, so it shows the average income each resident would have if the total were shared equally. This is different from total regional income alone, which ignores how many people share it, and from income per business, which would divide by the number of businesses rather than people. It’s also different from median income, which is the middle value of all individual incomes rather than the average. For example, a region with a total income of 2,000,000 and 20,000 people has a per capita income of 100 per person. Using this measure on a map helps compare living standards across areas by accounting for population size.