Some thoughts on Mississippi Gulf Coast and oil spill (gush)

It remains to be seen what the economic effects of the oil gush will have on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  As we go forward I believe that some things should be put in perspective.  The Mississippi Gulf Coast does not mirror the state as a whole in many ways, such as culturally, economically and socially.  This of course is true for every region of Mississippi.  A bit more insight on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (defined as Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties).

In May 2010 there were 1,152,000 employed in Mississippi.  In the three Gulf Coast counties there were a total of 152,010 employed, or 13.2% of all jobs in Mississippi.  There are 82 counties in Mississippi, so from an economic standpoint there are probably only two or three other places in Mississippi where three contiguous counties could have been harder hit.

Here’s more perspective:

Mississippi per capita income(2007): $28,541
Gulf Coast per capita income (2007): $37,055

I could go on and on, but you get the picture.