By Associated Press – 11 Aug ’14
Wyoming recorded the lowest growth in consumer spending in the nation between 2011 and 2012.
But state residents don’t appear to be cutting back on buying gasoline for their vehicles.
A new federal report shows Wyoming’s per-capita spending was $36,891 in 2012.
That was just 1.4 percent more than the previous year, the lowest percentage increase in the nation. The national average was 3.3 percent more.
State economist David Bullard blames slow job growth for keeping spending down in Wyoming.
Despite the tepid consumer spending in Wyoming, per capita spending on gasoline and energy in the state was $3,475 in 2012. That’s second only to North Dakota.
Bullard says Wyoming has a widely dispersed population over a large state, so he’s not surprised by the spending on gasoline.
