Per Capita Definition

Per capita is a Latin phrase that translates to “by head” or “for each individual.” It’s often used as a way to measure a population’s average income, health, or wealth.

To calculate per capita, you divide the total population into the total amount of something. For example, if a city has a population of 100,000 people and 10,000 jobs, the per capita employment rate would be 10%.

Per capita can be a useful metric because it allows you to compare different groups of people. For example, you could compare the per capita income of different countries or regions.

However, per capita can also be misleading. Just because one group has a higher per capita income doesn’t mean that everyone in that group is wealthy. There can be a wide range of incomes within any given population.