Jackson income up 35 percent

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, census tracts generally have between 1,500 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000.

So it's unusual that Jackson, a city with a population of about 12,000, is considered one big tract by the bureau.

Still, the numbers show that Jackson has seen a substantial growth in per-capita income since 1990.

Adjusted for inflation, the average income in Jackson was $14,467 in 1989. Ten years later, it was $19,453, a 35 percent increase.

"As far as having concrete statistical information, I don't have any explanation," said Jackson Mayor Paul Sander. "But I would think some of the commercial businesses we had start up would have something to do with it. I do know that the Rubbermaid Corp.'s salary structure has gone up quite a bit from the LeeRowan days as they've upgraded their skill positions and obviously pay more."

Sander also said the demand to live in Jackson increased during the 1990s and many workers with higher-paying jobs outside of Jackson chose to live there. He estimates at least 50 percent of the working residents in Jackson work outside the city.