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<br />1-36 <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Personal Income <br /> <br />Total and per capita personal income for the Ogall al a Regi on in 1977 <br />were $12.5 billion and $5,750 respectively. The Ogallala portion of only <br />one state, Kansas, exceeded the U.S. average for per capita income of $7,038 <br />in 1977. <br /> <br />The most significant differences between per capita income earnings <br />within and outside the region occurs in Colorado, where out-of-region workers <br />earn 24% more income. Most of the states exhibit the reverse of this trend, <br />although the differences are not significant. <br /> <br />Land Use <br /> <br />Regional Profile <br /> <br />The land use profile of a region is a direct reflection of the cultural <br />and economi c factors that di sti ngui sh it from other regi ons, and from the <br />nation as a whole. In the High Plains, these factors include rural popula- <br />tion, strong reliance upon farming and cattle raising, and developing com- <br />merce related to goods and services for the agricultural sector. A brief <br />comparison to national trends underscores the uniqueness of the High Plains. <br />In 1977, the 1.5 billion acres of nonfederal land in the United States was <br />27 percent cropland; 9 percent pastureland and native pasture; 27 percent <br />rangeland; 25 percent forest land; and 12 percent urban, transportation, and <br />other uses. Cropland is decreasing nationally, while the acreage of pasture <br />and rangeland is increasing. Urban and transportation lands are expanding <br />at an increasing rate (USDA, 1980). In the High Plains, due largely to the <br />availability of low cost energy sources (until recently), ground water for <br />irrigation, and level, extremely fertile lands, productive agricultural <br />acreage increased at a rapid pace after 1950. Cropl and and improved <br />pastureland dominate current land use in the Region. Forested areas, except <br />along major water courses are virtually nonexistent. Although expanding <br />service industries and populations in cities like Amarillo and Lubbock have <br />produced some growth, urban-related land use in the region is comparatively <br />very small. <br />