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US GDP per Capita vs US Urban Population
US GDP per Capita and US Urban Population correlate at r = +0.90 over 66 years (1960–2025), p < 0.0001. With the time trend removed, r = -0.41. Direction flips without the trend.
Verdict: Direction flips without the trend. The raw correlation is 0.90, but once each series' time trend is removed it becomes -0.41. The year-to-year movements run the opposite way to the long-run trends, so the headline number is misleading.
- Pearson r
- +0.90
- p-value
- < 0.0001
- Years compared (n)
- 66 (1960–2025)
- 95% confidence interval
- 0.84 to 0.94
- Correlation with the time trend removed
- -0.41
Sources
- US GDP per Capita (USD): World Bank. US GDP per Capita (World Bank indicator NY.GDP.PCAP.CD).
- US Urban Population (% of total): World Bank. US Urban Population (World Bank indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS).
Related pairs
- US Rural Population vs US Urban Population (r = -1.00)
- US GDP (current US$) vs US GDP per Capita (r = +1.00)
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs US GDP per Capita (r = +0.99)
- Atmospheric Methane (global) vs US GDP per Capita (r = +0.98)
- US GDP per Capita vs US Resident Patent Applications (r = +0.97)
- US GDP per Capita vs US Population (r = +0.97)
Correlation does not imply causation. How the verdict is worked out.