What people earn is expanding most rapidly in America’s heartland

Paychecks are expanding more rapidly in the nation’s heartland than anywhere else in America.

Five major markets enjoyed income growth of at least 2.5 percent per year between 2009 and 2014 — and four are located in a narrow belt from Arkansas and Oklahoma to Texas.

Atop the list is the Fayetteville, Arkansas metropolitan area, which is best known as the home base of Wal-Mart Stores.

The typical worker in the northwestern corner of Arkansas earned $42,410 in 2014, the latest year for which official… …read more