The Good News: We're Wealthy; The Bad News: We're Broke

Hidden in a story with a headline on poverty rates, the Washington Post reported that Maryland has now surpassed New Jersey to become the wealthiest state in the country with a median household income of $65,144 (see related story in the Sun).

Howard County remained champagne country with the highest income in the state at $94,260. However, even Howard lagged behind our rich cousins across the Potomac in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. Once one of the top two or three counties in the nation in terms of wealth, Montgomery has now dropped to seventh in the nation with a median household income of $87,624.

Of course, the budget deficit remains with Maryland despite our economic success. I'm sure that Montgomery Superintendent Weast would have a good explanation. Apparently, the falling SAT scores in Montgomery despite the rising success of some groups is a "perfect Simpson's paradox." And no, he wasn't talking about either O.J. or Bart and Lisa.

I'll have to remember that one the next time I need to bamboozle the media so I can make a quick getaway.