per capita
adverb or adjective
per cap·i·ta
(ˌ)pər-ˈka-pə-tə 
1
: per unit of population : by or for each person
the highest income per capita of any state in the union
2
: equally to each individual
Examples of per capita in a Sentence
we expect the students to receive less funding per capita this year due to a marked increase in the school-age population
Recent Examples on the Web
The state ranks 40th for primary care doctors per capita, and 48th for mental health providers, according to the United Health Foundation.
—
Scott Cohn, CNBC, 14 July 2025
In Costa Rica, with just 10% of U.S. per capita income, life expectancy is over 80 years — the result of decades-long investment in public health.
—Sylvana Quader Sinha, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
In 2025, states must reach $1.89 in damage per capita and a county must have sustained $4.72 in damage per capita.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 14 July 2025
Leading To Highest - And Lowest – Salaries FAA Issues Weather-Related Ground Stop at LaGuardia
In terms of claims per capita, Michigan stands out, with now 307 unemployment claims per 100,000 people in its labor force.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for per capita
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Scott Cohn, CNBC, 14 July 2025
In Costa Rica, with just 10% of U.S. per capita income, life expectancy is over 80 years — the result of decades-long investment in public health.
—Sylvana Quader Sinha, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
In 2025, states must reach $1.89 in damage per capita and a county must have sustained $4.72 in damage per capita.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 14 July 2025
Leading To Highest - And Lowest – Salaries FAA Issues Weather-Related Ground Stop at LaGuardia
In terms of claims per capita, Michigan stands out, with now 307 unemployment claims per 100,000 people in its labor force.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for per capita
Cite this Entry
“Per capita.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/per%20capita. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
per capita
adverb or adjective
per cap·i·ta
(ˌ)pər-ˈkap-ət-ə
: by or for each person
per capita income
Legal Definition
per capita
adverb or adjective
per cap·i·ta
pər-ˈka-pə-tə
1
: equally to each individual
all property to pass to the descendants per capita
—used of a method of distributing an especially intestate estate
compare per stirpes
Note: Per capita distribution of an estate provides each descendant with an equal share of the estate's assets regardless of the degree of his or her kinship. Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., all receive equal shares.
2
: per unit of population : by or for each individual
a high per capita tax burden
Etymology
Medieval Latin, by heads
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