Greenbrier County vs. West Virginia
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Greenbrier County vs. West Virginia
Greenbrier County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $43,147
2022 Percent of State = 75.12%
West Virginia:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $57,438
The United States economy has generated an impressive number of jobs since the 1970s. The contrast between the nation's vigorous employment growth and the modest performance of other major industrial countries is striking. Despite this rosy track record, the real (inflation adjusted) wages and salaries of many workers have stagnated or slipped in recent years. This development has provoked concerns about the quality of new jobs. Structural shifts in the composition of employment--from high-wage goods-producing to low-wage services-related sectors--is the culprit most often cited for the deteriorating quality of jobs.
Regions vary greatly in the make-up of their labor force, in their industry composition of employment, and their economic experience. Reviewing and examining recent developments in average earnings per job in Greenbrier County with comparisons to West Virginia and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Greenbrier County.
Discussion: Average Annual Earnings Per Job are computed by dividing BEA total industry earnings estimates by the BEA total full- and part-time jobs estimates. No convenient or adequate means exist at the county or regional level for converting the job estimates to a full-time equivalent measure. So, interpret the average earnings per job estimates with caution in consideration of the following issues:
Average earnings per job within industries involving more part-time work is lower than industries involving more full-time work, although there could be little difference in the underlying wage of full-time workers. Such differences could also prevail between counties and regions. An increase in the proportion of part-time jobs over time may erode average earnings per job estimates, although full-time earnings per worker may have remained unchanged.
As with per capita income, average earnings per job may be subject to extreme short-run variation, especially in smaller counties. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller counties. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent counties owing to the extreme annual variations in farm incomes. Also, Since average earnings per job are just a simple average, it does not account for variations in the distribution of earnings among high- vs. low-wage jobs.
Greenbrier County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Greenbrier County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Greenbrier County's annual average earnings per job over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of Greenbrier County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Greenbrier County's average earnings per job increased 713.40%, from $5,304 in 1970 to $43,147 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 38.55%, from $26,836 in 1970 to $37,182 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Greenbrier County's and West Virginia's annual real average earnings per job for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real average earnings per job patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Greenbrier County's real average earnings per job rose from $26,560 in 1969 to $37,182 in 2022, for a net gain of $10,622, or 39.99%. In comparison, West Virginia's real average earnings per job increased from $33,909 in 1969 to $49,497 in 2022, for a net gain of $15,588, or 45.97%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Greenbrier County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with West Virginia, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real average earnings per job in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real average earnings per jobs in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real average earnings per job growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Greenbrier County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 39.99% over 1969-2022 trailed West Virginia's increase of 45.97%, and fell below the United States' increase of 62.26%.
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 portrays the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Greenbrier County and West Virginia average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Greenbrier County's average earnings per job amounted to 69.86% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 60.27%. Similarly, in 1969, West Virginia's average earnings per job totaled 89.19% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 80.24%.
Greenbrier County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Greenbrier County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Greenbrier County's real average earnings per job growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Greenbrier County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 0.70% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 1977 (12.01%) and posted its lowest growth in 2007 (-8.31%). In 2022, Greenbrier County's real average earnings per job declined by -5.00%
Greenbrier County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Greenbrier County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again shows the annual percent change in Greenbrier County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Greenbrier County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 2.41%. It averaged -0.46% during the 1980s, 0.93% throughout the 1990s, -0.19% in the 2000s, 1.64% in the 2010s, -2.01% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Greenbrier County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for West Virginia and the nation. As the chart reveals, Greenbrier County's average annual real average earnings per job growth outpaced West Virginia's average in the 1970s (2.41% vs. 1.92%), recorded under West Virginia's average throughout the 1980s (-0.46% vs. -0.44%), recorded above West Virginia's average in the 1990s (0.93% vs. 0.59%), lagged West Virginia's average throughout the 2000s (-0.19% vs. 1.11%), surpassed West Virginia's average throughout the 2010s (1.64% vs. 1.09%), and posted below West Virginia's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (-2.01% vs. -1.24%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Greenbrier County outpaced the nation in the 1970s (2.41% vs. 0.89%), posted below the nation in the 1980s (-0.46% vs. 0.71%), lagged the nation throughout the 1990s (0.93% vs. 1.68%), recorded underneath the nation throughout the 2000s (-0.19% vs. 0.72%), topped the nation during the 2010s (1.64% vs. 1.01%), and fell under the nation over 2020-2022 (-2.01% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.70
2.41
-0.46
0.93
-0.19
1.64
-2.01
-5.00
 
0.73
1.92
-0.44
0.59
1.11
1.09
-1.24
-3.82
 
0.93
0.89
0.71
1.68
0.72
1.01
-0.24
-4.51
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Greenbrier County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,015
0.189
26,560
100.0
N
78.33
69.86
1970
 
5,304
0.198
26,836
101.0
1.04
76.59
69.83
1971
 
5,636
0.206
27,355
103.0
1.93
76.20
69.56
1972
 
5,967
0.213
28,004
105.4
2.37
74.51
68.66
1973
 
6,516
0.225
29,018
109.3
3.62
76.92
69.79
1974
 
6,958
0.248
28,066
105.7
-3.28
76.00
70.09
1975
 
7,860
0.269
29,262
110.2
4.26
77.85
73.37
1976
 
8,422
0.283
29,724
111.9
1.58
76.33
72.92
1977
 
10,047
0.302
33,295
125.4
12.01
82.61
80.95
1978
 
11,015
0.323
34,128
128.5
2.50
83.50
81.85
1979
 
11,757
0.351
33,456
126.0
-1.97
81.73
80.71
1980
 
12,075
0.389
31,018
116.8
-7.29
78.13
77.12
1981
 
12,977
0.424
30,595
115.2
-1.36
77.45
76.04
1982
 
13,968
0.448
31,198
117.5
1.97
78.96
77.64
1983
 
14,107
0.467
30,223
113.8
-3.13
78.49
74.56
1984
 
15,377
0.484
31,745
119.5
5.04
80.24
76.20
1985
 
15,998
0.501
31,915
120.2
0.53
80.37
75.71
1986
 
16,047
0.512
31,330
118.0
-1.83
79.50
72.68
1987
 
16,669
0.528
31,568
118.9
0.76
81.17
72.08
1988
 
17,797
0.549
32,438
122.1
2.75
82.05
72.92
1989
 
18,185
0.573
31,758
119.6
-2.10
81.19
71.43
1990
 
18,903
0.598
31,624
119.1
-0.42
81.02
71.07
1991
 
19,275
0.618
31,203
117.5
-1.33
79.92
70.00
1992
 
20,324
0.634
32,047
120.7
2.70
80.29
69.18
1993
 
21,557
0.650
33,164
124.9
3.49
83.16
71.61
1994
 
21,773
0.664
32,813
123.5
-1.06
81.93
70.44
1995
 
21,558
0.678
31,818
119.8
-3.03
80.58
68.21
1996
 
21,818
0.692
31,528
118.7
-0.91
80.02
66.50
1997
 
23,316
0.704
33,116
124.7
5.04
83.47
68.14
1998
 
24,338
0.710
34,295
129.1
3.56
84.76
67.59
1999
 
25,005
0.720
34,729
130.8
1.27
83.80
66.24
2000
 
26,402
0.738
35,764
134.7
2.98
84.35
66.17
2001
 
27,064
0.753
35,941
135.3
0.49
82.40
65.25
2002
 
28,339
0.763
37,146
139.9
3.35
83.94
66.83
2003
 
29,639
0.779
38,050
143.3
2.43
85.75
67.89
2004
 
30,948
0.798
38,769
146.0
1.89
86.26
68.08
2005
 
31,885
0.821
38,824
146.2
0.14
85.26
68.35
2006
 
32,725
0.844
38,756
145.9
-0.18
83.80
67.56
2007
 
30,776
0.866
35,535
133.8
-8.31
79.22
62.32
2008
 
31,627
0.892
35,469
133.5
-0.19
78.17
62.88
2009
 
30,120
0.889
33,873
127.5
-4.50
73.28
60.19
2010
 
32,563
0.905
35,976
135.5
6.21
76.83
62.39
2011
 
35,958
0.928
38,747
145.9
7.70
81.14
67.04
2012
 
34,777
0.945
36,787
138.5
-5.06
77.29
63.16
2013
 
35,860
0.958
37,439
141.0
1.77
79.07
64.22
2014
 
37,896
0.971
39,019
146.9
4.22
82.33
66.49
2015
 
39,333
0.973
40,425
152.2
3.60
84.37
67.81
2016
 
37,837
0.983
38,498
144.9
-4.77
81.96
64.70
2017
 
38,844
1.000
38,844
146.3
0.90
80.14
64.39
2018
 
40,133
1.020
39,328
148.1
1.25
77.86
64.62
2019
 
40,946
1.035
39,557
148.9
0.58
76.94
63.56
2020
 
41,765
1.046
39,915
150.3
0.91
77.22
61.99
2021
 
42,660
1.090
39,137
147.4
-1.95
76.05
60.58
2022
 
43,147
1.160
37,182
140.0
-5.00
75.12
60.27
Source: Calculations by the West Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (WV-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
West Virginia:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,403
0.189
33,909
100.0
N
89.19
1970
 
6,926
0.198
35,040
103.3
3.34
91.18
1971
 
7,397
0.206
35,901
105.9
2.46
91.29
1972
 
8,008
0.213
37,583
110.8
4.69
92.15
1973
 
8,471
0.225
37,725
111.3
0.38
90.73
1974
 
9,155
0.248
36,928
108.9
-2.11
92.22
1975
 
10,097
0.269
37,591
110.9
1.80
94.25
1976
 
11,034
0.283
38,942
114.8
3.60
95.54
1977
 
12,161
0.302
40,302
118.9
3.49
97.98
1978
 
13,192
0.323
40,871
120.5
1.41
98.03
1979
 
14,386
0.351
40,935
120.7
0.16
98.75
1980
 
15,454
0.389
39,699
117.1
-3.02
98.71
1981
 
16,755
0.424
39,502
116.5
-0.50
98.17
1982
 
17,690
0.448
39,513
116.5
0.03
98.34
1983
 
17,973
0.467
38,505
113.6
-2.55
94.99
1984
 
19,165
0.484
39,564
116.7
2.75
94.96
1985
 
19,906
0.501
39,709
117.1
0.37
94.21
1986
 
20,186
0.512
39,410
116.2
-0.75
91.43
1987
 
20,535
0.528
38,891
114.7
-1.32
88.80
1988
 
21,690
0.549
39,533
116.6
1.65
88.86
1989
 
22,397
0.573
39,114
115.4
-1.06
87.97
1990
 
23,330
0.598
39,030
115.1
-0.22
87.71
1991
 
24,118
0.618
39,042
115.1
0.03
87.58
1992
 
25,315
0.634
39,916
117.7
2.24
86.17
1993
 
25,921
0.650
39,879
117.6
-0.09
86.11
1994
 
26,577
0.664
40,052
118.1
0.43
85.98
1995
 
26,755
0.678
39,488
116.5
-1.41
84.65
1996
 
27,266
0.692
39,400
116.2
-0.22
83.10
1997
 
27,934
0.704
39,675
117.0
0.70
81.64
1998
 
28,714
0.710
40,461
119.3
1.98
79.74
1999
 
29,839
0.720
41,442
122.2
2.42
79.04
2000
 
31,301
0.738
42,401
125.0
2.31
78.44
2001
 
32,846
0.753
43,619
128.6
2.87
79.19
2002
 
33,759
0.763
44,251
130.5
1.45
79.61
2003
 
34,563
0.779
44,372
130.9
0.27
79.17
2004
 
35,876
0.798
44,942
132.5
1.29
78.92
2005
 
37,397
0.821
45,536
134.3
1.32
80.17
2006
 
39,053
0.844
46,250
136.4
1.57
80.62
2007
 
38,846
0.866
44,853
132.3
-3.02
78.66
2008
 
40,461
0.892
45,375
133.8
1.16
80.44
2009
 
41,103
0.889
46,224
136.3
1.87
82.14
2010
 
42,384
0.905
46,826
138.1
1.30
81.21
2011
 
44,319
0.928
47,755
140.8
1.98
82.63
2012
 
44,997
0.945
47,599
140.4
-0.33
81.72
2013
 
45,349
0.958
47,347
139.6
-0.53
81.22
2014
 
46,026
0.971
47,391
139.8
0.09
80.76
2015
 
46,617
0.973
47,911
141.3
1.10
80.37
2016
 
46,164
0.983
46,970
138.5
-1.96
78.94
2017
 
48,472
1.000
48,472
142.9
3.20
80.35
2018
 
51,545
1.020
50,511
149.0
4.21
83.00
2019
 
53,221
1.035
51,415
151.6
1.79
82.62
2020
 
54,084
1.046
51,689
152.4
0.53
80.27
2021
 
56,095
1.090
51,463
151.8
-0.44
79.66
2022
 
57,438
1.160
49,497
146.0
-3.82
80.24
Source: Calculations by the West Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (WV-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,179
0.189
38,018
100.0
N
1970
 
7,596
0.198
38,430
101.1
1.08
1971
 
8,103
0.206
39,326
103.4
2.33
1972
 
8,691
0.213
40,786
107.3
3.71
1973
 
9,336
0.225
41,579
109.4
1.94
1974
 
9,928
0.248
40,044
105.3
-3.69
1975
 
10,713
0.269
39,883
104.9
-0.40
1976
 
11,549
0.283
40,761
107.2
2.20
1977
 
12,412
0.302
41,131
108.2
0.91
1978
 
13,457
0.323
41,694
109.7
1.37
1979
 
14,568
0.351
41,454
109.0
-0.58
1980
 
15,657
0.389
40,220
105.8
-2.98
1981
 
17,066
0.424
40,237
105.8
0.04
1982
 
17,989
0.448
40,181
105.7
-0.14
1983
 
18,920
0.467
40,535
106.6
0.88
1984
 
20,181
0.484
41,663
109.6
2.78
1985
 
21,130
0.501
42,152
110.9
1.17
1986
 
22,078
0.512
43,104
113.4
2.26
1987
 
23,126
0.528
43,799
115.2
1.61
1988
 
24,408
0.549
44,487
117.0
1.57
1989
 
25,460
0.573
44,462
117.0
-0.05
1990
 
26,599
0.598
44,498
117.0
0.08
1991
 
27,537
0.618
44,577
117.3
0.18
1992
 
29,378
0.634
46,323
121.8
3.92
1993
 
30,101
0.650
46,309
121.8
-0.03
1994
 
30,909
0.664
46,580
122.5
0.59
1995
 
31,605
0.678
46,646
122.7
0.14
1996
 
32,810
0.692
47,411
124.7
1.64
1997
 
34,218
0.704
48,600
127.8
2.51
1998
 
36,011
0.710
50,743
133.5
4.41
1999
 
37,751
0.720
52,432
137.9
3.33
2000
 
39,903
0.738
54,053
142.2
3.09
2001
 
41,477
0.753
55,080
144.9
1.90
2002
 
42,406
0.763
55,584
146.2
0.92
2003
 
43,655
0.779
56,045
147.4
0.83
2004
 
45,456
0.798
56,943
149.8
1.60
2005
 
46,648
0.821
56,800
149.4
-0.25
2006
 
48,442
0.844
57,368
150.9
1.00
2007
 
49,382
0.866
57,019
150.0
-0.61
2008
 
50,298
0.892
56,407
148.4
-1.07
2009
 
50,041
0.889
56,276
148.0
-0.23
2010
 
52,191
0.905
57,661
151.7
2.46
2011
 
53,633
0.928
57,792
152.0
0.23
2012
 
55,061
0.945
58,245
153.2
0.78
2013
 
55,837
0.958
58,296
153.3
0.09
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
154.3
0.66
2015
 
58,005
0.973
59,615
156.8
1.59
2016
 
58,480
0.983
59,501
156.5
-0.19
2017
 
60,329
1.000
60,329
158.7
1.39
2018
 
62,102
1.020
60,856
160.1
0.87
2019
 
64,419
1.035
62,233
163.7
2.26
2020
 
67,378
1.046
64,393
169.4
3.47
2021
 
70,421
1.090
64,606
169.9
0.33
2022
 
71,586
1.160
61,690
162.3
-4.51
Source: Calculations by the West Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (WV-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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