Wayne County vs. West Virginia
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Wayne County vs. West Virginia
Wayne County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $61,985
2022 Percent of State = 107.92%
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 Wayne County with comparisons to West Virginia and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Wayne 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.
Wayne County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Wayne County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Wayne 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 Wayne County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Wayne County's average earnings per job increased 766.69%, from $7,152 in 1970 to $61,985 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 47.63%, from $36,183 in 1970 to $53,416 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Wayne 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, Wayne County's real average earnings per job rose from $35,276 in 1969 to $53,416 in 2022, for a net gain of $18,140, or 51.42%. In comparison, West Virginia's real average earnings per job advanced from $33,909 in 1969 to $49,497 in 2022, for a net advance 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 Wayne 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.
Wayne County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 51.42% over 1969-2022 outpaced 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 depicts the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Wayne County and West Virginia average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Wayne County's average earnings per job amounted to 92.79% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 86.59%. Similarly, in 1969, West Virginia's average earnings per job totaled 89.19% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 80.24%.
Wayne County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Wayne County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Wayne 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 illustrated 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, Wayne County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 0.82% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 2019 (5.42%) and posted its lowest growth in 1987 (-5.93%). In 2022, Wayne County's real average earnings per job declined by -3.66%
Wayne County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Wayne 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 illustrates the annual percent change in Wayne County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Wayne County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 1.05%. It averaged -1.35% in the 1980s, 2.02% throughout the 1990s, 2.20% throughout the 2000s, 0.66% during the 2010s, -0.76% 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 Wayne County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for West Virginia and the nation. As the chart reveals, Wayne County's average annual real average earnings per job growth amounted to less than West Virginia's average in the 1970s (1.05% vs. 1.92%), trailed West Virginia's average in the 1980s (-1.35% vs. -0.44%), surpassed West Virginia's average during the 1990s (2.02% vs. 0.59%), surpassed West Virginia's average in the 2000s (2.20% vs. 1.11%), lagged West Virginia's average in the 2010s (0.66% vs. 1.09%), and led West Virginia's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (-0.76% vs. -1.24%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Wayne County topped the nation during the 1970s (1.05% vs. 0.89%), fell under the nation throughout the 1980s (-1.35% vs. 0.71%), outgained the nation in the 1990s (2.02% vs. 1.68%), recorded above the nation over the 2000s (2.20% vs. 0.72%), posted below the nation during the 2010s (0.66% vs. 1.01%), and recorded underneath the nation over 2020-2022 (-0.76% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.82
1.05
-1.35
2.02
2.20
0.66
-0.76
-3.66
 
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.

   
 
Wayne County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,661
0.189
35,276
100.0
N
104.03
92.79
1970
 
7,152
0.198
36,183
102.6
2.57
103.26
94.15
1971
 
7,744
0.206
37,582
106.5
3.87
104.68
95.56
1972
 
8,234
0.213
38,642
109.5
2.82
102.82
94.74
1973
 
8,825
0.225
39,300
111.4
1.70
104.17
94.52
1974
 
9,193
0.248
37,081
105.1
-5.65
100.42
92.60
1975
 
9,998
0.269
37,222
105.5
0.38
99.02
93.33
1976
 
10,970
0.283
38,719
109.8
4.02
99.43
94.99
1977
 
11,911
0.302
39,473
111.9
1.95
97.94
95.97
1978
 
12,957
0.323
40,145
113.8
1.70
98.22
96.28
1979
 
13,697
0.351
38,974
110.5
-2.92
95.21
94.02
1980
 
14,700
0.389
37,762
107.0
-3.11
95.12
93.89
1981
 
16,074
0.424
37,897
107.4
0.36
95.94
94.18
1982
 
16,940
0.448
37,837
107.3
-0.16
95.76
94.17
1983
 
17,714
0.467
37,951
107.6
0.30
98.56
93.63
1984
 
18,242
0.484
37,659
106.8
-0.77
95.18
90.39
1985
 
18,335
0.501
36,577
103.7
-2.87
92.11
86.77
1986
 
17,893
0.512
34,935
99.0
-4.49
88.64
81.05
1987
 
17,353
0.528
32,864
93.2
-5.93
84.50
75.03
1988
 
18,591
0.549
33,885
96.1
3.11
85.71
76.17
1989
 
19,420
0.573
33,914
96.1
0.09
86.71
76.28
1990
 
20,694
0.598
34,621
98.1
2.08
88.70
77.80
1991
 
21,998
0.618
35,610
100.9
2.86
91.21
79.88
1992
 
23,565
0.634
37,157
105.3
4.34
93.09
80.21
1993
 
24,917
0.650
38,334
108.7
3.17
96.13
82.78
1994
 
25,483
0.664
38,403
108.9
0.18
95.88
82.44
1995
 
25,784
0.678
38,055
107.9
-0.91
96.37
81.58
1996
 
26,769
0.692
38,682
109.7
1.65
98.18
81.59
1997
 
27,504
0.704
39,064
110.7
0.99
98.46
80.38
1998
 
28,543
0.710
40,221
114.0
2.96
99.41
79.26
1999
 
29,787
0.720
41,371
117.3
2.86
99.83
78.90
2000
 
31,068
0.738
42,085
119.3
1.73
99.25
77.86
2001
 
31,403
0.753
41,702
118.2
-0.91
95.61
75.71
2002
 
32,218
0.763
42,230
119.7
1.27
95.43
75.97
2003
 
33,769
0.779
43,353
122.9
2.66
97.70
77.35
2004
 
35,877
0.798
44,943
127.4
3.67
100.00
78.93
2005
 
37,905
0.821
46,154
130.8
2.69
101.36
81.26
2006
 
39,584
0.844
46,879
132.9
1.57
101.36
81.72
2007
 
40,811
0.866
47,122
133.6
0.52
105.06
82.64
2008
 
43,508
0.892
48,792
138.3
3.54
107.53
86.50
2009
 
45,682
0.889
51,373
145.6
5.29
111.14
91.29
2010
 
45,328
0.905
50,079
142.0
-2.52
106.95
86.85
2011
 
47,353
0.928
51,024
144.6
1.89
106.85
88.29
2012
 
46,725
0.945
49,426
140.1
-3.13
103.84
84.86
2013
 
47,533
0.958
49,627
140.7
0.41
104.81
85.13
2014
 
48,929
0.971
50,380
142.8
1.52
106.31
85.86
2015
 
50,397
0.973
51,796
146.8
2.81
108.11
86.88
2016
 
49,742
0.983
50,611
143.5
-2.29
107.75
85.06
2017
 
50,747
1.000
50,747
143.9
0.27
104.69
84.12
2018
 
52,940
1.020
51,878
147.1
2.23
102.71
85.25
2019
 
56,613
1.035
54,692
155.0
5.42
106.37
87.88
2020
 
57,950
1.046
55,383
157.0
1.26
107.15
86.01
2021
 
60,435
1.090
55,444
157.2
0.11
107.74
85.82
2022
 
61,985
1.160
53,416
151.4
-3.66
107.92
86.59
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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To offer the most comprehensive set of interactive options in support of your research, WV-REAP calculates and crunches most of the data and generates the narrative and graphic analysis on demand in response to your request.
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