Full text of 1996 : Text File, USDL - 97-379
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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information: (202) 606-6567 USDL 97-379
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact: 606-5902 Thursday, October 30, 1997
AVERAGE ANNUAL PAY LEVELS IN METROPOLITAN AREAS, 1996
Average annual pay of employees within the nation's 313 metropolitan
areas increased by 4.0 percent from 1995 to 1996, according to preliminary
data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor. The 4.0 percent increase from 1995 to 1996 was the
largest over-the-year gain since 1992. Average annual pay was $30,250 in
1996, up from $29,099 in 1995. Average annual pay for the entire nation,
metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas combined, was $28,945 in 1996.
(Average annual pay data by state and industry were issued on September 11,
1997, in USDL 97-315.)
Average annual pay data are compiled from reports submitted by employers
subject to state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) laws covering
118.0 million full- and part-time workers. Average annual pay is computed
by dividing the total annual payrolls of employees covered by UI programs
by the average monthly number of these employees. (See Technical Note
beginning on page 4.) Pay differences between areas reflect the varying
composition of employment by occupation, industry, and hours of work, as
well as other factors. Similarly, over-the-year pay changes may reflect
shifts in these characteristics, as well as changes in the level of average
pay. Along with pay data for 313 Metropolitan and Primary Metropolitan
Statistical Areas, table 2 of this release includes averages and rankings
for the 18 areas designated as Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
(See Technical Note for definitions.)
Metropolitan and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas
New York, N.Y., led the nation with an average annual pay level of
$45,028 in 1996. (See table 1.) San Jose, Calif., had the second highest
average annual pay level ($44,819), followed by San Francisco, Calif.
($40,016), Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, N.J. ($39,631), and New Haven-
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury-Waterbury, Conn. ($39,488). Average pay levels
in these five metropolitan areas ranged from 31 to 49 percent above the
average for all metropolitan areas in the nation. Of the 313 metropolitan
areas, 37 reported average annual pay levels above the national
metropolitan pay average of $30,250. (Seven of the top ten average pay
levels were found in metropolitan areas that are part of the New York-
Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. consolidated
metropolitan statistical area.)
Jacksonville, N.C., recorded the lowest average annual pay among
metropolitan areas in 1996 ($17,534) for the seventh straight year. The
second lowest pay occurred in Yuma, Ariz. ($18,213), followed by Myrtle
Beach, S.C. ($18,551), McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex. ($18,928), and
Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, Tex. ($19,056). Average annual pay in
these five metropolitan areas averaged 37 to 42 percent below the national
metropolitan pay average. Although the individual positions have shifted,
the lowest levels of annual pay in the nation for the past 4 years have
been in these five areas.
The largest percent increase in average annual pay from 1995 to 1996
occurred in Boulder-Longmont, Colo. (8.9 percent); however, the increase
was partially attributed to a reporting change in state government rather
than actual pay increases. The next largest increase was in Austin-San
Marcos, Tex. (6.6 percent), followed by New York, N.Y. (6.5 percent),
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (6.5 percent), and Jersey City, N.J. (6.4
percent). In 1996, 96 metropolitan areas experienced pay increases of 4.0
percent or greater, compared with 65 metropolitan areas in 1995.
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From 1995 to 1996, average annual pay declined in five metropolitan
areas. Bakersfield, Calif., had a drop of 1.4 percent, followed by
Gadsden, Ala. (-1.3 percent), Anchorage, Alaska (-0.4 percent), Yuma, Ariz.
(-0.4 percent), and Flint, Mich. (-0.3 percent). In addition, eight other
metropolitan areas experienced pay growth rates of less than 1 percent.
Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Average annual pay for consolidated metropolitan statistical areas rose
by 4.4 percent between 1995 and 1996, from $32,643 to $34,069. (See table
2.) The over-the-year increase of 4.4 percent was the largest gain since
1992. For the tenth consecutive year, the New York-Northern New Jersey-
Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. consolidated metropolitan area had the
highest pay level, $40,089. The next highest pay level was recorded in San
Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. ($37,966), followed by Detroit-Ann Arbor-
Flint, Mich. ($35,072), Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.-
N.H. ($34,383), and Washington-Baltimore, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. ($34,199).
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had the lowest average annual pay level
($28,056) of the consolidated metropolitan areas for the third consecutive
year. Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio-Ky.-Ind., had the second lowest ($28,878),
followed by Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. ($28,979), Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash.
($29,112), and Cleveland-Akron, Ohio ($29,355).
The highest percent increase in average annual pay between 1995 and
1996, 5.8 percent, was reported in Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, Wash. The
next largest increases were in Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. (5.6 percent),
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. (5.4
percent), Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash. (5.3 percent), San Francisco-Oakland-
San Jose, Calif. (4.9 percent), and Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Tex. (4.9
percent). The pay increase in Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. was partially
due to the aforementioned reporting change in Boulder-Longmont, Colo.
None of the 18 consolidated metropolitan areas reported a decline in
average annual pay in 1996. The smallest increase occurred in Sacramento-
Yolo, Calif. (1.0 percent), followed by Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, Mich. (2.8
percent), Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif. (3.2 percent), Miami-
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (3.3 percent), and Cleveland-Akron, Ohio (3.4
percent).
Technical Note
These data are the product of a federal-state cooperative program known
as Covered Employment and Wages, or the ES-202 program. The data are
derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by
unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by state Employment
Security Agencies (SESAs). The summaries are a by-product of the
administration of state unemployment insurance programs that require most
employers to pay quarterly taxes based on the employment and wages of
workers covered by UI. Data for 1996 are preliminary and subject to
revision. A news release providing average annual pay data by state and
industry was issued on September 11, 1997 (USDL 97-315).
Coverage
Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI laws and for
federal civilian workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for
Federal Employees (UCFE) program are compiled from quarterly contribution
reports submitted to the SESAs by employers. In addition to the quarterly
contribution report, employers who operate multiple establishments within a
state complete a questionnaire, called the "Multiple Worksite Report,"
which provides detailed information on the location and industry of each of
their establishments. Average annual pay data included in this release are
derived from summaries of employment and wages submitted by states to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
UI and UCFE coverage is broad and basically comparable from state to
state. In 1996, UI and UCFE programs covered workers in 118.0 million
jobs. The estimated 112.9 million workers in these jobs (because they
include multiple job holders) represented 97.3 percent of wage and salary
civilian employment. Covered workers received $3.415 trillion in
pay, representing 94.0 percent of the wage and salary component of personal
income and 44.7 percent of the gross domestic product. About 82 percent of
all covered workers were employed in metropolitan areas. Total wages of
workers in metropolitan areas comprised approximately 86 percent of all
covered wages in the United States.
Major exclusions from UI coverage during 1996 included most agricultural
workers on small farms, all members of the Armed Forces, elected officials
in most states, most employees of railroads, some domestic workers, most
student workers at schools, and employees of certain small nonprofit
organizations.
Concepts and methodology
Average annual pay was computed by dividing total annual pay of
employees covered by unemployment insurance programs by the average monthly
number of these employees. Included in the annual payroll data are bonuses,
the cash value of meals and lodging when supplied, tips and other
gratuities, and, in some states, employer contributions to certain deferred
compensation plans, such as 401(k) plans, and stock options. Monthly
employment is based on the number of workers who worked during or received
pay for the pay period including the 12th of the month. With few
exceptions, all employees of covered firms are reported, including
production and sales workers, corporation officials, executives,
supervisory personnel, and clerical workers. Workers on paid vacation
and part-time workers are also included. Percent changes in average annual
pay were computed using final 1995 data as the base, which may differ from
the preliminary data issued last year.
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Average annual pay is affected by the ratio of full-time to part-time
workers as well as the number of individuals in high-paying and low-paying
occupations. When comparing average annual pay levels between metropolitan
areas, these factors should be taken into consideration. Annual pay
data only approximate annual earnings because an individual may not be
employed by the same employer all year or may work for more than one
employer. Year-to-year changes in average annual pay can result from a
change in the proportion of employment in high- and low- wage jobs, as well
as from changes in the level of average annual pay.
In order to insure the highest possible quality of data, SESAs verify
with employers and update, if necessary, the industry, location, and
ownership classification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes
in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification
process are introduced with the data reported for the first quarter of the
year. Changes resulting from improved employer reporting are also
introduced in the first quarter. For these reasons, some data, especially
at more detailed geographic levels, may not be strictly comparable with
earlier years.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines metropolitan areas for
use in federal statistical activities and updates these definitions as
needed each summer. Data in this release use metropolitan area criteria
established by OMB in definitions issued June 30, 1995 (OMB Bulletin No. 95-
04). These definitions reflect information obtained from the 1990
Decennial Census and the 1992 and 1994 Bureau of the Census population
estimates. A complete list of metropolitan area definitions is available
from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Document Sales,
5205 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161, telephone 703-487-4650.
Generally speaking, a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is a free-
standing urban area that meets a specified size criteria. Primary
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs) are free-standing areas within very
large MSAs. Once an area is identified as a PMSA, the term MSA no longer
is used to describe the area. The large metropolitan area that is the sum
of the PMSAs is called a Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA).
The set of areas known as MSAs, PMSAs, and CMSAs are collectively
designated and referred to as metropolitan areas.
Current metropolitan area definitions are based on standards published
in the Federal Register on March 30, 1990 (55 FR12154-12160). Under the
1990 standards, an area qualifies for recognition as an MSA in one of two
ways: (1) if it includes a city of at least 50,000 population, or (2) if
it includes a Bureau of the Census-defined urbanized area (of at least
50,000 population) and has a total metropolitan population of at least
100,000 (75,000 in New England). In addition to the county(ies) containing
the main city or urbanized area, an MSA may include additional counties
that have strong economic and social ties to the central county(ies) and
meet other specified requirements of metropolitan character. The ties are
determined chiefly by census data on commuting to work. An MSA may contain
more than one city of 50,000 population and may cross state lines.
An area that meets these requirements for recognition as an MSA but also
has a total population of one million or more may be recognized as a CMSA
if: (1) separate component areas can be identified within the entire area
by meeting specified statistical criteria, and (2) local opinion indicates
there is support for the component areas. If recognized, the component
areas are designated PMSAs, and the entire area becomes a CMSA. If no
PMSAs are recognized, the entire area is an MSA.
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OMB defines metropolitan areas in terms of entire counties, except in
the six New England states where they are defined in terms of cities and
towns. New England data in this news release, however, are based on a
county concept defined by OMB as New England County Metropolitan Areas
(NECMAs) because county-level data are the most detailed available from the
Covered Employment and Wages program. NECMAs are county-based alternatives
to the city- and town-based metropolitan areas in New England. The NECMA
for an MSA or CMSA includes: (1) the county containing the first-named
city in that MSA/CMSA title (this county may include the first-named cities
of other MSAs/CMSAs), and (2) each additional county having at least half
its population in the MSA(s)/CMSA(s) whose first-named cities are in the
county identified in step 1.
Additional statistics and other information
Annual average employment and pay data by state and county are available
upon request from the Division of Occupational and Administrative
Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,
Washington, DC 20212, telephone 202-606-6567 (e-mail: 202_info@bls.gov).
The comprehensive bulletin, Employment and Wages, features information by
detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation
and all states. The bulletin for 1996, which is due to be issued in
November 1997, will be available for sale from the BLS Publication Sales
Center, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, Illinois 60690.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD phone:
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577.
Table 1. Average annual pay for 1995 and 1996 for all covered workers 1/ by metropolitan area
Average annual pay Ranking of
areas
Percent By level of
Metropolitan area 2/ change, average annual
1995 1996 3/ 1995-96 4/ pay for 1996
Metropolitan areas $ 29,099 $ 30,250 4.0 ---
Abilene, Tex. 20,365 21,035 3.3 295
Akron, Ohio 27,090 28,106 3.8 74
Albany, Ga. 23,910 24,832 3.9 174
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. 27,694 28,719 3.7 59
Albuquerque, N.M. 25,093 25,835 3.0 141
Alexandria, La. 21,268 21,995 3.4 277
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa. 27,804 28,771 3.5 58
Altoona, Pa. 21,768 22,675 4.2 260
Amarillo, Tex. 22,633 23,076 2.0 245
Anchorage, Alaska 33,650 33,501 -0.4 18
Ann Arbor, Mich. 30,013 31,027 3.4 33
Anniston, Ala. 22,024 22,366 1.6 268
Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wis. 26,279 27,107 3.1 105
Asheville, N.C. 22,912 23,731 3.6 216
Athens, Ga. 22,762 23,304 2.4 233
Atlanta, Ga. 29,959 31,354 4.7 31
Atlantic-Cape May, N.J. 26,585 27,511 3.5 96
Augusta-Aiken, Ga.-S.C. 25,611 25,976 1.4 133
Austin-San Marcos, Tex. 26,922 28,707 6.6 61
Bakersfield, Calif. 24,659 24,314 -1.4 193
Baltimore, Md. 28,733 29,953 4.2 40
Bangor, Maine 22,953 23,523 2.5 223
Barnstable-Yarmouth, Mass. 23,097 24,154 4.6 200
Baton Rouge, La. 25,172 25,995 3.3 130
Beaumont-Port Arthur, Tex. 26,827 27,318 1.8 102
Bellingham, Wash. 22,357 23,307 4.3 232
Benton Harbor, Mich. 25,188 25,864 2.7 139
Bergen-Passaic, N.J. 35,746 36,840 3.1 8
Billings, Mont. 22,813 23,491 3.0 225
Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, Miss. 22,869 23,223 1.5 242
Binghamton, N.Y. 26,008 26,904 3.4 107
Birmingham, Ala. 27,337 28,520 4.3 64
Bismarck, N.D. 22,014 22,617 2.7 261
Bloomington, Ind. 22,590 23,311 3.2 231
Bloomington-Normal, Ill. 29,023 29,962 3.2 39
Boise City, Idaho 26,072 26,342 1.0 117
Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.-N.H. 32,798 34,383 4.8 15
Boulder-Longmont, Colo. 28,441 30,968 8.9 34
Brazoria, Tex. 29,892 30,781 3.0 35
Bremerton, Wash. 25,877 25,954 0.3 135
Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, Tex. 18,566 19,056 2.6 309
Bryan-College Station, Tex. 19,788 20,683 4.5 301
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y. 26,749 27,607 3.2 92
Burlington, Vt. 26,480 27,724 4.7 86
Canton-Massillon, Ohio 24,644 25,109 1.9 164
Casper, Wyo. 22,621 23,200 2.6 243
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 26,572 27,523 3.6 95
Champaign-Urbana, Ill. 24,353 24,939 2.4 170
Charleston-North Charleston, S.C. 22,508 23,167 2.9 244
Charleston, W.Va. 25,846 26,700 3.3 109
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C. 27,859 29,291 5.1 47
Charlottesville, Va. 24,708 25,704 4.0 145
Chattanooga, Tenn.-Ga. 24,775 25,464 2.8 151
Cheyenne, Wyo. 21,913 21,999 0.4 276
Chicago, Ill. 32,523 33,907 4.3 16
Chico-Paradise, Calif. 20,573 21,021 2.2 296
Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. 28,057 29,043 3.5 55
Clarksville-Hopkinsville, Tenn.-Ky. 20,728 21,511 3.8 286
Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, Ohio 28,742 29,705 3.4 44
Colorado Springs, Colo. 24,500 25,771 5.2 142
Columbia, Mo. 23,150 23,917 3.3 212
Columbia, S.C. 23,647 24,479 3.5 188
Columbus, Ga.-Ala. 22,257 22,858 2.7 251
Columbus, Ohio 26,948 27,888 3.5 79
Corpus Christi, Tex. 24,032 24,976 3.9 169
Cumberland, Md.-W.Va. 21,958 22,719 3.5 256
Dallas, Tex. 31,500 32,996 4.7 23
Danville, Va. 21,931 22,169 1.1 273
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill. 25,861 26,510 2.5 112
Dayton-Springfield, Ohio 27,676 28,659 3.6 62
Daytona Beach, Fla. 20,497 21,121 3.0 292
Decatur, Ala. 24,853 25,843 4.0 140
Decatur, Ill. 27,339 28,399 3.9 68
Denver, Colo. 30,059 31,627 5.2 29
Des Moines, Iowa 26,376 27,528 4.4 94
Detroit, Mich. 34,710 35,748 3.0 11
Dothan, Ala. 23,094 23,268 0.8 237
Dover, Del. 23,054 24,177 4.9 199
Dubuque, Iowa. 24,053 24,745 2.9 177
Duluth-Superior, Minn.-Wis. 23,217 24,184 4.2 197
Dutchess County, N.Y. 29,707 30,546 2.8 37
Eau Claire, Wis. 21,613 22,147 2.5 274
El Paso, Tex. 20,971 21,834 4.1 279
Elkhart-Goshen, Ind. 25,155 26,333 4.7 118
Elmira, N.Y. 23,749 24,358 2.6 191
Enid, Okla. 19,934 20,629 3.5 303
Erie, Pa. 25,204 25,941 2.9 136
Eugene-Springfield, Ore. 23,206 24,150 4.1 201
Evansville-Henderson, Ind.-Ky. 24,294 25,319 4.2 156
Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.-Minn. 22,077 22,973 4.1 249
Fayetteville, N.C. 21,557 22,514 4.4 263
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark. 22,363 23,003 2.9 247
Flagstaff, Ariz.-Utah 20,849 21,444 2.9 287
Flint, Mich. 33,389 33,294 -0.3 20
Florence, Ala. 22,310 22,801 2.2 253
Florence, S.C. 22,605 23,440 3.7 229
Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo. 24,983 26,166 4.7 123
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 26,691 27,547 3.2 93
Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla. 22,233 23,246 4.6 239
Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, Fla. 23,015 23,601 2.5 220
Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla. 21,461 22,016 2.6 275
Fort Walton Beach, Fla. 19,788 20,653 4.4 302
Fort Wayne, Ind. 25,557 26,465 3.6 114
Fort Worth-Arlington, Tex. 27,454 28,511 3.9 65
Fresno, Calif. 21,331 21,704 1.8 283
Gadsden, Ala. 23,558 23,256 -1.3 238
Gainesville, Fla. 21,822 22,349 2.4 270
Galveston-Texas City, Tex. 26,361 27,370 3.8 98
Gary, Ind. 27,498 28,504 3.7 66
Glens Falls, N.Y. 23,346 24,321 4.2 192
Goldsboro, N.C. 20,343 21,417 5.3 289
Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn. 19,904 20,476 2.9 304
Grand Junction, Colo. 22,181 22,715 2.4 257
Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Mich. 27,298 28,478 4.3 67
Great Falls, Mont. 20,213 21,073 4.3 294
Greeley, Colo. 23,468 24,527 4.5 185
Green Bay, Wis. 26,298 27,118 3.1 104
Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, N.C. 25,229 26,130 3.6 124
Greenville, N.C. 22,635 23,466 3.7 227
Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, S.C. 24,667 25,397 3.0 153
Hagerstown, Md. 23,695 24,388 2.9 190
Hamilton-Middletown, Ohio 26,601 27,629 3.9 91
Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, Pa. 26,856 27,788 3.5 85
Hartford, Conn. 33,948 34,819 2.6 12
Hattiesburg, Miss. 20,867 21,797 4.5 281
Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, N.C. 21,726 22,493 3.5 265
Honolulu, Hawaii 27,936 28,336 1.4 70
Houma, La. 22,969 24,099 4.9 203
Houston, Tex. 31,390 32,895 4.8 25
Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Ohio 23,408 23,929 2.2 211
Huntsville, Ala. 31,233 31,473 0.8 30
Indianapolis, Ind. 28,081 29,137 3.8 49
Iowa City, Iowa 24,798 25,536 3.0 150
Jackson, Mich. 26,848 27,640 3.0 90
Jackson, Miss. 24,193 24,928 3.0 171
Jackson, Tenn. 23,901 24,898 4.2 172
Jacksonville, Fla. 25,256 26,373 4.4 116
Jacksonville, N.C. 16,951 17,534 3.4 313
Jamestown, N.Y. 22,358 22,807 2.0 252
Janesville-Beloit, Wis. 26,898 27,832 3.5 82
Jersey City, N.J. 34,621 36,833 6.4 9
Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.-Va. 23,424 24,492 4.6 187
Johnstown, Pa. 21,085 21,561 2.3 285
Joplin, Mo. 21,359 21,994 3.0 278
Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich. 27,259 28,611 5.0 63
Kankakee, Ill. 23,961 25,205 5.2 159
Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. 27,597 28,774 4.3 57
Kenosha, Wis. 24,933 26,228 5.2 122
Killeen-Temple, Tex. 21,589 22,432 3.9 266
Knoxville, Tenn. 24,567 25,340 3.1 155
Kokomo, Ind. 33,967 34,779 2.4 13
LaCrosse, Wis.-Minn. 21,874 23,001 5.2 248
Lafayette, Ind. 25,263 25,990 2.9 131
Lafayette, La. 22,735 23,942 5.3 209
Lake Charles, La. 25,399 26,059 2.6 128
Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla. 23,238 24,106 3.7 202
Lancaster, Pa. 25,605 26,467 3.4 113
Lansing-East Lansing, Mich. 28,149 29,247 3.9 48
Laredo, Tex. 19,174 20,388 6.3 305
Las Cruces, N.M. 20,186 20,371 0.9 306
Las Vegas, Nev.-Ariz. 26,263 27,324 4.0 101
Lawrence, Kan. 20,860 21,198 1.6 291
Lawton, Okla. 20,780 20,916 0.7 297
Lewiston-Auburn, Maine 21,582 22,495 4.2 264
Lexington, Ky. 24,501 25,746 5.1 144
Lima, Ohio 24,694 25,013 1.3 167
Lincoln, Neb. 23,285 24,018 3.1 206
Little Rock-North Little Rock, Ark. 24,569 25,392 3.4 154
Longview-Marshall, Tex. 23,080 23,983 3.9 207
Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. 32,445 33,478 3.2 19
Louisville, Ky.-Ind. 25,554 26,628 4.2 110
Lubbock, Tex. 21,529 22,721 5.5 255
Lynchburg, Va. 23,077 23,934 3.7 210
Macon, Ga. 23,853 24,766 3.8 175
Madison, Wis. 26,364 27,191 3.1 103
Mansfield, Ohio 23,584 24,536 4.0 183
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex. 18,031 18,928 5.0 310
Medford-Ashland, Ore. 22,112 22,679 2.6 259
Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Fla. 26,854 27,360 1.9 99
Memphis, Tenn.-Ark.-Miss. 26,915 27,912 3.7 77
Merced, Calif. 20,256 20,909 3.2 298
Miami, Fla. 27,453 28,383 3.4 69
Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, N.J. 37,925 39,631 4.5 4
Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wis. 27,926 29,079 4.1 50
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis. 30,170 31,941 5.9 28
Mobile, Ala. 23,318 24,262 4.0 195
Modesto, Calif. 23,376 23,735 1.5 215
Monmouth-Ocean, N.J. 29,033 29,920 3.1 42
Monroe, La. 22,977 23,389 1.8 230
Montgomery, Ala. 23,798 24,511 3.0 186
Muncie, Ind. 24,123 25,144 4.2 162
Myrtle Beach, S.C. 17,910 18,551 3.6 311
Naples, Fla. 22,747 23,728 4.3 218
Nashville, Tenn. 27,346 28,172 3.0 73
Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y. 31,635 32,993 4.3 24
New Haven-Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury-Waterbury, Conn. 37,546 39,488 5.2 5
New London-Norwich, Conn. 30,892 32,000 3.6 27
New Orleans, La. 25,593 26,085 1.9 127
New York, N.Y. 42,272 45,028 6.5 1
Newark, N.J. 37,224 38,886 4.5 6
Newburgh, N.Y.-Pa. 25,016 25,594 2.3 147
Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, Va.-N.C. 23,544 24,184 2.7 197
Oakland, Calif. 33,180 34,402 3.7 14
Ocala, Fla. 21,082 21,677 2.8 284
Odessa-Midland, Tex. 25,032 25,897 3.5 137
Oklahoma City, Okla. 23,626 24,286 2.8 194
Olympia, Wash. 26,083 26,575 1.9 111
Omaha, Neb.-Iowa 24,978 25,961 3.9 134
Orange County, Calif. 30,904 32,179 4.1 26
Orlando, Fla. 24,450 25,204 3.1 160
Owensboro, Ky. 21,685 22,209 2.4 272
Panama City, Fla. 20,491 21,121 3.1 292
Parkersburg-Marietta, W.Va.-Ohio 24,000 24,686 2.9 180
Pensacola, Fla. 22,506 23,244 3.3 240
Peoria-Pekin, Ill. 27,548 27,861 1.1 81
Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J. 31,695 33,080 4.4 22
Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz. 26,748 27,826 4.0 83
Pine Bluff, Ark. 22,457 22,738 1.3 254
Pittsburgh, Pa. 28,051 29,069 3.6 52
Pittsfield, Mass. 25,513 26,297 3.1 119
Portland, Maine 25,359 26,379 4.0 115
Portland-Vancouver, Ore.-Wash. 28,358 29,940 5.6 41
Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, R.I. 26,487 27,339 3.2 100
Provo-Orem, Utah 22,848 23,481 2.8 226
Pueblo, Colo. 21,869 22,357 2.2 269
Punta Gorda, Fla. 21,058 21,817 3.6 280
Racine, Wis. 26,861 27,973 4.1 76
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. 27,925 29,077 4.1 51
Rapid City, S.D. 20,107 20,719 3.0 299
Reading, Pa. 27,442 28,205 2.8 72
Redding, Calif. 23,590 23,856 1.1 213
Reno, Nev. 26,513 27,679 4.4 88
Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Wash. 27,570 27,864 1.1 80
Richmond-Petersburg, Va. 27,598 28,714 4.0 60
Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. 24,815 25,248 1.7 158
Roanoke, Va. 23,955 24,589 2.6 181
Rochester, Minn. 29,107 30,663 5.3 36
Rochester, N.Y. 29,301 30,241 3.2 38
Rockford, Ill. 27,228 28,093 3.2 75
Rocky Mount, N.C. 22,532 23,280 3.3 235
Sacramento, Calif. 29,289 29,576 1.0 45
Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, Mich. 29,863 31,138 4.3 32
Salem, Ore. 23,108 23,747 2.8 214
Salinas, Calif. 24,260 24,851 2.4 173
Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah 24,693 25,770 4.4 143
San Angelo, Tex. 21,124 21,426 1.4 288
San Antonio, Tex. 23,725 24,460 3.1 189
San Diego, Calif. 27,842 28,845 3.6 56
San Francisco, Calif. 37,975 40,016 5.4 3
San Jose, Calif. 42,409 44,819 5.7 2
San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, Calif. 23,026 23,969 4.1 208
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, Calif. 25,805 26,251 1.7 120
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif. 25,036 26,098 4.2 126
Santa Fe, N.M. 23,691 24,539 3.6 182
Santa Rosa, Calif. 26,177 26,876 2.7 108
Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. 22,279 22,560 1.3 262
Savannah, Ga. 23,865 25,084 5.1 165
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazleton, Pa. 23,278 24,071 3.4 204
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. 31,550 33,588 6.5 17
Sharon, Pa. 22,815 23,494 3.0 224
Sheboygan, Wis. 24,875 26,020 4.6 129
Sherman-Denison, Tex. 23,879 25,124 5.2 163
Shreveport-Bossier City, La. 23,408 23,731 1.4 216
Sioux City, Iowa-Neb. 22,443 23,273 3.7 236
Sioux Falls, S.D. 22,739 23,547 3.6 221
South Bend, Ind. 25,096 25,661 2.2 146
Spokane, Wash. 23,595 24,536 4.0 183
Springfield, Ill. 28,615 29,714 3.8 43
Springfield, Mass. 26,437 27,423 3.7 97
Springfield, Mo. 22,111 22,875 3.5 250
St. Cloud, Minn. 21,685 22,681 4.6 258
St. Joseph, Mo. 22,279 23,242 4.3 241
St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. 28,599 29,469 3.0 46
State College, Pa. 24,298 24,730 1.8 178
Steubenville-Weirton, Ohio-W.Va. 25,649 26,245 2.3 121
Stockton-Lodi, Calif. 24,380 24,765 1.6 176
Sumter, S.C. 19,880 20,708 4.2 300
Syracuse, N.Y. 27,267 27,652 1.4 89
Tacoma, Wash. 24,687 25,548 3.5 148
Tallahassee, Fla. 23,141 24,244 4.8 196
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. 24,650 25,540 3.6 149
Terre Haute, Ind. 22,583 23,047 2.1 246
Texarkana, Tex.-Texarkana, Ark. 21,770 22,390 2.8 267
Toledo, Ohio 26,907 27,793 3.3 84
Topeka, Kan. 24,904 25,454 2.2 152
Trenton, N.J. 36,614 37,598 2.7 7
Tucson, Ariz. 23,622 24,705 4.6 179
Tulsa, Okla. 25,338 26,116 3.1 125
Tuscaloosa, Ala. 24,487 25,051 2.3 166
Tyler, Tex. 24,176 25,295 4.6 157
Utica-Rome, N.Y. 23,207 23,677 2.0 219
Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, Calif. 25,453 25,889 1.7 138
Ventura, Calif. 27,262 28,260 3.7 71
Victoria, Tex. 22,267 23,448 5.3 228
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, N.J. 27,104 27,901 2.9 78
Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, Calif. 19,439 19,768 1.7 308
Waco, Tex. 22,534 23,302 3.4 234
Washington, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. 34,910 36,383 4.2 10
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa 24,813 25,170 1.4 161
Wausau, Wis. 24,112 25,011 3.7 168
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla. 27,912 29,057 4.1 53
Wheeling, W.Va.-Ohio 21,769 22,228 2.1 271
Wichita, Kan. 26,388 27,688 4.9 87
Wichita Falls, Tex. 21,264 21,718 2.1 282
Williamsport, Pa. 23,093 23,526 1.9 222
Wilmington-Newark, Del.-Md. 31,439 33,223 5.7 21
Wilmington, N.C. 23,233 24,050 3.5 205
Yakima, Wash. 19,271 19,780 2.6 307
Yolo, Calif. 28,616 29,053 1.5 54
York, Pa. 26,074 26,955 3.4 106
Youngstown-Warren, Ohio 25,380 25,981 2.4 132
Yuba City, Calif. 21,237 21,374 0.6 290
Yuma, Ariz. 18,286 18,213 -0.4 312
1/ Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for
Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
2/ Includes data for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas
as of June 30, 1995. In the New England areas, the New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA)
definitions were used. See Technical Note.
3/ Data are preliminary.
4/ Percent changes were computed from unrounded average annual pay data and may differ from
those computed using data rounded to the nearest dollar.
Table 2. Average annual pay for 1995 and 1996 for all covered workers 1/ by Consolidated
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Average annual pay Ranking of
Consolidated metropolitan areas
statistical area 2/ Percent By level of
change, average annual
1995 1996 3/ 1995-96 4/ pay for 1996
Consolidated metropolitan statistical areas $ 32,643 $ 34,069 4.4 --
Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.-N.H. 32,798 34,383 4.8 4
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. 32,047 33,405 4.2 6
Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. 27,886 28,878 3.6 17
Cleveland-Akron, Ohio 28,382 29,355 3.4 14
Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex. 30,339 31,713 4.5 11
Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. 29,531 31,198 5.6 12
Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, Mich. 34,121 35,072 2.8 3
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Tex. 31,107 32,620 4.9 8
Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif. 30,915 31,897 3.2 9
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 27,161 28,056 3.3 18
Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. 27,830 28,979 4.1 16
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. 38,047 40,089 5.4 1
Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. 31,238 32,625 4.4 7
Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash. 27,649 29,112 5.3 15
Sacramento-Yolo, Calif. 29,214 29,519 1.0 13
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. 36,186 37,966 4.9 2
Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, Wash. 30,052 31,792 5.8 10
Washington-Baltimore, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. 32,816 34,199 4.2 5
1/ Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for
Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
2/ Includes data for Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas as of June 30, 1995.
In the New England areas, the New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA)
definitions were used. See Technical Note.
3/ Data are preliminary.
4/ Percent changes were computed from unrounded average annual pay data and may differ from
those computed using data rounded to the nearest dollar.