The average weekly wages for the US fell 2.3% year over year in the fourth quarter of last year, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. It marks the fourth decline since 2016 and is one of only 10 declines since 1978. San Francisco posted the largest fourth-quarter year-over-year decrease at 22.6%.
Midland County in Texas posted the highest increase in average weekly wage, rising by 6.1% year over year.
Nine of the 10 largest counties had year-over-year percentage decreases in average weekly wages. Among the 355 largest counties in the US, 240 recorded year-over-year decreases in average weekly wages.
Here is the percent change in average weekly wage, year over year, in Q4 2022 by counties with the largest losses:
- San Francisco, California: -22.6%
- San Mateo, California: -20.7%
- Elkhart, Indiana: -15.2%
- Santa Clara, California: -15.0%
- Westchester, New York: -10.1%
- New York, New York: -9.4%
- Warren, Ohio: -6.8%
- Hillsborough, New Hampshire: -6.7%
- Chester, Pennsylvania: -5.8%
- Palm Beach, Florida: -5.7%
Here is the percent change in average weekly wage, year over year, in Q4 2022 by counties with the largest gains:
- Hays, Texas: 4.0%
- Osceola, Florida: 4.1%
- Jefferson, Texas: 4.5%
- Lee, Florida: 5.3%
- Midland, Texas: 6.1%