Area wages below state, national average
by July 12, 2011 1:35 pm 62 views
No counties in Arkansas posted average weekly wages higher than the national average during the fourth quarter of 2010, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Tuesday (July 12).
The report showed that the average weekly wage — including wages from those receiving unemployment benefits — in Arkansas was $738 during the fourth quarter of 2010, or 76% of the national average of $971. Arkansas ranked 47th in the nation in terms of the wage level, and ranked 42nd in terms of percentage change between the fourth quarter of 2009 and the 2010 quarter.
In the Fort Smith area, weekly wages in Sebastian County during the quarter averaged $759; Franklin County, $696; Crawford County, $605; and Logan County, $576.
Arkansas top three counties were Calhoun County at $885, Pulaski County at $872 and Little River County at $860. (See chart at end of story.)
Of Arkansas’ 75 counties, 8 reported average weekly wages under $500, 26 reported wages from $500 to $599, 28 had wages from $600 to $699, 7 had wages from $700 to $799, and 6 averaged $800 or more per week. The top-paying counties were concentrated around the metropolitan areas of Camden, Fayetteville, Little Rock, and Texarkana. The lower-paid counties, those with wages under $500, were generally located in Arkansas’ northern quadrant, noted the BLS report.
During the year, 294 of the 326 largest counties registered increases in average weekly wages, with 123 counties experiencing faster gains than the 3% national average.
The BLS report included the following points.
• From December 2009 to December 2010, employment increased in all three of the large Arkansas counties (Benton, Pulaski, and Washington), as it did in 220 of the 326 largest U.S. counties.
• Benton County had the fastest increase in employment, up 2% and ranked 35th among the 326 large counties nationwide. Benton was followed by followed by Washington (1.7%, ranked 52nd) and Pulaski (0.2%, ranked 206th); nationally, employment rose 0.9%.
• Washington County’s 3.7% wage gain from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the fourth quarter of 2010 was above the national average of 3%, ranking 74th among the nation’s largest counties.
• Pulaski County’s average weekly wage of $872 ranked 180th and Benton County at $839 ranked 220th. Although wage growth in Washington County ranked in the top 100, its average weekly wage of $805 ranked 257th, but the county moved up from a wage level ranking of 275th last year.
