Greene County 3Q wages up, employment down

Greene County wages increased in the third quarter of 2009 compared to the previous year, according to information released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Weekly wages for Greene County residents totaled $666 in the third quarter, up by 2 percent from the same quarter a year earlier, bucking the national trend. The U.S. average weekly wage fell by 0.1 percent, only the fifth time the national average wage has declined year-to-year since 1978.  

Overall, Missouri fared better than the nation. Five of the six Missouri counties listed in the report, which covers the 335 largest counties in the country, posted wage increases. Boone and Clay counties posted larger increases than Greene County, rising by 4.7 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. Only St. Charles County saw a wage decrease, dropping 2.4 percent.

Employment figures were not as rosy. Greene County employment totaled 148,800 in the third quarter 2009, a decrease of 5.2 percent compared to a year earlier. All six Missouri counties saw decreases, with Clay and St. Louis counties tied for the largest drop at 5.7 percent each.

The county employment and average weekly wage data is collected as part of the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. The information comes from reports submitted by the 9.1 million employers subject to unemployment insurance laws.[[In-content Ad]]