Greene County ranks 45th in US for wage growth

Greene County wages climbed by the 45th fastest percentage increase in the first quarter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For the three months ending March 31, average weekly wages in the county rose 8.4 percent to $804, according to a news release.

While Greene County had the biggest percentage growth among the seven largest counties in Missouri, it had the lowest average weekly wage during the first quarter. The largest weekly wage was $1,185 in the city of St. Louis, but its rate of growth was 3.3 percent.

Across the United States, the fastest-growing county in wages was McLean County in Illinois. There, wages moved up 27.8 percent in the first quarter to $1,141 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the release.

The average U.S. weekly wage increased 6.6 percent in the first quarter to $1,111. Missouri’s average was up 5.9 percent to $930, according to the BLS.