Greene County wage growth slows

Greene County’s wages are the lowest among the major counties in Missouri, and growth is slowing, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released this morning.

During fourth-quarter 2018, Greene County’s average weekly wage ticked up 1.3% to $854, according to a news release. That compares with 6.1% growth in the third quarter that boosted the area’s average weekly wage to $829.

Comparatively, the other six major Missouri counties recorded fourth-quarter wage growth of 2.2% to 5.4%.

Below are the counties, by wages, growth percentage and wage-growth rank nationwide, in fourth-quarter 2018:
• County of St. Louis, $1,228, up 5%, No. 56;
• City of St. Louis, which also is a county, $1,182, up 2.2%, No. 239;
• Jackson, $1,153, up 3.5%, No. 128;
• Clay, $960, up 5.4%, No. 37;
• Boone, $890, up 5.1%, No. 51;
• St. Charles, $878, up 3.7%, No. 104; and
• Greene, $854, up 1.3%, No. 301.

Of the 349 largest U.S. counties, 332 posted average weekly wage increases in fourth-quarter 2018 compared with a year earlier, according to the release.