Mecklenburg County vs. Virginia
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Mecklenburg County vs. Virginia
Mecklenburg County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $46,038
2022 Percent of State = 62.74%
Virginia:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $73,377
The United States economy has generated an impressive number of jobs since the 1970s. The contrast between the nation's vigorous employment growth and the modest performance of other major industrial countries is striking. Despite this rosy track record, the real (inflation adjusted) wages and salaries of many workers have stagnated or slipped in recent years. This development has provoked concerns about the quality of new jobs. Structural shifts in the composition of employment--from high-wage goods-producing to low-wage services-related sectors--is the culprit most often cited for the deteriorating quality of jobs.
Regions vary greatly in the make-up of their labor force, in their industry composition of employment, and their economic experience. Reviewing and examining recent developments in average earnings per job in Mecklenburg County with comparisons to Virginia and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Mecklenburg County.
Discussion: Average Annual Earnings Per Job are computed by dividing BEA total industry earnings estimates by the BEA total full- and part-time jobs estimates. No convenient or adequate means exist at the county or regional level for converting the job estimates to a full-time equivalent measure. So, interpret the average earnings per job estimates with caution in consideration of the following issues:
Average earnings per job within industries involving more part-time work is lower than industries involving more full-time work, although there could be little difference in the underlying wage of full-time workers. Such differences could also prevail between counties and regions. An increase in the proportion of part-time jobs over time may erode average earnings per job estimates, although full-time earnings per worker may have remained unchanged.
As with per capita income, average earnings per job may be subject to extreme short-run variation, especially in smaller counties. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller counties. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent counties owing to the extreme annual variations in farm incomes. Also, Since average earnings per job are just a simple average, it does not account for variations in the distribution of earnings among high- vs. low-wage jobs.
Mecklenburg County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Mecklenburg County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Mecklenburg County's annual average earnings per job over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of Mecklenburg County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Mecklenburg County's average earnings per job increased 931.96%, from $4,461 in 1970 to $46,038 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 75.78%, from $22,570 in 1970 to $39,673 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Mecklenburg County's and Virginia's annual real average earnings per job for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real average earnings per job patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Mecklenburg County's real average earnings per job rose from $23,073 in 1969 to $39,673 in 2022, for a net gain of $16,600, or 71.95%. In comparison, Virginia's real average earnings per job increased from $34,244 in 1969 to $63,233 in 2022, for a net advance of $28,989, or 84.65%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Mecklenburg County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Virginia, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real average earnings per job in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real average earnings per jobs in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real average earnings per job growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Mecklenburg County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 71.95% over 1969-2022 trailed Virginia's increase of 84.65%, and topped the United States' increase of 62.26%.
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 portrays the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Mecklenburg County and Virginia average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Mecklenburg County's average earnings per job amounted to 60.69% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 64.31%. Similarly, in 1969, Virginia's average earnings per job totaled 90.07% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 102.50%.
Mecklenburg County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Mecklenburg County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Mecklenburg County's real average earnings per job growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Mecklenburg County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.08% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1976 (7.11%) and posted its lowest growth in 1980 (-6.91%). In 2022, Mecklenburg County's real average earnings per job declined by -4.47%
Mecklenburg County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Mecklenburg County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again traces the annual percent change in Mecklenburg County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Mecklenburg County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 1.77%. It averaged 0.85% during the 1980s, 1.07% during the 1990s, 1.21% during the 2000s, 0.37% during the 2010s, 1.49% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Mecklenburg County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Virginia and the nation. As the chart reveals, Mecklenburg County's average annual real average earnings per job growth outpaced Virginia's average in the 1970s (1.77% vs. 1.11%), lagged Virginia's average throughout the 1980s (0.85% vs. 1.35%), posted below Virginia's average throughout the 1990s (1.07% vs. 1.79%), lagged Virginia's average throughout the 2000s (1.21% vs. 1.44%), lagged Virginia's average in the 2010s (0.37% vs. 0.55%), and topped Virginia's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (1.49% vs. 0.07%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Mecklenburg County outpaced the nation throughout the 1970s (1.77% vs. 0.89%), registered above the nation during the 1980s (0.85% vs. 0.71%), lagged the nation during the 1990s (1.07% vs. 1.68%), outpaced the nation over the 2000s (1.21% vs. 0.72%), fell under the nation during the 2010s (0.37% vs. 1.01%), and outgained the nation over 2020-2022 (1.49% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.08
1.77
0.85
1.07
1.21
0.37
1.49
-4.47
 
1.18
1.11
1.35
1.79
1.44
0.55
0.07
-3.23
 
0.93
0.89
0.71
1.68
0.72
1.01
-0.24
-4.51
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Mecklenburg County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
4,357
0.189
23,073
100.0
N
67.38
60.69
1970
 
4,461
0.198
22,570
97.8
-2.18
64.65
58.73
1971
 
4,782
0.206
23,208
100.6
2.83
64.19
59.02
1972
 
5,278
0.213
24,770
107.4
6.73
65.47
60.73
1973
 
5,936
0.225
26,434
114.6
6.72
69.06
63.58
1974
 
6,589
0.248
26,577
115.2
0.54
71.81
66.37
1975
 
7,029
0.269
26,171
113.4
-1.53
70.72
65.62
1976
 
7,942
0.283
28,030
121.5
7.11
74.31
68.77
1977
 
8,273
0.302
27,415
118.8
-2.20
72.15
66.65
1978
 
9,328
0.323
28,901
125.3
5.42
75.18
69.32
1979
 
9,573
0.351
27,241
118.1
-5.75
71.40
65.71
1980
 
9,871
0.389
25,357
109.9
-6.91
67.59
63.05
1981
 
11,157
0.424
26,303
114.0
3.73
69.10
65.37
1982
 
11,054
0.448
24,689
107.0
-6.14
64.16
61.45
1983
 
11,707
0.467
25,081
108.7
1.59
63.89
61.88
1984
 
12,958
0.484
26,752
115.9
6.66
66.22
64.21
1985
 
13,379
0.501
26,689
115.7
-0.24
65.43
63.32
1986
 
14,075
0.512
27,479
119.1
2.96
65.82
63.75
1987
 
14,871
0.528
28,163
122.1
2.49
66.56
64.30
1988
 
15,700
0.549
28,616
124.0
1.61
65.49
64.32
1989
 
16,841
0.573
29,411
127.5
2.78
67.48
66.15
1990
 
17,044
0.598
28,514
123.6
-3.05
66.30
64.08
1991
 
17,813
0.618
28,836
125.0
1.13
65.84
64.69
1992
 
18,617
0.634
29,355
127.2
1.80
64.97
63.37
1993
 
19,374
0.650
29,806
129.2
1.53
65.86
64.36
1994
 
20,071
0.664
30,248
131.1
1.48
66.37
64.94
1995
 
20,827
0.678
30,740
133.2
1.63
67.57
65.90
1996
 
20,922
0.692
30,233
131.0
-1.65
65.73
63.77
1997
 
22,070
0.704
31,346
135.9
3.68
66.36
64.50
1998
 
23,008
0.710
32,421
140.5
3.43
65.01
63.89
1999
 
23,509
0.720
32,651
141.5
0.71
62.84
62.27
2000
 
24,507
0.738
33,198
143.9
1.67
61.50
61.42
2001
 
25,251
0.753
33,533
145.3
1.01
60.40
60.88
2002
 
26,528
0.763
34,773
150.7
3.70
62.01
62.56
2003
 
28,571
0.779
36,680
159.0
5.48
63.84
65.45
2004
 
28,460
0.798
35,652
154.5
-2.80
60.20
62.61
2005
 
29,025
0.821
35,342
153.2
-0.87
59.15
62.22
2006
 
29,532
0.844
34,974
151.6
-1.04
58.41
60.96
2007
 
30,405
0.866
35,107
152.2
0.38
58.86
61.57
2008
 
31,803
0.892
35,665
154.6
1.59
60.56
63.23
2009
 
32,667
0.889
36,737
159.2
3.00
61.36
65.28
2010
 
33,717
0.905
37,251
161.4
1.40
60.58
64.60
2011
 
33,770
0.928
36,388
157.7
-2.32
59.60
62.96
2012
 
34,450
0.945
36,442
157.9
0.15
59.31
62.57
2013
 
34,809
0.958
36,342
157.5
-0.27
59.91
62.34
2014
 
34,594
0.971
35,620
154.4
-1.99
58.70
60.70
2015
 
35,633
0.973
36,622
158.7
2.81
59.21
61.43
2016
 
36,460
0.983
37,096
160.8
1.30
60.62
62.35
2017
 
37,944
1.000
37,944
164.5
2.29
61.76
62.90
2018
 
38,365
1.020
37,595
162.9
-0.92
61.15
61.78
2019
 
39,395
1.035
38,058
164.9
1.23
60.26
61.16
2020
 
41,970
1.046
40,111
173.8
5.39
61.56
62.29
2021
 
45,270
1.090
41,531
180.0
3.54
63.56
64.28
2022
 
46,038
1.160
39,673
171.9
-4.47
62.74
64.31
Source: Calculations by the Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (VA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Virginia:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,466
0.189
34,244
100.0
N
90.07
1970
 
6,900
0.198
34,910
101.9
1.95
90.84
1971
 
7,449
0.206
36,153
105.6
3.56
91.93
1972
 
8,062
0.213
37,836
110.5
4.65
92.77
1973
 
8,595
0.225
38,275
111.8
1.16
92.06
1974
 
9,176
0.248
37,009
108.1
-3.31
92.42
1975
 
9,939
0.269
37,005
108.1
-0.01
92.78
1976
 
10,687
0.283
37,720
110.2
1.93
92.54
1977
 
11,465
0.302
37,995
111.0
0.73
92.37
1978
 
12,408
0.323
38,442
112.3
1.18
92.20
1979
 
13,408
0.351
38,153
111.4
-0.75
92.04
1980
 
14,604
0.389
37,515
109.6
-1.67
93.28
1981
 
16,146
0.424
38,067
111.2
1.47
94.61
1982
 
17,228
0.448
38,479
112.4
1.08
95.77
1983
 
18,323
0.467
39,256
114.6
2.02
96.84
1984
 
19,568
0.484
40,397
118.0
2.91
96.96
1985
 
20,448
0.501
40,791
119.1
0.98
96.77
1986
 
21,385
0.512
41,752
121.9
2.35
96.86
1987
 
22,342
0.528
42,314
123.6
1.35
96.61
1988
 
23,972
0.549
43,693
127.6
3.26
98.22
1989
 
24,956
0.573
43,583
127.3
-0.25
98.02
1990
 
25,706
0.598
43,005
125.6
-1.33
96.64
1991
 
27,056
0.618
43,798
127.9
1.84
98.25
1992
 
28,655
0.634
45,183
131.9
3.16
97.54
1993
 
29,417
0.650
45,258
132.2
0.16
97.73
1994
 
30,242
0.664
45,576
133.1
0.70
97.84
1995
 
30,821
0.678
45,490
132.8
-0.19
97.52
1996
 
31,833
0.692
45,999
134.3
1.12
97.02
1997
 
33,256
0.704
47,234
137.9
2.68
97.19
1998
 
35,393
0.710
49,873
145.6
5.59
98.29
1999
 
37,412
0.720
51,961
151.7
4.19
99.10
2000
 
39,851
0.738
53,982
157.6
3.89
99.87
2001
 
41,804
0.753
55,515
162.1
2.84
100.79
2002
 
42,778
0.763
56,072
163.7
1.00
100.88
2003
 
44,757
0.779
57,459
167.8
2.47
102.52
2004
 
47,274
0.798
59,221
172.9
3.07
104.00
2005
 
49,070
0.821
59,749
174.5
0.89
105.19
2006
 
50,561
0.844
59,878
174.9
0.22
104.37
2007
 
51,661
0.866
59,650
174.2
-0.38
104.61
2008
 
52,512
0.892
58,889
172.0
-1.27
104.40
2009
 
53,236
0.889
59,869
174.8
1.66
106.39
2010
 
55,654
0.905
61,486
179.6
2.70
106.63
2011
 
56,660
0.928
61,053
178.3
-0.70
105.64
2012
 
58,082
0.945
61,441
179.4
0.63
105.49
2013
 
58,104
0.958
60,663
177.2
-1.27
104.06
2014
 
58,937
0.971
60,684
177.2
0.03
103.42
2015
 
60,183
0.973
61,854
180.6
1.93
103.76
2016
 
60,141
0.983
61,191
178.7
-1.07
102.84
2017
 
61,435
1.000
61,435
179.4
0.40
101.83
2018
 
62,734
1.020
61,475
179.5
0.07
101.02
2019
 
65,377
1.035
63,158
184.4
2.74
101.49
2020
 
68,173
1.046
65,153
190.3
3.16
101.18
2021
 
71,224
1.090
65,343
190.8
0.29
101.14
2022
 
73,377
1.160
63,233
184.7
-3.23
102.50
Source: Calculations by the Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (VA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,179
0.189
38,018
100.0
N
1970
 
7,596
0.198
38,430
101.1
1.08
1971
 
8,103
0.206
39,326
103.4
2.33
1972
 
8,691
0.213
40,786
107.3
3.71
1973
 
9,336
0.225
41,579
109.4
1.94
1974
 
9,928
0.248
40,044
105.3
-3.69
1975
 
10,713
0.269
39,883
104.9
-0.40
1976
 
11,549
0.283
40,761
107.2
2.20
1977
 
12,412
0.302
41,131
108.2
0.91
1978
 
13,457
0.323
41,694
109.7
1.37
1979
 
14,568
0.351
41,454
109.0
-0.58
1980
 
15,657
0.389
40,220
105.8
-2.98
1981
 
17,066
0.424
40,237
105.8
0.04
1982
 
17,989
0.448
40,181
105.7
-0.14
1983
 
18,920
0.467
40,535
106.6
0.88
1984
 
20,181
0.484
41,663
109.6
2.78
1985
 
21,130
0.501
42,152
110.9
1.17
1986
 
22,078
0.512
43,104
113.4
2.26
1987
 
23,126
0.528
43,799
115.2
1.61
1988
 
24,408
0.549
44,487
117.0
1.57
1989
 
25,460
0.573
44,462
117.0
-0.05
1990
 
26,599
0.598
44,498
117.0
0.08
1991
 
27,537
0.618
44,577
117.3
0.18
1992
 
29,378
0.634
46,323
121.8
3.92
1993
 
30,101
0.650
46,309
121.8
-0.03
1994
 
30,909
0.664
46,580
122.5
0.59
1995
 
31,605
0.678
46,646
122.7
0.14
1996
 
32,810
0.692
47,411
124.7
1.64
1997
 
34,218
0.704
48,600
127.8
2.51
1998
 
36,011
0.710
50,743
133.5
4.41
1999
 
37,751
0.720
52,432
137.9
3.33
2000
 
39,903
0.738
54,053
142.2
3.09
2001
 
41,477
0.753
55,080
144.9
1.90
2002
 
42,406
0.763
55,584
146.2
0.92
2003
 
43,655
0.779
56,045
147.4
0.83
2004
 
45,456
0.798
56,943
149.8
1.60
2005
 
46,648
0.821
56,800
149.4
-0.25
2006
 
48,442
0.844
57,368
150.9
1.00
2007
 
49,382
0.866
57,019
150.0
-0.61
2008
 
50,298
0.892
56,407
148.4
-1.07
2009
 
50,041
0.889
56,276
148.0
-0.23
2010
 
52,191
0.905
57,661
151.7
2.46
2011
 
53,633
0.928
57,792
152.0
0.23
2012
 
55,061
0.945
58,245
153.2
0.78
2013
 
55,837
0.958
58,296
153.3
0.09
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
154.3
0.66
2015
 
58,005
0.973
59,615
156.8
1.59
2016
 
58,480
0.983
59,501
156.5
-0.19
2017
 
60,329
1.000
60,329
158.7
1.39
2018
 
62,102
1.020
60,856
160.1
0.87
2019
 
64,419
1.035
62,233
163.7
2.26
2020
 
67,378
1.046
64,393
169.4
3.47
2021
 
70,421
1.090
64,606
169.9
0.33
2022
 
71,586
1.160
61,690
162.3
-4.51
Source: Calculations by the Virginia Regional Economic Analysis Project (VA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PN
 
   
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