Cuyahoga ranked second among Ohio counties based on the average weekly wages people working here earned, according to recently released federal data.
The average weekly wage in Cuyahoga grew 2.5% to $1,306 between June 2022 and June 2023. The only Ohio county with a higher such wage was Hamilton in Greater Cincinnati, where wages increased 2.5% to $1,337. These were the only two Ohio counties with average weekly wages higher than $1,300, according to data the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Tuesday.
Mahoning had lowest average weekly wage
Mahoning County, where average weekly wages increased 2.5% to $913, had the lowest average weekly wage among Ohio counties. Lorain and Stark were the other two counties with average weekly wages below $1,000.
Consumer prices increased 3.0% between June 2022 and June 2023, according to the BLS. This means that in Cuyahoga, as in many Ohio counties, wages failed to keep up with inflation.
The BLS data looked at average weekly wages in 360 of the largest counties in the United States with average annual employment levels of at least 75,000 in 2022. Only 14 of Ohio’s 88 counties are included. The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages is based on employment and wage information employers are required to submit to the state in which the jobs are located.
The data covers more than 95% of U.S. jobs in the public and private sectors, according to the BLS. The data focuses on workers covered by state unemployment insurance laws, which often exclude many low-wage workers. These include those in the gig economy. The data reflects where people work, not where they live.
The average weekly wage in the United States increased 3.2% to $1,332 for the same period. This means Cuyahoga trailed in wage growth and the average weekly wage. Hamilton came up short when it came to wage growth.
Data of the 360 largest counties analyzed shows that 332 saw increases in average weekly wages. Clayton County, Georgia, had the largest wage gain at 17.2% to an average weekly wage of $1,388. Elkhart County, Indiana saw the largest decrease in average weekly wages. Such wages plummeted by 13.2% to $1,087.
Delaware and Franklin had largest wage growth
In Ohio, Delaware and Franklin counties saw the largest percentage wage growth, each at 4.2%. Both are in the Columbus metro area, which often leads the state in economic growth. Average weekly wages in Delaware increased to $1,260 and to $1,298 in Franklin.
Greene County, which is in the southwest part of the state, was the only Ohio county to see a decrease in wages. Average weekly wages fell by 0.6% to $1,290.
These are the numbers for some other Northeast Ohio counties:
Lake – Average weekly wages increased 1.6% to $1,048.
Lorain – Average weekly wages increased 3.1% to $993.
Summit – Average weekly wages increased 1.8% to $1,100.
Stark – Average weekly wages increased 3.4% to $960.