Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm Technical information: (202) 606-6567 USDL 97-379 For release: 10:00 A.M. EST Media contact: 606-5902 Thursday, October 30, 1997 AVERAGE ANNUAL PAY LEVELS IN METROPOLITAN AREAS, 1996 Average annual pay of employees within the nation's 313 metropolitan areas increased by 4.0 percent from 1995 to 1996, according to preliminary data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The 4.0 percent increase from 1995 to 1996 was the largest over-the-year gain since 1992. Average annual pay was $30,250 in 1996, up from $29,099 in 1995. Average annual pay for the entire nation, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas combined, was $28,945 in 1996. (Average annual pay data by state and industry were issued on September 11, 1997, in USDL 97-315.) Average annual pay data are compiled from reports submitted by employers subject to state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) laws covering 118.0 million full- and part-time workers. Average annual pay is computed by dividing the total annual payrolls of employees covered by UI programs by the average monthly number of these employees. (See Technical Note beginning on page 4.) Pay differences between areas reflect the varying composition of employment by occupation, industry, and hours of work, as well as other factors. Similarly, over-the-year pay changes may reflect shifts in these characteristics, as well as changes in the level of average pay. Along with pay data for 313 Metropolitan and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas, table 2 of this release includes averages and rankings for the 18 areas designated as Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas. (See Technical Note for definitions.) Metropolitan and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas New York, N.Y., led the nation with an average annual pay level of $45,028 in 1996. (See table 1.) San Jose, Calif., had the second highest average annual pay level ($44,819), followed by San Francisco, Calif. ($40,016), Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, N.J. ($39,631), and New Haven- Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury-Waterbury, Conn. ($39,488). Average pay levels in these five metropolitan areas ranged from 31 to 49 percent above the average for all metropolitan areas in the nation. Of the 313 metropolitan areas, 37 reported average annual pay levels above the national metropolitan pay average of $30,250. (Seven of the top ten average pay levels were found in metropolitan areas that are part of the New York- Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. consolidated metropolitan statistical area.) Jacksonville, N.C., recorded the lowest average annual pay among metropolitan areas in 1996 ($17,534) for the seventh straight year. The second lowest pay occurred in Yuma, Ariz. ($18,213), followed by Myrtle Beach, S.C. ($18,551), McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex. ($18,928), and Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, Tex. ($19,056). Average annual pay in these five metropolitan areas averaged 37 to 42 percent below the national metropolitan pay average. Although the individual positions have shifted, the lowest levels of annual pay in the nation for the past 4 years have been in these five areas. The largest percent increase in average annual pay from 1995 to 1996 occurred in Boulder-Longmont, Colo. (8.9 percent); however, the increase was partially attributed to a reporting change in state government rather than actual pay increases. The next largest increase was in Austin-San Marcos, Tex. (6.6 percent), followed by New York, N.Y. (6.5 percent), Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (6.5 percent), and Jersey City, N.J. (6.4 percent). In 1996, 96 metropolitan areas experienced pay increases of 4.0 percent or greater, compared with 65 metropolitan areas in 1995. - 2 - From 1995 to 1996, average annual pay declined in five metropolitan areas. Bakersfield, Calif., had a drop of 1.4 percent, followed by Gadsden, Ala. (-1.3 percent), Anchorage, Alaska (-0.4 percent), Yuma, Ariz. (-0.4 percent), and Flint, Mich. (-0.3 percent). In addition, eight other metropolitan areas experienced pay growth rates of less than 1 percent. Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas Average annual pay for consolidated metropolitan statistical areas rose by 4.4 percent between 1995 and 1996, from $32,643 to $34,069. (See table 2.) The over-the-year increase of 4.4 percent was the largest gain since 1992. For the tenth consecutive year, the New York-Northern New Jersey- Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. consolidated metropolitan area had the highest pay level, $40,089. The next highest pay level was recorded in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. ($37,966), followed by Detroit-Ann Arbor- Flint, Mich. ($35,072), Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.- N.H. ($34,383), and Washington-Baltimore, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. ($34,199). Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had the lowest average annual pay level ($28,056) of the consolidated metropolitan areas for the third consecutive year. Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio-Ky.-Ind., had the second lowest ($28,878), followed by Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. ($28,979), Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash. ($29,112), and Cleveland-Akron, Ohio ($29,355). The highest percent increase in average annual pay between 1995 and 1996, 5.8 percent, was reported in Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, Wash. The next largest increases were in Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. (5.6 percent), New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. (5.4 percent), Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash. (5.3 percent), San Francisco-Oakland- San Jose, Calif. (4.9 percent), and Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Tex. (4.9 percent). The pay increase in Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. was partially due to the aforementioned reporting change in Boulder-Longmont, Colo. None of the 18 consolidated metropolitan areas reported a decline in average annual pay in 1996. The smallest increase occurred in Sacramento- Yolo, Calif. (1.0 percent), followed by Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, Mich. (2.8 percent), Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif. (3.2 percent), Miami- Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (3.3 percent), and Cleveland-Akron, Ohio (3.4 percent). Technical Note These data are the product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Covered Employment and Wages, or the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by state Employment Security Agencies (SESAs). The summaries are a by-product of the administration of state unemployment insurance programs that require most employers to pay quarterly taxes based on the employment and wages of workers covered by UI. Data for 1996 are preliminary and subject to revision. A news release providing average annual pay data by state and industry was issued on September 11, 1997 (USDL 97-315). Coverage Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI laws and for federal civilian workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program are compiled from quarterly contribution reports submitted to the SESAs by employers. In addition to the quarterly contribution report, employers who operate multiple establishments within a state complete a questionnaire, called the "Multiple Worksite Report," which provides detailed information on the location and industry of each of their establishments. Average annual pay data included in this release are derived from summaries of employment and wages submitted by states to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. UI and UCFE coverage is broad and basically comparable from state to state. In 1996, UI and UCFE programs covered workers in 118.0 million jobs. The estimated 112.9 million workers in these jobs (because they include multiple job holders) represented 97.3 percent of wage and salary civilian employment. Covered workers received $3.415 trillion in pay, representing 94.0 percent of the wage and salary component of personal income and 44.7 percent of the gross domestic product. About 82 percent of all covered workers were employed in metropolitan areas. Total wages of workers in metropolitan areas comprised approximately 86 percent of all covered wages in the United States. Major exclusions from UI coverage during 1996 included most agricultural workers on small farms, all members of the Armed Forces, elected officials in most states, most employees of railroads, some domestic workers, most student workers at schools, and employees of certain small nonprofit organizations. Concepts and methodology Average annual pay was computed by dividing total annual pay of employees covered by unemployment insurance programs by the average monthly number of these employees. Included in the annual payroll data are bonuses, the cash value of meals and lodging when supplied, tips and other gratuities, and, in some states, employer contributions to certain deferred compensation plans, such as 401(k) plans, and stock options. Monthly employment is based on the number of workers who worked during or received pay for the pay period including the 12th of the month. With few exceptions, all employees of covered firms are reported, including production and sales workers, corporation officials, executives, supervisory personnel, and clerical workers. Workers on paid vacation and part-time workers are also included. Percent changes in average annual pay were computed using final 1995 data as the base, which may differ from the preliminary data issued last year. - 2 - Average annual pay is affected by the ratio of full-time to part-time workers as well as the number of individuals in high-paying and low-paying occupations. When comparing average annual pay levels between metropolitan areas, these factors should be taken into consideration. Annual pay data only approximate annual earnings because an individual may not be employed by the same employer all year or may work for more than one employer. Year-to-year changes in average annual pay can result from a change in the proportion of employment in high- and low- wage jobs, as well as from changes in the level of average annual pay. In order to insure the highest possible quality of data, SESAs verify with employers and update, if necessary, the industry, location, and ownership classification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification process are introduced with the data reported for the first quarter of the year. Changes resulting from improved employer reporting are also introduced in the first quarter. For these reasons, some data, especially at more detailed geographic levels, may not be strictly comparable with earlier years. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines metropolitan areas for use in federal statistical activities and updates these definitions as needed each summer. Data in this release use metropolitan area criteria established by OMB in definitions issued June 30, 1995 (OMB Bulletin No. 95- 04). These definitions reflect information obtained from the 1990 Decennial Census and the 1992 and 1994 Bureau of the Census population estimates. A complete list of metropolitan area definitions is available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Document Sales, 5205 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161, telephone 703-487-4650. Generally speaking, a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is a free- standing urban area that meets a specified size criteria. Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs) are free-standing areas within very large MSAs. Once an area is identified as a PMSA, the term MSA no longer is used to describe the area. The large metropolitan area that is the sum of the PMSAs is called a Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA). The set of areas known as MSAs, PMSAs, and CMSAs are collectively designated and referred to as metropolitan areas. Current metropolitan area definitions are based on standards published in the Federal Register on March 30, 1990 (55 FR12154-12160). Under the 1990 standards, an area qualifies for recognition as an MSA in one of two ways: (1) if it includes a city of at least 50,000 population, or (2) if it includes a Bureau of the Census-defined urbanized area (of at least 50,000 population) and has a total metropolitan population of at least 100,000 (75,000 in New England). In addition to the county(ies) containing the main city or urbanized area, an MSA may include additional counties that have strong economic and social ties to the central county(ies) and meet other specified requirements of metropolitan character. The ties are determined chiefly by census data on commuting to work. An MSA may contain more than one city of 50,000 population and may cross state lines. An area that meets these requirements for recognition as an MSA but also has a total population of one million or more may be recognized as a CMSA if: (1) separate component areas can be identified within the entire area by meeting specified statistical criteria, and (2) local opinion indicates there is support for the component areas. If recognized, the component areas are designated PMSAs, and the entire area becomes a CMSA. If no PMSAs are recognized, the entire area is an MSA. - 3 - OMB defines metropolitan areas in terms of entire counties, except in the six New England states where they are defined in terms of cities and towns. New England data in this news release, however, are based on a county concept defined by OMB as New England County Metropolitan Areas (NECMAs) because county-level data are the most detailed available from the Covered Employment and Wages program. NECMAs are county-based alternatives to the city- and town-based metropolitan areas in New England. The NECMA for an MSA or CMSA includes: (1) the county containing the first-named city in that MSA/CMSA title (this county may include the first-named cities of other MSAs/CMSAs), and (2) each additional county having at least half its population in the MSA(s)/CMSA(s) whose first-named cities are in the county identified in step 1. Additional statistics and other information Annual average employment and pay data by state and county are available upon request from the Division of Occupational and Administrative Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20212, telephone 202-606-6567 (e-mail: 202_info@bls.gov). The comprehensive bulletin, Employment and Wages, features information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. The bulletin for 1996, which is due to be issued in November 1997, will be available for sale from the BLS Publication Sales Center, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, Illinois 60690. Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD phone: 202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577. Table 1. Average annual pay for 1995 and 1996 for all covered workers 1/ by metropolitan area Average annual pay Ranking of areas Percent By level of Metropolitan area 2/ change, average annual 1995 1996 3/ 1995-96 4/ pay for 1996 Metropolitan areas $ 29,099 $ 30,250 4.0 --- Abilene, Tex. 20,365 21,035 3.3 295 Akron, Ohio 27,090 28,106 3.8 74 Albany, Ga. 23,910 24,832 3.9 174 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. 27,694 28,719 3.7 59 Albuquerque, N.M. 25,093 25,835 3.0 141 Alexandria, La. 21,268 21,995 3.4 277 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa. 27,804 28,771 3.5 58 Altoona, Pa. 21,768 22,675 4.2 260 Amarillo, Tex. 22,633 23,076 2.0 245 Anchorage, Alaska 33,650 33,501 -0.4 18 Ann Arbor, Mich. 30,013 31,027 3.4 33 Anniston, Ala. 22,024 22,366 1.6 268 Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wis. 26,279 27,107 3.1 105 Asheville, N.C. 22,912 23,731 3.6 216 Athens, Ga. 22,762 23,304 2.4 233 Atlanta, Ga. 29,959 31,354 4.7 31 Atlantic-Cape May, N.J. 26,585 27,511 3.5 96 Augusta-Aiken, Ga.-S.C. 25,611 25,976 1.4 133 Austin-San Marcos, Tex. 26,922 28,707 6.6 61 Bakersfield, Calif. 24,659 24,314 -1.4 193 Baltimore, Md. 28,733 29,953 4.2 40 Bangor, Maine 22,953 23,523 2.5 223 Barnstable-Yarmouth, Mass. 23,097 24,154 4.6 200 Baton Rouge, La. 25,172 25,995 3.3 130 Beaumont-Port Arthur, Tex. 26,827 27,318 1.8 102 Bellingham, Wash. 22,357 23,307 4.3 232 Benton Harbor, Mich. 25,188 25,864 2.7 139 Bergen-Passaic, N.J. 35,746 36,840 3.1 8 Billings, Mont. 22,813 23,491 3.0 225 Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, Miss. 22,869 23,223 1.5 242 Binghamton, N.Y. 26,008 26,904 3.4 107 Birmingham, Ala. 27,337 28,520 4.3 64 Bismarck, N.D. 22,014 22,617 2.7 261 Bloomington, Ind. 22,590 23,311 3.2 231 Bloomington-Normal, Ill. 29,023 29,962 3.2 39 Boise City, Idaho 26,072 26,342 1.0 117 Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.-N.H. 32,798 34,383 4.8 15 Boulder-Longmont, Colo. 28,441 30,968 8.9 34 Brazoria, Tex. 29,892 30,781 3.0 35 Bremerton, Wash. 25,877 25,954 0.3 135 Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, Tex. 18,566 19,056 2.6 309 Bryan-College Station, Tex. 19,788 20,683 4.5 301 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y. 26,749 27,607 3.2 92 Burlington, Vt. 26,480 27,724 4.7 86 Canton-Massillon, Ohio 24,644 25,109 1.9 164 Casper, Wyo. 22,621 23,200 2.6 243 Cedar Rapids, Iowa 26,572 27,523 3.6 95 Champaign-Urbana, Ill. 24,353 24,939 2.4 170 Charleston-North Charleston, S.C. 22,508 23,167 2.9 244 Charleston, W.Va. 25,846 26,700 3.3 109 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C. 27,859 29,291 5.1 47 Charlottesville, Va. 24,708 25,704 4.0 145 Chattanooga, Tenn.-Ga. 24,775 25,464 2.8 151 Cheyenne, Wyo. 21,913 21,999 0.4 276 Chicago, Ill. 32,523 33,907 4.3 16 Chico-Paradise, Calif. 20,573 21,021 2.2 296 Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. 28,057 29,043 3.5 55 Clarksville-Hopkinsville, Tenn.-Ky. 20,728 21,511 3.8 286 Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, Ohio 28,742 29,705 3.4 44 Colorado Springs, Colo. 24,500 25,771 5.2 142 Columbia, Mo. 23,150 23,917 3.3 212 Columbia, S.C. 23,647 24,479 3.5 188 Columbus, Ga.-Ala. 22,257 22,858 2.7 251 Columbus, Ohio 26,948 27,888 3.5 79 Corpus Christi, Tex. 24,032 24,976 3.9 169 Cumberland, Md.-W.Va. 21,958 22,719 3.5 256 Dallas, Tex. 31,500 32,996 4.7 23 Danville, Va. 21,931 22,169 1.1 273 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill. 25,861 26,510 2.5 112 Dayton-Springfield, Ohio 27,676 28,659 3.6 62 Daytona Beach, Fla. 20,497 21,121 3.0 292 Decatur, Ala. 24,853 25,843 4.0 140 Decatur, Ill. 27,339 28,399 3.9 68 Denver, Colo. 30,059 31,627 5.2 29 Des Moines, Iowa 26,376 27,528 4.4 94 Detroit, Mich. 34,710 35,748 3.0 11 Dothan, Ala. 23,094 23,268 0.8 237 Dover, Del. 23,054 24,177 4.9 199 Dubuque, Iowa. 24,053 24,745 2.9 177 Duluth-Superior, Minn.-Wis. 23,217 24,184 4.2 197 Dutchess County, N.Y. 29,707 30,546 2.8 37 Eau Claire, Wis. 21,613 22,147 2.5 274 El Paso, Tex. 20,971 21,834 4.1 279 Elkhart-Goshen, Ind. 25,155 26,333 4.7 118 Elmira, N.Y. 23,749 24,358 2.6 191 Enid, Okla. 19,934 20,629 3.5 303 Erie, Pa. 25,204 25,941 2.9 136 Eugene-Springfield, Ore. 23,206 24,150 4.1 201 Evansville-Henderson, Ind.-Ky. 24,294 25,319 4.2 156 Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.-Minn. 22,077 22,973 4.1 249 Fayetteville, N.C. 21,557 22,514 4.4 263 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark. 22,363 23,003 2.9 247 Flagstaff, Ariz.-Utah 20,849 21,444 2.9 287 Flint, Mich. 33,389 33,294 -0.3 20 Florence, Ala. 22,310 22,801 2.2 253 Florence, S.C. 22,605 23,440 3.7 229 Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo. 24,983 26,166 4.7 123 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 26,691 27,547 3.2 93 Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla. 22,233 23,246 4.6 239 Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, Fla. 23,015 23,601 2.5 220 Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla. 21,461 22,016 2.6 275 Fort Walton Beach, Fla. 19,788 20,653 4.4 302 Fort Wayne, Ind. 25,557 26,465 3.6 114 Fort Worth-Arlington, Tex. 27,454 28,511 3.9 65 Fresno, Calif. 21,331 21,704 1.8 283 Gadsden, Ala. 23,558 23,256 -1.3 238 Gainesville, Fla. 21,822 22,349 2.4 270 Galveston-Texas City, Tex. 26,361 27,370 3.8 98 Gary, Ind. 27,498 28,504 3.7 66 Glens Falls, N.Y. 23,346 24,321 4.2 192 Goldsboro, N.C. 20,343 21,417 5.3 289 Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn. 19,904 20,476 2.9 304 Grand Junction, Colo. 22,181 22,715 2.4 257 Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Mich. 27,298 28,478 4.3 67 Great Falls, Mont. 20,213 21,073 4.3 294 Greeley, Colo. 23,468 24,527 4.5 185 Green Bay, Wis. 26,298 27,118 3.1 104 Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, N.C. 25,229 26,130 3.6 124 Greenville, N.C. 22,635 23,466 3.7 227 Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, S.C. 24,667 25,397 3.0 153 Hagerstown, Md. 23,695 24,388 2.9 190 Hamilton-Middletown, Ohio 26,601 27,629 3.9 91 Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, Pa. 26,856 27,788 3.5 85 Hartford, Conn. 33,948 34,819 2.6 12 Hattiesburg, Miss. 20,867 21,797 4.5 281 Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, N.C. 21,726 22,493 3.5 265 Honolulu, Hawaii 27,936 28,336 1.4 70 Houma, La. 22,969 24,099 4.9 203 Houston, Tex. 31,390 32,895 4.8 25 Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Ohio 23,408 23,929 2.2 211 Huntsville, Ala. 31,233 31,473 0.8 30 Indianapolis, Ind. 28,081 29,137 3.8 49 Iowa City, Iowa 24,798 25,536 3.0 150 Jackson, Mich. 26,848 27,640 3.0 90 Jackson, Miss. 24,193 24,928 3.0 171 Jackson, Tenn. 23,901 24,898 4.2 172 Jacksonville, Fla. 25,256 26,373 4.4 116 Jacksonville, N.C. 16,951 17,534 3.4 313 Jamestown, N.Y. 22,358 22,807 2.0 252 Janesville-Beloit, Wis. 26,898 27,832 3.5 82 Jersey City, N.J. 34,621 36,833 6.4 9 Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.-Va. 23,424 24,492 4.6 187 Johnstown, Pa. 21,085 21,561 2.3 285 Joplin, Mo. 21,359 21,994 3.0 278 Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich. 27,259 28,611 5.0 63 Kankakee, Ill. 23,961 25,205 5.2 159 Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. 27,597 28,774 4.3 57 Kenosha, Wis. 24,933 26,228 5.2 122 Killeen-Temple, Tex. 21,589 22,432 3.9 266 Knoxville, Tenn. 24,567 25,340 3.1 155 Kokomo, Ind. 33,967 34,779 2.4 13 LaCrosse, Wis.-Minn. 21,874 23,001 5.2 248 Lafayette, Ind. 25,263 25,990 2.9 131 Lafayette, La. 22,735 23,942 5.3 209 Lake Charles, La. 25,399 26,059 2.6 128 Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla. 23,238 24,106 3.7 202 Lancaster, Pa. 25,605 26,467 3.4 113 Lansing-East Lansing, Mich. 28,149 29,247 3.9 48 Laredo, Tex. 19,174 20,388 6.3 305 Las Cruces, N.M. 20,186 20,371 0.9 306 Las Vegas, Nev.-Ariz. 26,263 27,324 4.0 101 Lawrence, Kan. 20,860 21,198 1.6 291 Lawton, Okla. 20,780 20,916 0.7 297 Lewiston-Auburn, Maine 21,582 22,495 4.2 264 Lexington, Ky. 24,501 25,746 5.1 144 Lima, Ohio 24,694 25,013 1.3 167 Lincoln, Neb. 23,285 24,018 3.1 206 Little Rock-North Little Rock, Ark. 24,569 25,392 3.4 154 Longview-Marshall, Tex. 23,080 23,983 3.9 207 Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. 32,445 33,478 3.2 19 Louisville, Ky.-Ind. 25,554 26,628 4.2 110 Lubbock, Tex. 21,529 22,721 5.5 255 Lynchburg, Va. 23,077 23,934 3.7 210 Macon, Ga. 23,853 24,766 3.8 175 Madison, Wis. 26,364 27,191 3.1 103 Mansfield, Ohio 23,584 24,536 4.0 183 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex. 18,031 18,928 5.0 310 Medford-Ashland, Ore. 22,112 22,679 2.6 259 Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Fla. 26,854 27,360 1.9 99 Memphis, Tenn.-Ark.-Miss. 26,915 27,912 3.7 77 Merced, Calif. 20,256 20,909 3.2 298 Miami, Fla. 27,453 28,383 3.4 69 Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, N.J. 37,925 39,631 4.5 4 Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wis. 27,926 29,079 4.1 50 Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis. 30,170 31,941 5.9 28 Mobile, Ala. 23,318 24,262 4.0 195 Modesto, Calif. 23,376 23,735 1.5 215 Monmouth-Ocean, N.J. 29,033 29,920 3.1 42 Monroe, La. 22,977 23,389 1.8 230 Montgomery, Ala. 23,798 24,511 3.0 186 Muncie, Ind. 24,123 25,144 4.2 162 Myrtle Beach, S.C. 17,910 18,551 3.6 311 Naples, Fla. 22,747 23,728 4.3 218 Nashville, Tenn. 27,346 28,172 3.0 73 Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y. 31,635 32,993 4.3 24 New Haven-Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury-Waterbury, Conn. 37,546 39,488 5.2 5 New London-Norwich, Conn. 30,892 32,000 3.6 27 New Orleans, La. 25,593 26,085 1.9 127 New York, N.Y. 42,272 45,028 6.5 1 Newark, N.J. 37,224 38,886 4.5 6 Newburgh, N.Y.-Pa. 25,016 25,594 2.3 147 Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, Va.-N.C. 23,544 24,184 2.7 197 Oakland, Calif. 33,180 34,402 3.7 14 Ocala, Fla. 21,082 21,677 2.8 284 Odessa-Midland, Tex. 25,032 25,897 3.5 137 Oklahoma City, Okla. 23,626 24,286 2.8 194 Olympia, Wash. 26,083 26,575 1.9 111 Omaha, Neb.-Iowa 24,978 25,961 3.9 134 Orange County, Calif. 30,904 32,179 4.1 26 Orlando, Fla. 24,450 25,204 3.1 160 Owensboro, Ky. 21,685 22,209 2.4 272 Panama City, Fla. 20,491 21,121 3.1 292 Parkersburg-Marietta, W.Va.-Ohio 24,000 24,686 2.9 180 Pensacola, Fla. 22,506 23,244 3.3 240 Peoria-Pekin, Ill. 27,548 27,861 1.1 81 Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J. 31,695 33,080 4.4 22 Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz. 26,748 27,826 4.0 83 Pine Bluff, Ark. 22,457 22,738 1.3 254 Pittsburgh, Pa. 28,051 29,069 3.6 52 Pittsfield, Mass. 25,513 26,297 3.1 119 Portland, Maine 25,359 26,379 4.0 115 Portland-Vancouver, Ore.-Wash. 28,358 29,940 5.6 41 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, R.I. 26,487 27,339 3.2 100 Provo-Orem, Utah 22,848 23,481 2.8 226 Pueblo, Colo. 21,869 22,357 2.2 269 Punta Gorda, Fla. 21,058 21,817 3.6 280 Racine, Wis. 26,861 27,973 4.1 76 Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. 27,925 29,077 4.1 51 Rapid City, S.D. 20,107 20,719 3.0 299 Reading, Pa. 27,442 28,205 2.8 72 Redding, Calif. 23,590 23,856 1.1 213 Reno, Nev. 26,513 27,679 4.4 88 Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Wash. 27,570 27,864 1.1 80 Richmond-Petersburg, Va. 27,598 28,714 4.0 60 Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. 24,815 25,248 1.7 158 Roanoke, Va. 23,955 24,589 2.6 181 Rochester, Minn. 29,107 30,663 5.3 36 Rochester, N.Y. 29,301 30,241 3.2 38 Rockford, Ill. 27,228 28,093 3.2 75 Rocky Mount, N.C. 22,532 23,280 3.3 235 Sacramento, Calif. 29,289 29,576 1.0 45 Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, Mich. 29,863 31,138 4.3 32 Salem, Ore. 23,108 23,747 2.8 214 Salinas, Calif. 24,260 24,851 2.4 173 Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah 24,693 25,770 4.4 143 San Angelo, Tex. 21,124 21,426 1.4 288 San Antonio, Tex. 23,725 24,460 3.1 189 San Diego, Calif. 27,842 28,845 3.6 56 San Francisco, Calif. 37,975 40,016 5.4 3 San Jose, Calif. 42,409 44,819 5.7 2 San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, Calif. 23,026 23,969 4.1 208 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, Calif. 25,805 26,251 1.7 120 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif. 25,036 26,098 4.2 126 Santa Fe, N.M. 23,691 24,539 3.6 182 Santa Rosa, Calif. 26,177 26,876 2.7 108 Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. 22,279 22,560 1.3 262 Savannah, Ga. 23,865 25,084 5.1 165 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazleton, Pa. 23,278 24,071 3.4 204 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. 31,550 33,588 6.5 17 Sharon, Pa. 22,815 23,494 3.0 224 Sheboygan, Wis. 24,875 26,020 4.6 129 Sherman-Denison, Tex. 23,879 25,124 5.2 163 Shreveport-Bossier City, La. 23,408 23,731 1.4 216 Sioux City, Iowa-Neb. 22,443 23,273 3.7 236 Sioux Falls, S.D. 22,739 23,547 3.6 221 South Bend, Ind. 25,096 25,661 2.2 146 Spokane, Wash. 23,595 24,536 4.0 183 Springfield, Ill. 28,615 29,714 3.8 43 Springfield, Mass. 26,437 27,423 3.7 97 Springfield, Mo. 22,111 22,875 3.5 250 St. Cloud, Minn. 21,685 22,681 4.6 258 St. Joseph, Mo. 22,279 23,242 4.3 241 St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. 28,599 29,469 3.0 46 State College, Pa. 24,298 24,730 1.8 178 Steubenville-Weirton, Ohio-W.Va. 25,649 26,245 2.3 121 Stockton-Lodi, Calif. 24,380 24,765 1.6 176 Sumter, S.C. 19,880 20,708 4.2 300 Syracuse, N.Y. 27,267 27,652 1.4 89 Tacoma, Wash. 24,687 25,548 3.5 148 Tallahassee, Fla. 23,141 24,244 4.8 196 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. 24,650 25,540 3.6 149 Terre Haute, Ind. 22,583 23,047 2.1 246 Texarkana, Tex.-Texarkana, Ark. 21,770 22,390 2.8 267 Toledo, Ohio 26,907 27,793 3.3 84 Topeka, Kan. 24,904 25,454 2.2 152 Trenton, N.J. 36,614 37,598 2.7 7 Tucson, Ariz. 23,622 24,705 4.6 179 Tulsa, Okla. 25,338 26,116 3.1 125 Tuscaloosa, Ala. 24,487 25,051 2.3 166 Tyler, Tex. 24,176 25,295 4.6 157 Utica-Rome, N.Y. 23,207 23,677 2.0 219 Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, Calif. 25,453 25,889 1.7 138 Ventura, Calif. 27,262 28,260 3.7 71 Victoria, Tex. 22,267 23,448 5.3 228 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, N.J. 27,104 27,901 2.9 78 Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, Calif. 19,439 19,768 1.7 308 Waco, Tex. 22,534 23,302 3.4 234 Washington, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. 34,910 36,383 4.2 10 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa 24,813 25,170 1.4 161 Wausau, Wis. 24,112 25,011 3.7 168 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla. 27,912 29,057 4.1 53 Wheeling, W.Va.-Ohio 21,769 22,228 2.1 271 Wichita, Kan. 26,388 27,688 4.9 87 Wichita Falls, Tex. 21,264 21,718 2.1 282 Williamsport, Pa. 23,093 23,526 1.9 222 Wilmington-Newark, Del.-Md. 31,439 33,223 5.7 21 Wilmington, N.C. 23,233 24,050 3.5 205 Yakima, Wash. 19,271 19,780 2.6 307 Yolo, Calif. 28,616 29,053 1.5 54 York, Pa. 26,074 26,955 3.4 106 Youngstown-Warren, Ohio 25,380 25,981 2.4 132 Yuba City, Calif. 21,237 21,374 0.6 290 Yuma, Ariz. 18,286 18,213 -0.4 312 1/ Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. 2/ Includes data for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas as of June 30, 1995. In the New England areas, the New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA) definitions were used. See Technical Note. 3/ Data are preliminary. 4/ Percent changes were computed from unrounded average annual pay data and may differ from those computed using data rounded to the nearest dollar. Table 2. Average annual pay for 1995 and 1996 for all covered workers 1/ by Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area Average annual pay Ranking of Consolidated metropolitan areas statistical area 2/ Percent By level of change, average annual 1995 1996 3/ 1995-96 4/ pay for 1996 Consolidated metropolitan statistical areas $ 32,643 $ 34,069 4.4 -- Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.-N.H. 32,798 34,383 4.8 4 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. 32,047 33,405 4.2 6 Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. 27,886 28,878 3.6 17 Cleveland-Akron, Ohio 28,382 29,355 3.4 14 Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex. 30,339 31,713 4.5 11 Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. 29,531 31,198 5.6 12 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, Mich. 34,121 35,072 2.8 3 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Tex. 31,107 32,620 4.9 8 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif. 30,915 31,897 3.2 9 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 27,161 28,056 3.3 18 Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. 27,830 28,979 4.1 16 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. 38,047 40,089 5.4 1 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. 31,238 32,625 4.4 7 Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash. 27,649 29,112 5.3 15 Sacramento-Yolo, Calif. 29,214 29,519 1.0 13 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. 36,186 37,966 4.9 2 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, Wash. 30,052 31,792 5.8 10 Washington-Baltimore, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. 32,816 34,199 4.2 5 1/ Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. 2/ Includes data for Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas as of June 30, 1995. In the New England areas, the New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA) definitions were used. See Technical Note. 3/ Data are preliminary. 4/ Percent changes were computed from unrounded average annual pay data and may differ from those computed using data rounded to the nearest dollar.