Metcalfe County vs. Kentucky
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Metcalfe County vs. Kentucky
Metcalfe County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $32,256
2022 Percent of State = 54.32%
Kentucky:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $59,377
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 Metcalfe County with comparisons to Kentucky and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Metcalfe 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.
Metcalfe County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Metcalfe County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Metcalfe County's average earnings per job increased 693.88%, from $4,063 in 1970 to $32,256 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 35.22%, from $20,556 in 1970 to $27,796 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Metcalfe County's and Kentucky'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, Metcalfe County's real average earnings per job rose from $17,140 in 1969 to $27,796 in 2022, for a net gain of $10,656, or 62.17%. In comparison, Kentucky's real average earnings per job advanced from $31,499 in 1969 to $51,168 in 2022, for a net advance of $19,669, or 62.45%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Metcalfe County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Kentucky, 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.
Metcalfe County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 62.17% over 1969-2022 trailed Kentucky's increase of 62.45%, and fell below 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 depicts the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Metcalfe County and Kentucky average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Metcalfe County's average earnings per job amounted to 45.08% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 45.06%. Similarly, in 1969, Kentucky's average earnings per job totaled 82.85% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 82.94%.
Metcalfe County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Metcalfe County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Metcalfe 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, Metcalfe County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.57% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1984 (60.92%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1983 (-31.90%). In 2022, Metcalfe County's real average earnings per job declined by -6.94%
Metcalfe County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Metcalfe 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 shows the annual percent change in Metcalfe County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Metcalfe County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged -0.52%. It averaged 4.90% during the 1980s, 1.36% in the 1990s, 1.31% during the 2000s, 1.08% during the 2010s, 0.63% 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 Metcalfe County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Kentucky and the nation. As the chart reveals, Metcalfe County's average annual real average earnings per job growth trailed Kentucky's average throughout the 1970s (-0.52% vs. 1.73%), surpassed Kentucky's average throughout the 1980s (4.90% vs. 0.10%), outpaced Kentucky's average in the 1990s (1.36% vs. 1.29%), outgained Kentucky's average during the 2000s (1.31% vs. 0.93%), outpaced Kentucky's average during the 2010s (1.08% vs. 0.84%), and outpaced Kentucky's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.63% vs. 0.33%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Metcalfe County fell under the nation over the 1970s (-0.52% vs. 0.89%), led the nation over the 1980s (4.90% vs. 0.71%), posted below the nation over the 1990s (1.36% vs. 1.68%), exceeded the nation in the 2000s (1.31% vs. 0.72%), outgained the nation over the 2010s (1.08% vs. 1.01%), and outpaced the nation over 2020-2022 (0.63% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.57
-0.52
4.90
1.36
1.31
1.08
0.63
-6.94
 
0.94
1.73
0.10
1.29
0.93
0.84
0.33
-3.42
 
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.

   
 
Metcalfe County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
3,237
0.189
17,140
100.0
N
54.42
45.08
1970
 
4,063
0.198
20,556
119.9
19.93
64.24
53.49
1971
 
3,392
0.206
16,461
96.0
-19.92
50.24
41.86
1972
 
3,679
0.213
17,267
100.7
4.90
50.13
42.34
1973
 
3,654
0.225
16,271
94.9
-5.77
46.23
39.13
1974
 
4,268
0.248
17,216
100.4
5.81
49.61
42.99
1975
 
4,275
0.269
15,916
92.9
-7.55
46.08
39.91
1976
 
4,622
0.283
16,313
95.2
2.49
45.78
40.02
1977
 
4,978
0.302
16,497
96.2
1.13
45.09
40.11
1978
 
5,183
0.323
16,057
93.7
-2.67
43.60
38.51
1979
 
5,440
0.351
15,480
90.3
-3.59
41.48
37.34
1980
 
5,726
0.389
14,710
85.8
-4.97
41.34
36.57
1981
 
6,704
0.424
15,806
92.2
7.45
44.08
39.28
1982
 
7,030
0.448
15,702
91.6
-0.65
44.21
39.08
1983
 
4,991
0.467
10,693
62.4
-31.90
30.83
26.38
1984
 
8,335
0.484
17,208
100.4
60.92
46.79
41.30
1985
 
8,035
0.501
16,029
93.5
-6.85
43.84
38.03
1986
 
7,385
0.512
14,418
84.1
-10.05
40.15
33.45
1987
 
7,952
0.528
15,061
87.9
4.46
41.04
34.39
1988
 
10,977
0.549
20,008
116.7
32.85
53.01
44.97
1989
 
11,203
0.573
19,565
114.1
-2.21
52.13
44.00
1990
 
12,633
0.598
21,135
123.3
8.02
56.81
47.50
1991
 
13,671
0.618
22,131
129.1
4.71
58.75
49.65
1992
 
14,315
0.634
22,572
131.7
1.99
57.81
48.73
1993
 
14,499
0.650
22,306
130.1
-1.18
57.35
48.17
1994
 
15,211
0.664
22,924
133.7
2.77
58.27
49.21
1995
 
14,659
0.678
21,635
126.2
-5.62
56.30
46.38
1996
 
16,119
0.692
23,293
135.9
7.66
59.50
49.13
1997
 
18,076
0.704
25,674
149.8
10.22
64.14
52.83
1998
 
16,890
0.710
23,800
138.9
-7.30
57.41
46.90
1999
 
15,825
0.720
21,979
128.2
-7.65
51.58
41.92
2000
 
17,273
0.738
23,398
136.5
6.46
53.58
43.29
2001
 
16,956
0.753
22,517
131.4
-3.77
50.65
40.88
2002
 
18,501
0.763
24,251
141.5
7.70
53.33
43.63
2003
 
19,170
0.779
24,610
143.6
1.48
53.42
43.91
2004
 
21,325
0.798
26,715
155.9
8.55
56.52
46.91
2005
 
22,697
0.821
27,637
161.2
3.45
58.17
48.66
2006
 
23,847
0.844
28,241
164.8
2.19
59.66
49.23
2007
 
23,426
0.866
27,048
157.8
-4.22
57.89
47.44
2008
 
23,208
0.892
26,027
151.8
-3.78
55.87
46.14
2009
 
21,987
0.889
24,727
144.3
-5.00
52.97
43.94
2010
 
23,392
0.905
25,844
150.8
4.52
54.05
44.82
2011
 
24,274
0.928
26,157
152.6
1.21
54.77
45.26
2012
 
25,253
0.945
26,713
155.9
2.13
55.69
45.86
2013
 
26,044
0.958
27,191
158.6
1.79
56.35
46.64
2014
 
26,283
0.971
27,062
157.9
-0.48
56.29
46.12
2015
 
25,869
0.973
26,587
155.1
-1.75
54.02
44.60
2016
 
24,630
0.983
25,060
146.2
-5.74
51.28
42.12
2017
 
26,432
1.000
26,432
154.2
5.47
53.86
43.81
2018
 
27,028
1.020
26,486
154.5
0.21
53.80
43.52
2019
 
28,374
1.035
27,411
159.9
3.49
54.04
44.05
2020
 
29,248
1.046
27,952
163.1
1.97
53.11
43.41
2021
 
32,559
1.090
29,871
174.3
6.86
56.38
46.24
2022
 
32,256
1.160
27,796
162.2
-6.94
54.32
45.06
Source: Calculations by the Kentucky Regional Economic Analysis Project (KY-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.

   
 
Kentucky:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,948
0.189
31,499
100.0
N
82.85
1970
 
6,325
0.198
31,997
101.6
1.58
83.26
1971
 
6,752
0.206
32,768
104.0
2.41
83.32
1972
 
7,339
0.213
34,444
109.4
5.12
84.45
1973
 
7,902
0.225
35,191
111.7
2.17
84.64
1974
 
8,604
0.248
34,705
110.2
-1.38
86.67
1975
 
9,278
0.269
34,542
109.7
-0.47
86.61
1976
 
10,096
0.283
35,634
113.1
3.16
87.42
1977
 
11,040
0.302
36,587
116.2
2.67
88.95
1978
 
11,886
0.323
36,827
116.9
0.66
88.33
1979
 
13,116
0.351
37,322
118.5
1.35
90.03
1980
 
13,853
0.389
35,587
113.0
-4.65
88.48
1981
 
15,210
0.424
35,859
113.8
0.77
89.12
1982
 
15,900
0.448
35,515
112.8
-0.96
88.39
1983
 
16,188
0.467
34,682
110.1
-2.34
85.56
1984
 
17,813
0.484
36,775
116.8
6.03
88.27
1985
 
18,329
0.501
36,565
116.1
-0.57
86.75
1986
 
18,391
0.512
35,907
114.0
-1.80
83.30
1987
 
19,378
0.528
36,700
116.5
2.21
83.79
1988
 
20,709
0.549
37,746
119.8
2.85
84.85
1989
 
21,490
0.573
37,530
119.1
-0.57
84.41
1990
 
22,239
0.598
37,204
118.1
-0.87
83.61
1991
 
23,270
0.618
37,669
119.6
1.25
84.50
1992
 
24,763
0.634
39,047
124.0
3.66
84.29
1993
 
25,284
0.650
38,898
123.5
-0.38
84.00
1994
 
26,105
0.664
39,341
124.9
1.14
84.46
1995
 
26,038
0.678
38,430
122.0
-2.32
82.39
1996
 
27,093
0.692
39,150
124.3
1.87
82.57
1997
 
28,182
0.704
40,027
127.1
2.24
82.36
1998
 
29,419
0.710
41,455
131.6
3.57
81.70
1999
 
30,678
0.720
42,607
135.3
2.78
81.26
2000
 
32,236
0.738
43,667
138.6
2.49
80.79
2001
 
33,479
0.753
44,460
141.1
1.81
80.72
2002
 
34,693
0.763
45,474
144.4
2.28
81.81
2003
 
35,887
0.779
46,072
146.3
1.31
82.21
2004
 
37,733
0.798
47,268
150.1
2.60
83.01
2005
 
39,016
0.821
47,507
150.8
0.51
83.64
2006
 
39,971
0.844
47,337
150.3
-0.36
82.51
2007
 
40,469
0.866
46,727
148.3
-1.29
81.95
2008
 
41,541
0.892
46,587
147.9
-0.30
82.59
2009
 
41,513
0.889
46,685
148.2
0.21
82.96
2010
 
43,283
0.905
47,819
151.8
2.43
82.93
2011
 
44,317
0.928
47,753
151.6
-0.14
82.63
2012
 
45,343
0.945
47,965
152.3
0.44
82.35
2013
 
46,216
0.958
48,252
153.2
0.60
82.77
2014
 
46,690
0.971
48,074
152.6
-0.37
81.93
2015
 
47,885
0.973
49,214
156.2
2.37
82.55
2016
 
48,028
0.983
48,867
155.1
-0.71
82.13
2017
 
49,070
1.000
49,070
155.8
0.42
81.34
2018
 
50,240
1.020
49,233
156.3
0.33
80.90
2019
 
52,508
1.035
50,726
161.0
3.03
81.51
2020
 
55,068
1.046
52,629
167.1
3.75
81.73
2021
 
57,749
1.090
52,981
168.2
0.67
82.01
2022
 
59,377
1.160
51,168
162.4
-3.42
82.94
Source: Calculations by the Kentucky Regional Economic Analysis Project (KY-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 Kentucky Regional Economic Analysis Project (KY-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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