November 30, 1998 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Average annual pay highest in New York County in 1996

In 1996, average annual pay was higher than the national average of $28,945 in 115 of the Nation’s largest 290 counties. New York County, New York, had the highest level of average annual pay at $55,312, a figure nearly twice as high as the national average and more than 20 percent higher than the second place county.

[Chart data—TXT]

Fairfield County, Connecticut, had the second highest level of average annual pay ($45,607), followed by Santa Clara County, California ($44,824), the District of Columbia ($44,458), and Morris County, New Jersey ($42,763).

Boulder County, Colorado, led growth in average annual pay with an increase of 8.9 percent. New York County, New York, was second at 7.7 percent, followed by Travis County, Texas (7.1 percent), Arapahoe County, Colorado (7.0 percent), and Westchester County, New York (6.8 percent).

These data are a product of the BLS Covered Employed and Wages (ES-202) program. Additional information is available from news release USDL 98-443, "Employment and Average Annual Pay for Large Counties, 1996."