November 13, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Metro areas with highest pay in 2001

San Jose, California, retained its position in 2001 as the metropolitan area with the highest average annual pay ($65,926), a position it has held since 1997. This area held this position despite experiencing the largest decline ( 13.5 percent) in average annual pay among the 10 metropolitan areas with decreases in 2001.

[Chart data—TXT]

San Francisco, California, had the second highest average annual pay level ($59,761), followed by New York, New York ($58,963), New Haven-Bridgeport-Stamford-Waterbury-Danbury, Connecticut ($52,177), and Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, New Jersey ($49,830). 

Average pay levels in these five metropolitan areas ranged from 31 to 74 percent above the average for all metropolitan areas in the nation. Annual pay in metropolitan areas averaged $37,897 in 2001, up from $37,017 in 2000.

These data on average annual pay are from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. Pay data presented here are for workers covered by State and Federal unemployment insurance programs at establishments located in the specified metropolitan area. Find additional information in "Average Annual Pay in Metropolitan Areas, 2001," news release USDL 02-625.  

Related TED article: 

Largest pay hike in Lafayette, La.