Walsh County vs. North Dakota
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Walsh County vs. North Dakota
Walsh County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $74,190
2022 Percent of State = 106.26%
North Dakota:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $69,817
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 Walsh County with comparisons to North Dakota and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Walsh 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.
Walsh County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Walsh County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Walsh 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 Walsh County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Walsh County's average earnings per job increased 1,469.22%, from $4,728 in 1970 to $74,190 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 167.29%, from $23,919 in 1970 to $63,933 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Walsh County's and North Dakota'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, Walsh County's real average earnings per job rose from $27,493 in 1969 to $63,933 in 2022, for a net gain of $36,440, or 132.55%. In comparison, North Dakota's real average earnings per job advanced from $31,618 in 1969 to $60,165 in 2022, for a net gain of $28,547, or 90.29%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Walsh County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with North Dakota, 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.
Walsh County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 132.55% over 1969-2022 outpaced North Dakota's increase of 90.29%, and outpaced 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 portrays the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Walsh County and North Dakota average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Walsh County's average earnings per job amounted to 72.31% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 103.64%. Similarly, in 1969, North Dakota's average earnings per job totaled 83.17% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 97.53%.
Walsh County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Walsh County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Walsh 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, Walsh County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 3.24% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 1973 (68.65%) and posted its lowest growth in 1988 (-29.73%). In 2022, Walsh County's real average earnings per job grew by 13.37%
Walsh County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Walsh 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 Walsh 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, Walsh County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 4.72%. It averaged 2.03% in the 1980s, 3.98% throughout the 1990s, 1.30% in the 2000s, 1.57% during the 2010s, 11.92% 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 Walsh County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for North Dakota and the nation. As the chart reveals, Walsh County's average annual real average earnings per job growth recorded above North Dakota's average during the 1970s (4.72% vs. 2.00%), outgained North Dakota's average throughout the 1980s (2.03% vs. -0.41%), surpassed North Dakota's average throughout the 1990s (3.98% vs. 1.77%), amounted to less than North Dakota's average throughout the 2000s (1.30% vs. 2.51%), fell below North Dakota's average throughout the 2010s (1.57% vs. 2.04%), and outperformed North Dakota's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (11.92% vs. 1.88%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Walsh County exceeded the nation during the 1970s (4.72% vs. 0.89%), surpassed the nation throughout the 1980s (2.03% vs. 0.71%), outgained the nation over the 1990s (3.98% vs. 1.68%), outperformed the nation during the 2000s (1.30% vs. 0.72%), exceeded the nation during the 2010s (1.57% vs. 1.01%), and topped the nation over 2020-2022 (11.92% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
3.24
4.72
2.03
3.98
1.30
1.57
11.92
13.37
 
1.60
2.00
-0.41
1.77
2.51
2.04
1.88
1.32
 
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.

   
 
Walsh County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,191
0.189
27,493
100.0
N
86.95
72.31
1970
 
4,728
0.198
23,919
87.0
-13.00
78.39
62.24
1971
 
5,255
0.206
25,502
92.8
6.62
76.12
64.85
1972
 
6,671
0.213
31,306
113.9
22.76
80.98
76.76
1973
 
11,856
0.225
52,799
192.0
68.65
103.20
126.99
1974
 
10,164
0.248
40,996
149.1
-22.35
94.10
102.38
1975
 
10,096
0.269
37,589
136.7
-8.31
93.53
94.25
1976
 
7,808
0.283
27,557
100.2
-26.69
78.29
67.61
1977
 
7,554
0.302
25,032
91.0
-9.16
76.28
60.86
1978
 
11,815
0.323
36,605
133.1
46.24
95.17
87.79
1979
 
10,607
0.351
30,181
109.8
-17.55
86.68
72.81
1980
 
8,863
0.389
22,769
82.8
-24.56
83.51
56.61
1981
 
13,980
0.424
32,960
119.9
44.76
100.14
81.91
1982
 
11,289
0.448
25,214
91.7
-23.50
77.92
62.75
1983
 
12,562
0.467
26,914
97.9
6.74
82.97
66.40
1984
 
15,397
0.484
31,787
115.6
18.11
94.46
76.30
1985
 
17,386
0.501
34,683
126.2
9.11
102.73
82.28
1986
 
16,065
0.512
31,365
114.1
-9.57
92.56
72.76
1987
 
19,280
0.528
36,513
132.8
16.41
107.17
83.37
1988
 
14,076
0.549
25,656
93.3
-29.73
87.05
57.67
1989
 
16,537
0.573
28,879
105.0
12.56
91.71
64.95
1990
 
16,544
0.598
27,678
100.7
-4.16
84.01
62.20
1991
 
18,076
0.618
29,261
106.4
5.72
91.51
65.64
1992
 
22,268
0.634
35,112
127.7
19.99
102.19
75.80
1993
 
17,614
0.650
27,098
98.6
-22.82
82.24
58.52
1994
 
24,432
0.664
36,820
133.9
35.88
106.66
79.05
1995
 
22,340
0.678
32,972
119.9
-10.45
101.35
70.68
1996
 
26,328
0.692
38,045
138.4
15.39
105.87
80.24
1997
 
21,687
0.704
30,802
112.0
-19.04
92.58
63.38
1998
 
26,304
0.710
37,065
134.8
20.33
101.29
73.05
1999
 
26,402
0.720
36,670
133.4
-1.07
99.55
69.94
2000
 
26,519
0.738
35,923
130.7
-2.04
92.74
66.46
2001
 
25,449
0.753
33,795
122.9
-5.92
88.17
61.36
2002
 
26,460
0.763
34,683
126.2
2.63
88.66
62.40
2003
 
28,511
0.779
36,602
133.1
5.53
85.84
65.31
2004
 
27,070
0.798
33,911
123.3
-7.35
81.27
59.55
2005
 
29,233
0.821
35,595
129.5
4.96
84.19
62.67
2006
 
30,246
0.844
35,820
130.3
0.63
85.45
62.44
2007
 
32,165
0.866
37,139
135.1
3.68
84.03
65.14
2008
 
36,918
0.892
41,402
150.6
11.48
88.68
73.40
2009
 
36,582
0.889
41,140
149.6
-0.63
87.67
73.10
2010
 
41,130
0.905
45,440
165.3
10.45
90.07
78.81
2011
 
39,013
0.928
42,038
152.9
-7.49
79.75
72.74
2012
 
45,446
0.945
48,074
174.9
14.36
82.38
82.54
2013
 
41,026
0.958
42,833
155.8
-10.90
75.86
73.47
2014
 
37,503
0.971
38,615
140.5
-9.85
67.40
65.81
2015
 
38,341
0.973
39,405
143.3
2.05
70.82
66.10
2016
 
44,112
0.983
44,882
163.3
13.90
82.45
75.43
2017
 
46,145
1.000
46,145
167.8
2.81
84.47
76.49
2018
 
48,398
1.020
47,427
172.5
2.78
84.75
77.93
2019
 
47,911
1.035
46,285
168.4
-2.41
81.31
74.37
2020
 
60,387
1.046
57,712
209.9
24.69
97.14
89.62
2021
 
61,467
1.090
56,391
205.1
-2.29
94.97
87.28
2022
 
74,190
1.160
63,933
232.5
13.37
106.26
103.64
Source: Calculations by the North Dakota Regional Economic Analysis Project (ND-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.

   
 
North Dakota:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,970
0.189
31,618
100.0
N
83.17
1970
 
6,031
0.198
30,514
96.5
-3.49
79.40
1971
 
6,903
0.206
33,504
106.0
9.80
85.20
1972
 
8,237
0.213
38,658
122.3
15.38
94.78
1973
 
11,488
0.225
51,160
161.8
32.34
123.04
1974
 
10,801
0.248
43,564
137.8
-14.85
108.79
1975
 
10,794
0.269
40,187
127.1
-7.75
100.76
1976
 
9,972
0.283
35,197
111.3
-12.42
86.35
1977
 
9,903
0.302
32,816
103.8
-6.76
79.78
1978
 
12,415
0.323
38,465
121.7
17.21
92.25
1979
 
12,236
0.351
34,818
110.1
-9.48
83.99
1980
 
10,613
0.389
27,264
86.2
-21.70
67.79
1981
 
13,961
0.424
32,914
104.1
20.73
81.80
1982
 
14,488
0.448
32,361
102.3
-1.68
80.54
1983
 
15,142
0.467
32,440
102.6
0.24
80.03
1984
 
16,301
0.484
33,653
106.4
3.74
80.77
1985
 
16,923
0.501
33,760
106.8
0.32
80.09
1986
 
17,355
0.512
33,885
107.2
0.37
78.61
1987
 
17,989
0.528
34,069
107.8
0.54
77.79
1988
 
16,171
0.549
29,473
93.2
-13.49
66.25
1989
 
18,032
0.573
31,490
99.6
6.84
70.83
1990
 
19,694
0.598
32,947
104.2
4.62
74.04
1991
 
19,754
0.618
31,977
101.1
-2.94
71.73
1992
 
21,791
0.634
34,360
108.7
7.45
74.17
1993
 
21,416
0.650
32,948
104.2
-4.11
71.15
1994
 
22,906
0.664
34,519
109.2
4.77
74.11
1995
 
22,042
0.678
32,533
102.9
-5.75
69.74
1996
 
24,868
0.692
35,935
113.7
10.46
75.79
1997
 
23,424
0.704
33,270
105.2
-7.42
68.46
1998
 
25,970
0.710
36,594
115.7
9.99
72.12
1999
 
26,522
0.720
36,835
116.5
0.66
70.25
2000
 
28,595
0.738
38,735
122.5
5.16
71.66
2001
 
28,863
0.753
38,330
121.2
-1.05
69.59
2002
 
29,845
0.763
39,120
123.7
2.06
70.38
2003
 
33,214
0.779
42,640
134.9
9.00
76.08
2004
 
33,309
0.798
41,727
132.0
-2.14
73.28
2005
 
34,724
0.821
42,281
133.7
1.33
74.44
2006
 
35,395
0.844
41,917
132.6
-0.86
73.07
2007
 
38,276
0.866
44,196
139.8
5.44
77.51
2008
 
41,629
0.892
46,685
147.7
5.63
82.77
2009
 
41,725
0.889
46,924
148.4
0.51
83.38
2010
 
45,662
0.905
50,447
159.6
7.51
87.49
2011
 
48,917
0.928
52,710
166.7
4.48
91.21
2012
 
55,166
0.945
58,356
184.6
10.71
100.19
2013
 
54,080
0.958
56,462
178.6
-3.25
96.85
2014
 
55,640
0.971
57,290
181.2
1.47
97.63
2015
 
54,142
0.973
55,645
176.0
-2.87
93.34
2016
 
53,498
0.983
54,432
172.2
-2.18
91.48
2017
 
54,631
1.000
54,631
172.8
0.36
90.56
2018
 
57,105
1.020
55,960
177.0
2.43
91.95
2019
 
58,922
1.035
56,923
180.0
1.72
91.47
2020
 
62,165
1.046
59,411
187.9
4.37
92.26
2021
 
64,723
1.090
59,379
187.8
-0.05
91.91
2022
 
69,817
1.160
60,165
190.3
1.32
97.53
Source: Calculations by the North Dakota Regional Economic Analysis Project (ND-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 North Dakota Regional Economic Analysis Project (ND-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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