La Plata County vs. Colorado
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
La Plata County vs. Colorado
La Plata County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $55,295
2022 Percent of State = 73.63%
Colorado:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $75,100
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 La Plata County with comparisons to Colorado and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in La Plata 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.
La Plata County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
La Plata County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts La Plata 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 La Plata County over time.
When measured in current dollars, La Plata County's average earnings per job increased 899.50%, from $5,532 in 1970 to $55,295 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 70.25%, from $27,989 in 1970 to $47,650 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks La Plata County's and Colorado'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, La Plata County's real average earnings per job rose from $27,482 in 1969 to $47,650 in 2022, for a net gain of $20,169, or 73.39%. In comparison, Colorado's real average earnings per job advanced from $35,462 in 1969 to $64,718 in 2022, for a net gain of $29,255, or 82.50%.
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 La Plata County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Colorado, 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.
La Plata County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 73.39% over 1969-2022 trailed Colorado's increase of 82.50%, 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 La Plata County and Colorado average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, La Plata County's average earnings per job amounted to 72.29% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 77.24%. Similarly, in 1969, Colorado's average earnings per job totaled 93.28% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 104.91%.
La Plata County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
La Plata County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of La Plata 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 illustrated 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, La Plata County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.11% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 2013 (16.60%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2017 (-6.60%). In 2022, La Plata County's real average earnings per job declined by -2.30%
La Plata County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
La Plata 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 traces the annual percent change in La Plata 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, La Plata County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 1.05%. It averaged -0.77% throughout the 1980s, 2.64% throughout the 1990s, 2.12% in the 2000s, 0.59% throughout the 2010s, 0.73% 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 La Plata County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Colorado and the nation. As the chart reveals, La Plata County's average annual real average earnings per job growth posted below Colorado's average during the 1970s (1.05% vs. 1.21%), posted below Colorado's average during the 1980s (-0.77% vs. 0.18%), led Colorado's average during the 1990s (2.64% vs. 2.48%), exceeded Colorado's average in the 2000s (2.12% vs. 0.20%), recorded under Colorado's average in the 2010s (0.59% vs. 1.77%), and amounted to less than Colorado's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.73% vs. 1.08%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, La Plata County exceeded the nation over the 1970s (1.05% vs. 0.89%), fell under the nation in the 1980s (-0.77% vs. 0.71%), outperformed the nation over the 1990s (2.64% vs. 1.68%), surpassed the nation in the 2000s (2.12% vs. 0.72%), posted below the nation in the 2010s (0.59% vs. 1.01%), and outperformed the nation over 2020-2022 (0.73% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.11
1.05
-0.77
2.64
2.12
0.59
0.73
-2.30
 
1.16
1.21
0.18
2.48
0.20
1.77
1.08
-2.01
 
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.

   
 
La Plata County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,189
0.189
27,482
100.0
N
77.50
72.29
1970
 
5,532
0.198
27,989
101.8
1.85
76.38
72.83
1971
 
5,889
0.206
28,580
104.0
2.11
74.69
72.67
1972
 
6,312
0.213
29,625
107.8
3.66
74.99
72.63
1973
 
6,559
0.225
29,210
106.3
-1.40
73.34
70.25
1974
 
7,085
0.248
28,575
104.0
-2.17
73.19
71.36
1975
 
7,628
0.269
28,399
103.3
-0.62
73.34
71.20
1976
 
8,191
0.283
28,909
105.2
1.79
74.03
70.92
1977
 
8,787
0.302
29,121
106.0
0.73
74.47
70.80
1978
 
9,801
0.323
30,365
110.5
4.27
76.33
72.83
1979
 
10,705
0.351
30,463
110.8
0.32
76.31
73.48
1980
 
11,199
0.389
28,768
104.7
-5.56
73.27
71.53
1981
 
11,859
0.424
27,959
101.7
-2.81
70.85
69.49
1982
 
12,252
0.448
27,367
99.6
-2.12
69.00
68.11
1983
 
12,731
0.467
27,276
99.2
-0.33
68.28
67.29
1984
 
13,399
0.484
27,661
100.7
1.41
69.13
66.39
1985
 
13,819
0.501
27,568
100.3
-0.34
68.64
65.40
1986
 
14,419
0.512
28,152
102.4
2.12
69.02
65.31
1987
 
15,505
0.528
29,365
106.9
4.31
71.24
67.05
1988
 
15,749
0.549
28,705
104.5
-2.25
70.42
64.53
1989
 
16,086
0.573
28,093
102.2
-2.13
69.16
63.18
1990
 
17,554
0.598
29,367
106.9
4.53
72.01
66.00
1991
 
18,205
0.618
29,471
107.2
0.35
71.54
66.11
1992
 
19,794
0.634
31,210
113.6
5.90
72.55
67.38
1993
 
20,525
0.650
31,577
114.9
1.17
72.41
68.19
1994
 
21,384
0.664
32,226
117.3
2.06
74.07
69.18
1995
 
21,916
0.678
32,346
117.7
0.37
73.18
69.34
1996
 
22,681
0.692
32,774
119.3
1.32
72.76
69.13
1997
 
23,709
0.704
33,674
122.5
2.75
73.16
69.29
1998
 
25,042
0.710
35,287
128.4
4.79
71.86
69.54
1999
 
26,210
0.720
36,402
132.5
3.16
70.27
69.43
2000
 
28,113
0.738
38,083
138.6
4.62
69.97
70.45
2001
 
28,430
0.753
37,754
137.4
-0.86
68.04
68.54
2002
 
29,857
0.763
39,135
142.4
3.66
70.71
70.41
2003
 
31,150
0.779
39,991
145.5
2.19
72.63
71.35
2004
 
33,200
0.798
41,590
151.3
4.00
75.68
73.04
2005
 
34,849
0.821
42,434
154.4
2.03
76.98
74.71
2006
 
36,679
0.844
43,437
158.1
2.37
77.89
75.72
2007
 
37,939
0.866
43,806
159.4
0.85
79.54
76.83
2008
 
39,255
0.892
44,023
160.2
0.50
81.31
78.05
2009
 
39,880
0.889
44,849
163.2
1.88
85.07
79.69
2010
 
41,007
0.905
45,304
164.9
1.02
84.81
78.57
2011
 
39,742
0.928
42,824
155.8
-5.48
79.11
74.10
2012
 
42,543
0.945
45,003
163.8
5.09
81.80
77.26
2013
 
50,261
0.958
52,475
190.9
16.60
92.12
90.01
2014
 
50,631
0.971
52,132
189.7
-0.65
88.84
88.84
2015
 
49,281
0.973
50,649
184.3
-2.85
86.94
84.96
2016
 
47,397
0.983
48,225
175.5
-4.79
85.18
81.05
2017
 
45,043
1.000
45,043
163.9
-6.60
77.14
74.66
2018
 
46,487
1.020
45,554
165.8
1.14
75.64
74.85
2019
 
48,303
1.035
46,663
169.8
2.44
74.40
74.98
2020
 
50,453
1.046
48,219
175.5
3.33
74.23
74.88
2021
 
53,164
1.090
48,774
177.5
1.15
73.85
75.49
2022
 
55,295
1.160
47,650
173.4
-2.30
73.63
77.24
Source: Calculations by the Colorado Regional Economic Analysis Project (CO-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.

   
 
Colorado:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,696
0.189
35,462
100.0
N
93.28
1970
 
7,243
0.198
36,644
103.3
3.33
95.35
1971
 
7,884
0.206
38,262
107.9
4.42
97.29
1972
 
8,418
0.213
39,506
111.4
3.25
96.86
1973
 
8,943
0.225
39,828
112.3
0.82
95.79
1974
 
9,680
0.248
39,042
110.1
-1.97
97.50
1975
 
10,400
0.269
38,720
109.2
-0.82
97.08
1976
 
11,063
0.283
39,048
110.1
0.85
95.80
1977
 
11,800
0.302
39,102
110.3
0.14
95.07
1978
 
12,840
0.323
39,783
112.2
1.74
95.42
1979
 
14,029
0.351
39,919
112.6
0.34
96.30
1980
 
15,285
0.389
39,265
110.7
-1.64
97.63
1981
 
16,739
0.424
39,465
111.3
0.51
98.08
1982
 
17,756
0.448
39,660
111.8
0.49
98.70
1983
 
18,646
0.467
39,948
112.6
0.73
98.55
1984
 
19,380
0.484
40,010
112.8
0.16
96.03
1985
 
20,132
0.501
40,160
113.2
0.38
95.28
1986
 
20,892
0.512
40,790
115.0
1.57
94.63
1987
 
21,764
0.528
41,219
116.2
1.05
94.11
1988
 
22,365
0.549
40,764
114.9
-1.10
91.63
1989
 
23,261
0.573
40,622
114.6
-0.35
91.36
1990
 
24,377
0.598
40,781
115.0
0.39
91.65
1991
 
25,447
0.618
41,195
116.2
1.01
92.41
1992
 
27,283
0.634
43,019
121.3
4.43
92.87
1993
 
28,344
0.650
43,606
123.0
1.37
94.16
1994
 
28,870
0.664
43,508
122.7
-0.23
93.40
1995
 
29,949
0.678
44,203
124.6
1.60
94.76
1996
 
31,170
0.692
45,042
127.0
1.90
95.00
1997
 
32,407
0.704
46,028
129.8
2.19
94.71
1998
 
34,848
0.710
49,104
138.5
6.68
96.77
1999
 
37,298
0.720
51,803
146.1
5.49
98.80
2000
 
40,182
0.738
54,431
153.5
5.07
100.70
2001
 
41,785
0.753
55,490
156.5
1.95
100.74
2002
 
42,226
0.763
55,348
156.1
-0.26
99.58
2003
 
42,891
0.779
55,064
155.3
-0.51
98.25
2004
 
43,866
0.798
54,952
155.0
-0.20
96.50
2005
 
45,268
0.821
55,120
155.4
0.31
97.04
2006
 
47,091
0.844
55,769
157.3
1.18
97.21
2007
 
47,699
0.866
55,076
155.3
-1.24
96.59
2008
 
48,276
0.892
54,139
152.7
-1.70
95.98
2009
 
46,878
0.889
52,719
148.7
-2.62
93.68
2010
 
48,353
0.905
53,420
150.6
1.33
92.65
2011
 
50,236
0.928
54,131
152.6
1.33
93.66
2012
 
52,010
0.945
55,018
155.1
1.64
94.46
2013
 
54,560
0.958
56,963
160.6
3.54
97.71
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
165.5
3.01
100.00
2015
 
56,684
0.973
58,258
164.3
-0.72
97.72
2016
 
55,642
0.983
56,614
159.6
-2.82
95.15
2017
 
58,387
1.000
58,387
164.6
3.13
96.78
2018
 
61,456
1.020
60,223
169.8
3.14
98.96
2019
 
64,924
1.035
62,721
176.9
4.15
100.78
2020
 
67,971
1.046
64,960
183.2
3.57
100.88
2021
 
71,993
1.090
66,048
186.2
1.67
102.23
2022
 
75,100
1.160
64,718
182.5
-2.01
104.91
Source: Calculations by the Colorado Regional Economic Analysis Project (CO-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 Colorado Regional Economic Analysis Project (CO-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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To offer the most comprehensive set of interactive options in support of your research, CO-REAP calculates and crunches most of the data and generates the narrative and graphic analysis on demand in response to your request.
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