Lee County vs. Illinois
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Lee County vs. Illinois
Lee County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $60,412
2022 Percent of State = 80.62%
Illinois:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $74,936
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 Lee County with comparisons to Illinois and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Lee 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.
Lee County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Lee County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Lee 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 Lee County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Lee County's average earnings per job increased 858.78%, from $6,301 in 1970 to $60,412 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 63.31%, from $31,878 in 1970 to $52,060 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Lee County's and Illinois' 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, Lee County's real average earnings per job rose from $34,036 in 1969 to $52,060 in 2022, for a net gain of $18,024, or 52.95%. In comparison, Illinois' real average earnings per job increased from $41,905 in 1969 to $64,576 in 2022, for a net advance of $22,672, or 54.10%.
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 Lee County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Illinois, 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.
Lee County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 52.95% over 1969-2022 trailed Illinois' increase of 54.10%, 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 displays the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Lee County and Illinois average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Lee County's average earnings per job amounted to 89.53% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 84.39%. Similarly, in 1969, Illinois' average earnings per job totaled 110.22% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 104.68%.
Lee County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Lee County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Lee 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, Lee County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.08% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1984 (24.06%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1980 (-15.29%). In 2022, Lee County's real average earnings per job declined by -4.99%
Lee County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Lee 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 depicts the annual percent change in Lee County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Lee County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 0.85%. It averaged 0.39% throughout the 1980s, 1.18% in the 1990s, 1.11% during the 2000s, 1.63% throughout the 2010s, 1.86% 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 Lee County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Illinois and the nation. As the chart reveals, Lee County's average annual real average earnings per job growth fell below Illinois' average during the 1970s (0.85% vs. 0.99%), posted below Illinois' average in the 1980s (0.39% vs. 0.52%), posted below Illinois' average throughout the 1990s (1.18% vs. 1.72%), topped Illinois' average during the 2000s (1.11% vs. 0.42%), outperformed Illinois' average in the 2010s (1.63% vs. 1.08%), and led Illinois' average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (1.86% vs. -0.91%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Lee County fell below the nation during the 1970s (0.85% vs. 0.89%), fell below the nation during the 1980s (0.39% vs. 0.71%), fell under the nation throughout the 1990s (1.18% vs. 1.68%), outperformed the nation in the 2000s (1.11% vs. 0.72%), recorded above the nation during the 2010s (1.63% vs. 1.01%), and outpaced the nation over 2020-2022 (1.86% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.08
0.85
0.39
1.18
1.11
1.63
1.86
-4.99
 
0.84
0.99
0.52
1.72
0.42
1.08
-0.91
-6.34
 
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.

   
 
Lee County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,427
0.189
34,036
100.0
N
81.22
89.53
1970
 
6,301
0.198
31,878
93.7
-6.34
75.48
82.95
1971
 
6,771
0.206
32,861
96.5
3.09
75.48
83.56
1972
 
7,267
0.213
34,104
100.2
3.78
75.30
83.62
1973
 
8,435
0.225
37,564
110.4
10.14
81.20
90.34
1974
 
9,284
0.248
37,448
110.0
-0.31
83.90
93.52
1975
 
10,277
0.269
38,261
112.4
2.17
85.65
95.93
1976
 
10,151
0.283
35,827
105.3
-6.36
79.17
87.90
1977
 
10,822
0.302
35,864
105.4
0.10
78.11
87.19
1978
 
12,117
0.323
37,541
110.3
4.68
81.06
90.04
1979
 
12,872
0.351
36,628
107.6
-2.43
79.36
88.36
1980
 
12,078
0.389
31,028
91.2
-15.29
70.05
77.15
1981
 
14,959
0.424
35,269
103.6
13.67
80.06
87.65
1982
 
15,521
0.448
34,667
101.9
-1.70
79.88
86.28
1983
 
14,518
0.467
31,104
91.4
-10.28
71.70
76.73
1984
 
18,692
0.484
38,588
113.4
24.06
85.77
92.62
1985
 
20,475
0.501
40,846
120.0
5.85
89.51
96.90
1986
 
19,548
0.512
38,165
112.1
-6.56
82.06
88.54
1987
 
19,165
0.528
36,296
106.6
-4.90
76.59
82.87
1988
 
19,234
0.549
35,058
103.0
-3.41
72.28
78.80
1989
 
20,576
0.573
35,935
105.6
2.50
74.08
80.82
1990
 
22,021
0.598
36,840
108.2
2.52
76.00
82.79
1991
 
19,288
0.618
31,224
91.7
-15.24
65.10
70.04
1992
 
22,755
0.634
35,880
105.4
14.91
70.84
77.46
1993
 
23,343
0.650
35,912
105.5
0.09
70.89
77.55
1994
 
24,869
0.664
37,478
110.1
4.36
73.46
80.46
1995
 
24,011
0.678
35,438
104.1
-5.44
69.24
75.97
1996
 
27,081
0.692
39,132
115.0
10.42
74.76
82.54
1997
 
27,697
0.704
39,338
115.6
0.53
73.20
80.94
1998
 
26,551
0.710
37,413
109.9
-4.89
67.55
73.73
1999
 
28,162
0.720
39,113
114.9
4.55
68.12
74.60
2000
 
29,906
0.738
40,511
119.0
3.57
68.89
74.95
2001
 
31,886
0.753
42,344
124.4
4.53
70.00
76.88
2002
 
33,347
0.763
43,711
128.4
3.23
71.03
78.64
2003
 
34,855
0.779
44,746
131.5
2.37
72.62
79.84
2004
 
37,222
0.798
46,629
137.0
4.21
74.96
81.89
2005
 
36,432
0.821
44,360
130.3
-4.87
72.19
78.10
2006
 
37,662
0.844
44,602
131.0
0.55
71.79
77.75
2007
 
40,179
0.866
46,392
136.3
4.01
74.67
81.36
2008
 
39,402
0.892
44,188
129.8
-4.75
72.33
78.34
2009
 
38,621
0.889
43,433
127.6
-1.71
72.61
77.18
2010
 
40,922
0.905
45,211
132.8
4.09
74.42
78.41
2011
 
46,843
0.928
50,475
148.3
11.64
82.69
87.34
2012
 
43,842
0.945
46,377
136.3
-8.12
74.83
79.62
2013
 
52,644
0.958
54,962
161.5
18.51
87.14
94.28
2014
 
48,950
0.971
50,401
148.1
-8.30
79.98
85.89
2015
 
45,629
0.973
46,896
137.8
-6.95
73.31
78.66
2016
 
47,487
0.983
48,316
142.0
3.03
75.87
81.20
2017
 
48,281
1.000
48,281
141.9
-0.07
75.32
80.03
2018
 
49,976
1.020
48,973
143.9
1.43
74.96
80.47
2019
 
51,197
1.035
49,459
145.3
0.99
74.32
79.47
2020
 
53,187
1.046
50,831
149.3
2.77
73.86
78.94
2021
 
59,727
1.090
54,795
161.0
7.80
79.47
84.81
2022
 
60,412
1.160
52,060
153.0
-4.99
80.62
84.39
Source: Calculations by the Illinois Regional Economic Analysis Project (IL-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.

   
 
Illinois:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,913
0.189
41,905
100.0
N
110.22
1970
 
8,347
0.198
42,231
100.8
0.78
109.89
1971
 
8,971
0.206
43,538
103.9
3.09
110.71
1972
 
9,650
0.213
45,290
108.1
4.02
111.04
1973
 
10,387
0.225
46,258
110.4
2.14
111.25
1974
 
11,065
0.248
44,631
106.5
-3.52
111.46
1975
 
11,998
0.269
44,669
106.6
0.09
112.00
1976
 
12,823
0.283
45,257
108.0
1.31
111.03
1977
 
13,855
0.302
45,914
109.6
1.45
111.63
1978
 
14,947
0.323
46,311
110.5
0.87
111.07
1979
 
16,219
0.351
46,153
110.1
-0.34
111.33
1980
 
17,242
0.389
44,291
105.7
-4.03
110.12
1981
 
18,685
0.424
44,053
105.1
-0.54
109.48
1982
 
19,430
0.448
43,400
103.6
-1.48
108.01
1983
 
20,250
0.467
43,383
103.5
-0.04
107.03
1984
 
21,793
0.484
44,990
107.4
3.70
107.99
1985
 
22,874
0.501
45,632
108.9
1.43
108.26
1986
 
23,821
0.512
46,507
111.0
1.92
107.89
1987
 
25,023
0.528
47,389
113.1
1.90
108.20
1988
 
26,610
0.549
48,501
115.7
2.35
109.02
1989
 
27,777
0.573
48,510
115.8
0.02
109.10
1990
 
28,976
0.598
48,476
115.7
-0.07
108.94
1991
 
29,627
0.618
47,961
114.5
-1.06
107.59
1992
 
32,123
0.634
50,652
120.9
5.61
109.35
1993
 
32,926
0.650
50,656
120.9
0.01
109.39
1994
 
33,853
0.664
51,017
121.7
0.71
109.52
1995
 
34,677
0.678
51,180
122.1
0.32
109.72
1996
 
36,225
0.692
52,346
124.9
2.28
110.41
1997
 
37,837
0.704
53,741
128.2
2.66
110.58
1998
 
39,306
0.710
55,386
132.2
3.06
109.15
1999
 
41,343
0.720
57,420
137.0
3.67
109.51
2000
 
43,414
0.738
58,809
140.3
2.42
108.80
2001
 
45,549
0.753
60,488
144.3
2.85
109.82
2002
 
46,949
0.763
61,539
146.9
1.74
110.71
2003
 
47,998
0.779
61,620
147.0
0.13
109.95
2004
 
49,654
0.798
62,203
148.4
0.95
109.24
2005
 
50,469
0.821
61,453
146.6
-1.21
108.19
2006
 
52,461
0.844
62,128
148.3
1.10
108.30
2007
 
53,812
0.866
62,133
148.3
0.01
108.97
2008
 
54,477
0.892
61,093
145.8
-1.67
108.31
2009
 
53,188
0.889
59,815
142.7
-2.09
106.29
2010
 
54,987
0.905
60,750
145.0
1.56
105.36
2011
 
56,650
0.928
61,042
145.7
0.48
105.62
2012
 
58,591
0.945
61,979
147.9
1.53
106.41
2013
 
60,413
0.958
63,074
150.5
1.77
108.20
2014
 
61,205
0.971
63,019
150.4
-0.09
107.40
2015
 
62,238
0.973
63,965
152.6
1.50
107.30
2016
 
62,593
0.983
63,685
152.0
-0.44
107.03
2017
 
64,100
1.000
64,100
153.0
0.65
106.25
2018
 
66,668
1.020
65,330
155.9
1.92
107.35
2019
 
68,887
1.035
66,549
158.8
1.87
106.94
2020
 
72,013
1.046
68,823
164.2
3.42
106.88
2021
 
75,153
1.090
68,947
164.5
0.18
106.72
2022
 
74,936
1.160
64,576
154.1
-6.34
104.68
Source: Calculations by the Illinois Regional Economic Analysis Project (IL-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 Illinois Regional Economic Analysis Project (IL-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, IL-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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