Wage And Employment Growth Rates Are Uneven Across The Country

For about two-thirds of the cities in the U.S., the recession is no longer making its effects known and exists firmly in the rear view mirror as these cities are now at peak employment levels. As more people get back to work, wages are beginning to increase in metro areas across the country, leading to more disposable income that can be spent on housing and other goods and services, The Wall Street Journal reports.

San Jose, for example, not only had the highest average annual wage in the country in 2015 at $113,155, but the city has also seen its wages grow at a faster rate than any other metro in the country. Other cities that have seen strong wage growth, especially between 2014 and 2015, are Sioux City, Iowa, Santa Rosa, Calif., and Madera, Calif.

Madera has also seen very strong employment growth. The projected employment growth for the metro in 2016 is 7.1 percent, the highest rate in the country. St. George, Utah, Bend-Redmond, Ore., and Ogden-Clearfield, Utah have also seen strong employment growth.

Some pockets in the country are not doing as well, however. Cities such as Casper, Wyo., and Odessa, Texas have felt the sting from falling oil prices and a weakening manufacturing sector. Meanwhile areas such as Dayton, Ohio and Decatur, Ill. are still struggling to recover from the recession.

To view the full lists of metros where employment and wages have increased the most, follow the link below.

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