Mendocino County vs. California
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Mendocino County vs. California
Mendocino County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $58,200
2022 Percent of State = 67.90%
California:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $85,710
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 Mendocino County with comparisons to California and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Mendocino 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.
Mendocino County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Mendocino County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Mendocino 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 Mendocino County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Mendocino County's average earnings per job increased 694.85%, from $7,322 in 1970 to $58,200 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 35.39%, from $37,044 in 1970 to $50,154 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Mendocino County's and California'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, Mendocino County's real average earnings per job rose from $36,821 in 1969 to $50,154 in 2022, for a net gain of $13,333, or 36.21%. In comparison, California's real average earnings per job advanced from $43,578 in 1969 to $73,860 in 2022, for a net advance of $30,282, or 69.49%.
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 Mendocino County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with California, 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.
Mendocino County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 36.21% over 1969-2022 trailed California's increase of 69.49%, 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 Mendocino County and California average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Mendocino County's average earnings per job amounted to 96.85% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 81.30%. Similarly, in 1969, California's average earnings per job totaled 114.63% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 119.73%.
Mendocino County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Mendocino County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Mendocino 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, Mendocino County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 0.66% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 2001 (12.99%) and posted its lowest growth in 1975 (-6.89%). In 2022, Mendocino County's real average earnings per job declined by -5.63%
Mendocino County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Mendocino 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 illustrates the annual percent change in Mendocino 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, Mendocino County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 0.00%. It averaged -0.55% during the 1980s, 0.88% in the 1990s, 2.26% in the 2000s, 0.74% in the 2010s, 0.60% 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 Mendocino County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for California and the nation. As the chart reveals, Mendocino County's average annual real average earnings per job growth lagged California's average in the 1970s (0.00% vs. 0.36%), amounted to less than California's average throughout the 1980s (-0.55% vs. 0.89%), posted below California's average during the 1990s (0.88% vs. 1.76%), outgained California's average throughout the 2000s (2.26% vs. 0.99%), amounted to less than California's average throughout the 2010s (0.74% vs. 1.43%), and outgained California's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.60% vs. 0.04%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Mendocino County fell under the nation over the 1970s (0.00% vs. 0.89%), lagged the nation during the 1980s (-0.55% vs. 0.71%), recorded underneath the nation throughout the 1990s (0.88% vs. 1.68%), recorded above the nation over the 2000s (2.26% vs. 0.72%), recorded underneath the nation throughout the 2010s (0.74% vs. 1.01%), and exceeded the nation over 2020-2022 (0.60% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.66
0.00
-0.55
0.88
2.26
0.74
0.60
-5.63
 
1.03
0.36
0.89
1.76
0.99
1.43
0.04
-7.99
 
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.

   
 
Mendocino County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,953
0.189
36,821
100.0
N
84.49
96.85
1970
 
7,322
0.198
37,044
100.6
0.61
84.64
96.39
1971
 
7,540
0.206
36,592
99.4
-1.22
82.50
93.05
1972
 
8,220
0.213
38,579
104.8
5.43
84.26
94.59
1973
 
8,882
0.225
39,555
107.4
2.53
86.67
95.13
1974
 
9,303
0.248
37,522
101.9
-5.14
85.09
93.70
1975
 
9,384
0.269
34,937
94.9
-6.89
80.24
87.60
1976
 
10,395
0.283
36,690
99.6
5.02
82.04
90.01
1977
 
11,048
0.302
36,611
99.4
-0.22
81.31
89.01
1978
 
12,255
0.323
37,970
103.1
3.71
83.57
91.07
1979
 
12,829
0.351
36,506
99.1
-3.86
80.94
88.06
1980
 
13,312
0.389
34,197
92.9
-6.33
77.36
85.03
1981
 
13,661
0.424
32,208
87.5
-5.82
73.39
80.05
1982
 
13,958
0.448
31,176
84.7
-3.20
70.35
77.59
1983
 
14,618
0.467
31,319
85.1
0.46
69.84
77.26
1984
 
15,823
0.484
32,666
88.7
4.30
70.78
78.41
1985
 
16,512
0.501
32,941
89.5
0.84
70.31
78.15
1986
 
17,132
0.512
33,449
90.8
1.54
69.26
77.60
1987
 
17,877
0.528
33,857
92.0
1.22
68.49
77.30
1988
 
18,653
0.549
33,998
92.3
0.42
68.37
76.42
1989
 
19,683
0.573
34,375
93.4
1.11
69.81
77.31
1990
 
20,030
0.598
33,508
91.0
-2.52
68.06
75.30
1991
 
20,495
0.618
33,178
90.1
-0.99
67.09
74.43
1992
 
21,367
0.634
33,691
91.5
1.55
65.24
72.73
1993
 
21,678
0.650
33,351
90.6
-1.01
64.94
72.02
1994
 
22,039
0.664
33,213
90.2
-0.41
64.80
71.30
1995
 
22,518
0.678
33,235
90.3
0.07
65.04
71.25
1996
 
23,654
0.692
34,181
92.8
2.85
65.91
72.09
1997
 
25,258
0.704
35,874
97.4
4.95
66.80
73.81
1998
 
25,876
0.710
36,461
99.0
1.64
65.33
71.86
1999
 
26,945
0.720
37,423
101.6
2.64
63.94
71.37
2000
 
28,270
0.738
38,295
104.0
2.33
61.25
70.85
2001
 
32,583
0.753
43,270
117.5
12.99
68.89
78.56
2002
 
34,027
0.763
44,602
121.1
3.08
70.66
80.24
2003
 
35,166
0.779
45,146
122.6
1.22
70.36
80.55
2004
 
35,331
0.798
44,260
120.2
-1.96
67.11
77.73
2005
 
36,168
0.821
44,039
119.6
-0.50
66.70
77.53
2006
 
37,710
0.844
44,659
121.3
1.41
66.97
77.85
2007
 
37,784
0.866
43,626
118.5
-2.31
66.34
76.51
2008
 
38,771
0.892
43,480
118.1
-0.34
67.88
77.08
2009
 
41,228
0.889
46,365
125.9
6.64
71.98
82.39
2010
 
46,313
0.905
51,166
139.0
10.36
76.70
88.74
2011
 
45,078
0.928
48,573
131.9
-5.07
72.13
84.05
2012
 
43,470
0.945
45,984
124.9
-5.33
68.17
78.95
2013
 
42,142
0.958
43,998
119.5
-4.32
65.75
75.47
2014
 
42,808
0.971
44,077
119.7
0.18
65.47
75.11
2015
 
44,186
0.973
45,413
123.3
3.03
65.50
76.18
2016
 
45,177
0.983
45,965
124.8
1.22
65.56
77.25
2017
 
46,783
1.000
46,783
127.1
1.78
65.46
77.55
2018
 
48,589
1.020
47,614
129.3
1.78
66.20
78.24
2019
 
51,173
1.035
49,436
134.3
3.83
66.65
79.44
2020
 
54,952
1.046
52,518
142.6
6.23
66.64
81.56
2021
 
57,931
1.090
53,148
144.3
1.20
66.21
82.26
2022
 
58,200
1.160
50,154
136.2
-5.63
67.90
81.30
Source: Calculations by the California Regional Economic Analysis Project (CA-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.

   
 
California:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
8,229
0.189
43,578
100.0
N
114.63
1970
 
8,651
0.198
43,768
100.4
0.43
113.89
1971
 
9,139
0.206
44,355
101.8
1.34
112.79
1972
 
9,756
0.213
45,787
105.1
3.23
112.26
1973
 
10,248
0.225
45,639
104.7
-0.32
109.77
1974
 
10,933
0.248
44,099
101.2
-3.38
110.13
1975
 
11,694
0.269
43,538
99.9
-1.27
109.16
1976
 
12,671
0.283
44,720
102.6
2.71
109.71
1977
 
13,587
0.302
45,027
103.3
0.69
109.47
1978
 
14,665
0.323
45,435
104.3
0.91
108.97
1979
 
15,851
0.351
45,105
103.5
-0.73
108.81
1980
 
17,207
0.389
44,203
101.4
-2.00
109.90
1981
 
18,614
0.424
43,886
100.7
-0.72
109.07
1982
 
19,840
0.448
44,315
101.7
0.98
110.29
1983
 
20,931
0.467
44,844
102.9
1.19
110.63
1984
 
22,356
0.484
46,154
105.9
2.92
110.78
1985
 
23,484
0.501
46,848
107.5
1.50
111.14
1986
 
24,735
0.512
48,292
110.8
3.08
112.04
1987
 
26,101
0.528
49,431
113.4
2.36
112.86
1988
 
27,281
0.549
49,723
114.1
0.59
111.77
1989
 
28,196
0.573
49,240
113.0
-0.97
110.75
1990
 
29,431
0.598
49,237
113.0
-0.01
110.65
1991
 
30,550
0.618
49,454
113.5
0.44
110.94
1992
 
32,749
0.634
51,638
118.5
4.42
111.48
1993
 
33,382
0.650
51,356
117.8
-0.55
110.90
1994
 
34,009
0.664
51,252
117.6
-0.20
110.03
1995
 
34,623
0.678
51,101
117.3
-0.29
109.55
1996
 
35,889
0.692
51,860
119.0
1.49
109.38
1997
 
37,812
0.704
53,705
123.2
3.56
110.50
1998
 
39,607
0.710
55,810
128.1
3.92
109.99
1999
 
42,140
0.720
58,527
134.3
4.87
111.63
2000
 
46,157
0.738
62,525
143.5
6.83
115.67
2001
 
47,296
0.753
62,808
144.1
0.45
114.03
2002
 
48,155
0.763
63,121
144.8
0.50
113.56
2003
 
49,981
0.779
64,165
147.2
1.65
114.49
2004
 
52,646
0.798
65,950
151.3
2.78
115.82
2005
 
54,226
0.821
66,027
151.5
0.12
116.24
2006
 
56,312
0.844
66,689
153.0
1.00
116.25
2007
 
56,956
0.866
65,764
150.9
-1.39
115.34
2008
 
57,114
0.892
64,051
147.0
-2.60
113.55
2009
 
57,280
0.889
64,417
147.8
0.57
114.47
2010
 
60,379
0.905
66,707
153.1
3.56
115.69
2011
 
62,497
0.928
67,343
154.5
0.95
116.53
2012
 
63,772
0.945
67,459
154.8
0.17
115.82
2013
 
64,097
0.958
66,921
153.6
-0.80
114.79
2014
 
65,384
0.971
67,323
154.5
0.60
114.73
2015
 
67,462
0.973
69,335
159.1
2.99
116.30
2016
 
68,911
0.983
70,114
160.9
1.12
117.84
2017
 
71,468
1.000
71,468
164.0
1.93
118.46
2018
 
73,398
1.020
71,926
165.0
0.64
118.19
2019
 
76,778
1.035
74,172
170.2
3.12
119.19
2020
 
82,463
1.046
78,810
180.8
6.25
122.39
2021
 
87,501
1.090
80,275
184.2
1.86
124.25
2022
 
85,710
1.160
73,860
169.5
-7.99
119.73
Source: Calculations by the California Regional Economic Analysis Project (CA-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 California Regional Economic Analysis Project (CA-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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