THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 20, 1994 TAG: 9406180433
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, BUSINESS WEEKLY STAFF
DATELINE: 940620 LENGTH: Medium
Hampton Roads ranks sixth out the seven largest metro areas in Virginia when it comes to average weekly wages, reported the latest quarterly survey of the state's employers by the Virginia Employment Commission.
{REST} For the quarter ended Sept. 30, 1993, the average weekly civilian wage at the 24,415 Hampton Roads employers surveyed by the VEC was $426, up 2.9 percent from the $414 average during the same quarter in 1992.
Only Danville, where pay averaged $403 a week, ranked lower among the state's largest metro areas. Danville is gaining on Hampton Roads, however. Its most recent average was up 4.9 percent from the year-earlier level.
Here are the 1993 third-quarter breakdowns for the other metros, reported the VEC:
Northern Virginia, $614 a week, up 3.4 percent from $594 a year earlier.
Richmond-Petersburg, $496 a week, up 3.8 percent from $478.
Charlottesville, $444 a week, up 4.0 percent from $427.
Roanoke, $434 a week, up 4.3 percent from $416.
Lynchburg, $429 a week, up 6.7 percent from $402.
Within Hampton Roads, Portsmouth, boosted by high-paying jobs at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, leads all cities and counties in the average wage paid by employers.
Ironically, the average income of Portsmouth residents is among the lowest in Hampton Roads, however, because relatively few people who work at the shipyard live in Portsmouth. Most of them commute there from other cities.
A reverse phenomenon applies to Poquoson. Its residents, many of whom commute to jobs in Newport News and Hampton, are among the highest-paid on average in Hampton Roads. But people who work right in Poquoson are among the lowest-paid.
Here's a breakdown for 1993 third-quarter civilian wages for local cities and counties, reported the VEC:
Portsmouth, $510 a week, up 6.7 percent from $478 in the 1992 third quarter.
Isle of Wight County, $472 a week, down 4.3 percent from $493.
Norfolk, $464 a week, up 1.8 percent from $456.
Newport News, $454 a week, up 2.5 percent from $443.
Hampton, $445 a week, up 3.7 percent from $429.
York County, $416 a week, down 2.1 percent from $425.
Chesapeake, $399 a week, up 3.6 percent from $385.
Suffolk, $392 a week, up 6.2 percent from $369.
James City County, $377 a week, up 4.1 percent from $362.
Williamsburg, $369 a week, up 5.7 percent from $349.
Virginia Beach, $367 a week, up 3.1 percent from $356.
Poquoson, $314 a week, up 5.7 percent from $297.
Gloucester County, $312 a week, up 1.3 percent from $308.
Mathews County, $274 a week, up 4.2 percent from $263.
Here's an industry breakdown for wages paid by Hampton Roads civilian employers in the 1993 third quarter, reported the VEC:
Agriculture, forestry, fishing: $278 a week, down from $284 a week in the 1992 third quarter.
Construction: $434 a week, up from $418.
Manufacturing: $572 a week, up from $548.
Trucking/warehousing: $405 a week, up from $389.
Water transportation: $601 a week, up from $568.
Airlines: $511 a week, up from $509.
Communications services: $572 a week, up from $552.
Wholesale trade: $531 a week, up from $512.
Grocery stores: $220 a week, unchanged.
Restaurants: $160 a week, up from $154.
Department stores: $234 a week, up from $228.
Finance, insurance and real estate: $481 a week, up from $469.
Hotels, motels: $214 a week, up from $198.
Health care: $506 a week, up from $502.
Local government: $437 a week, down from $438.
State government: $430 a week, up from $428.
Federal government: $659 a week, up from $626.
{KEYWORDS} ALMANAC
by CNB