Spokane Countys average weekly wage grew faster than King Countys in the first quarter of this year2.6 percent to 2.2 percent, compared with the year-earlier quarterbut that wasnt much to boast about, judging by the latest data released by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.


The increase put Spokane Countys average weekly wage at $598still far below King Countys average of $940, and well off the Washington state and U.S. averages of $757 and $758, respectively, the figures showed.


Among the states eight largest counties, Spokane County still ranked second to last in average weekly wage, topping only Yakima County, whichat $505was fifth from last among the nations 318 largest counties covered by the data. Cameron County, Texas, was dead last, at $445. Spokane Countys 2.6 percent average wage growth rate in the first quarter compared with a 3.8 percent national average and ranked 184th among the 318 counties.


Randy Barcus, chief economist for Spokane-based Avista Utilities, says the figures are interesting, but that people shouldnt read too much into them or be overly alarmed by them.


For the most part, were a metro area and were not going to be much different than the other metro areas around the state, setting aside King County, which skews state figures because of its big population and high cost of living, Barcus says. The national average weekly wage figure is skewed in similar fashion because half of the people in the country live in these high-cost metro areas, like Seattle, he says.


Downplaying differences in the percentage of growth in average weekly wage, he says, Id just be happy its not a negative number (for Spokane County). Its a relief more than anything else.


Snohomish County, just north of King County, ranked second in the state in average weekly wage, at $736, despite being the only county, and one of only 11 of the 318 counties studied, to see a decrease1.3 percentin the quarter-to-quarter comparisons. Pierce and Kitsap counties saw the biggest gains in average weekly wage over the prior-year quarter, at 4.4 percent and 3.8 percent.


New York County had the fastest growth in wages among the nations 10 largest counties, at 13.6 percent, and King Countys 2.2 percent was the slowest.


Across the country, some of the counties with average weekly wages similar to Spokane Countysall plus or minus less than $10 a weekincluded Alabamas Mobile County, South Carolinas Charleston County, Georgias Muscogee County, and Floridas Sarasota County.