The overall percentage change in average salary, total and by sector, since 2010.
Salaries are a gauge of overall economic health and a measure of the degree to which employees are sharing in the prosperity of a community. They also indicate the vitality of a region and its ability to compete and attract workers.
Although there have been shifts in average salaries among employment sectors, the overall average salary in Essex County in 2024 was $75,500, a 6% increase from 2010. This increase was less than the state and the nation, where the average salary increased by 16% and 12% respectively.
The greatest increases in average salary were in the Other Services (34%), Information (33%), Natural Resources and Mining (29%), and Professional and Business Services (28%) sectors in Essex County, while the Manufacturing and Health Care and Social Assistance sectors had declines (-1% and -4% respectively). Although Essex County, the state and nation had similar changes in many sectors, Essex had a larger increase in Financial Activities sector salaries (28%) compared to the state and nation with 19% and 17% increases, respectively.
Essex County's change in overall average salary was below the Middlesex, MA (16%) and Lake, IL (7%) but above Westchester (3%). The sectors with the greatest increase within each comparison county since 2010 were Information in Middlesex, MA and Westchester, NY (42% and 29% respectively), Other Services in Lake, IL (45%).
Data have been converted to 2024 dollars. Industries in which most of the workforce is full time (e.g., Manufacturing) will appear to pay significantly higher wages than ones that employ many part-timers (e.g., Retail or Leisure and Hospitality).
| Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 11% | 4% | 28% | 13% | -4% | 33% | 24% | -1% | 29% | 34% | 15% | 9% | 6% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 12% | -7% | 17% | 14% | 1% | 42% | 25% | -3% | -6% | 23% | 26% | 3% | 16% |
| Lake County, IL | 4% | 30% | 8% | 2% | -3% | 10% | 15% | 12% | 14% | 45% | 5% | 5% | 7% |
| Westchester County, NY | -5% | -9% | 5% | 15% | 10% | 29% | 11% | -2% | 14% | 4% | 7% | -4% | 3% |
| Massachusetts | 14% | 4% | 19% | 14% | -1% | 45% | 25% | -2% | -11% | 36% | 28% | 14% | 16% |
| Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 11% | 4% | 28% | 13% | -4% | 33% | 24% | -1% | 29% | 34% | 15% | 9% | 6% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 12% | -7% | 17% | 14% | 1% | 42% | 25% | -3% | -6% | 23% | 26% | 3% | 16% |
| Lake County, IL | 4% | 30% | 8% | 2% | -3% | 10% | 15% | 12% | 14% | 45% | 5% | 5% | 7% |
| Westchester County, NY | -5% | -9% | 5% | 15% | 10% | 29% | 11% | -2% | 14% | 4% | 7% | -4% | 3% |
| Massachusetts | 14% | 4% | 19% | 14% | -1% | 45% | 25% | -2% | -11% | 36% | 28% | 14% | 16% |
| INDICATORS | TREND | ESSEX COUNTY |
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