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Issue 2, 2007
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
El Paso Branch
Correction: Low-Wage Occupations in El Paso
In "Low-Wage Occupations Remain
a Hallmark of El Paso Economy,"
which appeared in the last issue of
Crossroads (Issue 1, 2007), two tables
contained errors that did not affect the
article's conclusions.
In Table 1, wages and salaries
per worker were inadvertently shown
rather than per capita income. The new
figures do not change El Paso's low
ranking due to an income level near
two-thirds of the U.S. average, nor is
the city's ranking improved by adjustments
for the cost of living.
Table 2 contained errors in the calculation
of income growth for El Paso,
McAllen and Albuquerque. El Paso's
growth in real wages per worker was
significantly stronger than indicated in
the earlier calculations, matching the
U.S. However, growth in real wages
per worker in El Paso continued to lag
its peer cities—including Albuquerque
and McAllen.
Table 1
Per Capita Income Among El Paso's Peer Cities, 2005 |
| |
|
|
Adjusted for cost of living |
| |
Per capita income (dollars) |
Rank |
Per capita income (dollars) |
Rank |
| Sarasota, Fla. |
41,577 |
1 |
39,335 |
1 |
| Raleigh, N.C. |
35,624 |
2 |
37,979 |
3 |
| Tulsa, Okla. |
34,685 |
3 |
38,241 |
2 |
| Little Rock, Ark. |
32,770 |
4 |
34,386 |
5 |
| Greensboro, N.C. |
31,464 |
5 |
* |
* |
| Knoxville, Tenn. |
30,898 |
6 |
35,312 |
4 |
| Albuquerque, N.M. |
30,884 |
7 |
31,938 |
7 |
| Charleston, S.C. |
30,844 |
8 |
31,831 |
8 |
| Columbia, S.C. |
30,810 |
9 |
32,397 |
6 |
| Baton Rouge, La. |
29,654 |
10 |
29,044 |
10 |
| Greenville, S.C. |
29,464 |
11 |
30,982 |
9 |
| El Paso, Texas |
23,256 |
12 |
26,043 |
11 |
| McAllen, Texas |
16,359 |
13 |
19,686 |
12 |
|
*ACCRA data unavailable in 2005.
|
SOURCES: Bureau of Economic Analysis; Council for Community and Economic Research, ACCRA Cost of Living Index; Bureau of Labor Statistics; authors' calculations. |
Table 2
Increases in Real Wages, Salaries and Benefits per Worker, 1999–2005
|
| |
U.S. metros |
Peer cities |
El Paso |
McAllen |
Albuquerque |
| Real wages per worker 1999 |
$47,387 |
$38,702 |
$34,287 |
$28,773 |
$39,839 |
| Real wages per worker 2005 |
$51,877 |
$42,533 |
$37,440 |
$30,761 |
$43,810 |
| Percent of U.S. average 2005 |
100 |
82.0 |
72.2 |
59.3 |
84.4 |
| Annual percentage increase |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nominal wages |
4.5 |
4.9 |
4.6 |
8.9 |
5.4 |
| – Inflation |
2.2 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
2.3 |
| = Real wages |
2.3 |
2.7 |
2.4 |
6.8 |
3.1 |
| – Employment |
.5 |
.9 |
.7 |
4.6 |
1.2 |
| = Real wages per worker |
1.7 |
1.9 |
1.7 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
|
NOTES: Real wages are in 2005 dollars; percentage changes may not add up due to rounding.
|
SOURCES: Bureau of Economic Analysis; Bureau of Labor Statistics; authors' calculations. |
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