States where wages are growing fastest in America

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock Did you receive a pay raise this year? If so, and it was enough to offset the increasing prices amid record inflation, polling suggests you’re in the minority. Only 17% of Americans said their wages had kept up with record rates of inflation in early 2022, according to a poll commissioned by The New York Times. The prices of all goods and services went from increasing at a 2% rate annually in March 2021 to 8.5% by March 2022. Earnings growth largely stagnated over the last decade for the typical American worker, growing at a rate of about 2% each year–a rate that began ticking upward as the COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in 2020 put immense pressure on the U.S. workforce. Women abandoned the workforce in droves as schools closed temporarily to in-person learning. Many child care providers also were forced to shutter permanently as families sheltered at home. Many older workers nearing retirement left their jobs. Since economies began roaring back to life across the country, employers struggled to find and attract workers and raise pay to entice new hires. To identify the states where American workers have made the most gains, Stacker collected data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing the percent change in average weekly wages by state for the first quarter of 2022. States are ranked based on the percent change between the first quarter of 2021 and 2022. Any ties were broken by looking at a more precise calculation. With a 2-1 ratio of job openings to people in the workforce for most of this year, workers have discovered newfound leverage to obtain higher pay and benefits by switching jobs. Connecticut had the largest net change in average weekly wages, with an increase of $145. Connecticut is home to a large financial services industry and a relatively wealthy population compared to the rest of the nation, though, and ranked among the top 10 in terms of year-over-year change. The state that saw the largest percentage increase in wages year over year was Wyoming. New York has the highest average weekly wages, at $1,972; Mississippi has the lowest, at $879. In Mississippi, however, the typical worker saw their pay increase by $69 from 2021 to 2022, ranking the Southern U.S. state in the upper half of wage growth. Mississippi is among the five states with no minimum wage law, and a legislative proposal to institute and gradually raise a minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2025 failed to become law this year. You may also like: 50 women who broke barriers in the business world #50. California San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 1.0% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,644 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,627 – Net increase: $17 #49. Maryland Jeff Greenberg // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 2.0% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,410 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,382 – Net increase: $28 #48. Washington EchoVisuals // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 3.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,596 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,538 – Net increase: $58 #47. Hawaii Jeff Whyte // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 4.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,135 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,089 – Net increase: $46 #46. New Jersey Mark Makela // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 4.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,606 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,535 – Net increase: $71 You may also like: Do you know the brands behind these famous slogans? #45. Alaska Darryl Brooks // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 4.9% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,178 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,123 – Net increase: $55 #44. New York Nick Starichenko // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 5.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,972 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,868 – Net increase: $104 #43. Massachusetts Boston Globe // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 5.9% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,827 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,726 – Net increase: $101 #42. West Virginia Khairil Azhar Junos // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.1% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $968 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $912 – Net increase: $56 #41. Michigan Bill Pugliano // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,225 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,154 – Net increase: $71 You may also like: Most rural counties in America #40. New Mexico Robert Alexander // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.5% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,018 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $956 – Net increase: $62 #39. Virginia ImagineerInc // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,366 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,282 – Net increase: $84 #38. Rhode Island littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,249 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,170 – Net increase: $79 #37. Minnesota Joe Ferrer // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,374 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,287 – Net increase: $87 #36. Pennsylvania Ludmila Ruzickova // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.9% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,309 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,225 – Net increase: $84 You may also like: The industries where workers are quitting their jobs in droves #35. North Dakota Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 6.9% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,106 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,035 – Net increase: $71 #34. Missouri LanaG // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.0% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,128 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,054 – Net increase: $74 #33. Illinois Sorbis // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.3% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,487 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,386 – Net increase: $101 #32. Oregon Torgado // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.4% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,259 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,172 – Net increase: $87 #31. Ohio Dustin Franz for The Washington Post // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.5% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,179 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,097 – Net increase: $82 You may also like: 50 most popular chain restaurants in America #30. Arizona Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.5% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,234 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,148 – Net increase: $86 #29. Delaware quiggyt4 // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.5% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,362 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,267 – Net increase: $95 #28. Kentucky 4kclips // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,038 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $965 – Net increase: $73 #27. Iowa f11photo // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,080 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,004 – Net increase: $76 #26. Vermont Robert Nickelsberg // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.7% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,107 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,028 – Net increase: $79 You may also like: States where food stamps are used the most #25. New Hampshire Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 7.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,361 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,262 – Net increase: $99 #24. Nevada RYO Alexandre // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.0% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,164 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,078 – Net increase: $86 #23. Oklahoma Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.0% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,012 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $937 – Net increase: $75 #22. Utah George Frey // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,152 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,065 – Net increase: $87 #21. Alabama Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,072 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $991 – Net increase: $81 You may also like: States with the most farmland #20. Montana melissamn // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.3% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $991 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $915 – Net increase: $76 #19. Idaho B Brown // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.5% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $982 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $905 – Net increase: $77 #18. Mississippi Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.5% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $879 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $810 – Net increase: $69 #17. South Dakota Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,012 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $932 – Net increase: $80 #16. Louisiana Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.6% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,058 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $974 – Net increase: $84 You may also like: Marijuana violations are taking truck drivers off the road, adding more supply chain disruptions #15. Wisconsin PJiiiJane // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.7% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,137 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,046 – Net increase: $91 #14. Texas Grossinger // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.7% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,369 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,259 – Net increase: $110 #13. Georgia RodClementPhotography // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,301 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,196 – Net increase: $105 #12. Tennessee Cara Siera // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,172 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,077 – Net increase: $95 #11. Colorado Joe Amon // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 8.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,455 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,337 – Net increase: $118 You may also like: 25 richest families in America #10. Kansas Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 9.0% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,073 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $984 – Net increase: $89 #9. Nebraska Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 9.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,079 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $988 – Net increase: $91 #8. South Carolina Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 9.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,043 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $955 – Net increase: $88 #7. Connecticut GREG PATTON // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 9.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,716 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,571 – Net increase: $145 #6. North Carolina Joseph K Fuller // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 9.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,241 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,136 – Net increase: $105 You may also like: Youngest billionaires in America #5. Indiana John Gress Media Inc // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 9.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,127 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,026 – Net increase: $101 #4. Maine Boston Globe // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 10.3% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,103 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,000 – Net increase: $103 #3. Florida Joe Raedle // Getty Images – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 10.8% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,222 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $1,103 – Net increase: $119 #2. Arkansas shuttersv // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 10.9% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,060 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $956 – Net increase: $104 #1. Wyoming Kit Leong // Shutterstock – 1-year increase in weekly wages: 11.2% – Q1 2022 average weekly wages: $1,059 – Q1 2021 average weekly wages: $952 – Net increase: $107 You may also like: Iconic car debuts from the year you were born