As many government employees as farmers in Greene County
The median wage in Greene County is $16.80 an hour, which adds up to $52,000 a year, according to a laborshed employment study recently completed by Midwest Partnership Economic Development.
The study showed that in Greene County, 77.3 percent of the estimated population is employed, with 21.9 percent working multiple jobs. They’re working an average of 42 hours a week. Ten percent of the respondents are retired.
The information was collected via surveys of employers done by Iowa Workforce Development and a confidential household telephone survey.
The study found the largest concentration of workers – 17 percent – are employed in the healthcare and social services industry. That industry ranked fifth in wages, with a median hourly wage of $14.13 and median annual earnings of $56,000.
Education ranked second in the number of employees at 14.4 percent and seventh in wages, with a median hourly wage of $15.80 and median annual earnings of $52,000.
Wholesale and retail trade was third in the number of employees at 13.8 percent and eighth in wages, with a median hourly wage of $12.13 and median annual earnings of $50,000.
Rounding out the top five employment categories are manufacturing with 11.5 percent of employees and agriculture/forestry/mining and public administration and government, both with 7.9 percent.
Agriculture ranked last in wages, with a median hourly wage of $12 and median annual earnings of $40,000.
The best paid jobs in Greene County are in transportation/communication/utilities, with a median hourly wage of $20 and median annual earnings of $90,000.
In earnings, public administration/government was second, with a median hourly wage of $25 but median annual earnings of $68,000. The median annual earnings reflects the gap between the highest paid in the category and those earning lower wages.
The study identified that 25.3 percent of employed Jefferson residents, approximately 550 persons, work in other communities, with most of the commuters driving to Ames, Boone, Carroll, Des Moines, Grand Junction or Perry. Notably, only 4.3 percent of the outbound commuters, 24 persons, said they were likely to change employment, while a total of 20.9 percent of all employed respondents said they were likely to change employment.
The summary of the study can be found at www.midwestpartnership.com.
