Rabun County vs. Georgia
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Rabun County vs. Georgia
Rabun County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $38,362
2022 Percent of State = 60.69%
Georgia:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $63,214
The United States economy has generated an impressive number of jobs since the 1970s. The contrast between the nation's vigorous employment growth and the modest performance of other major industrial countries is striking. Despite this rosy track record, the real (inflation adjusted) wages and salaries of many workers have stagnated or slipped in recent years. This development has provoked concerns about the quality of new jobs. Structural shifts in the composition of employment--from high-wage goods-producing to low-wage services-related sectors--is the culprit most often cited for the deteriorating quality of jobs.
Regions vary greatly in the make-up of their labor force, in their industry composition of employment, and their economic experience. Reviewing and examining recent developments in average earnings per job in Rabun County with comparisons to Georgia and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Rabun County.
Discussion: Average Annual Earnings Per Job are computed by dividing BEA total industry earnings estimates by the BEA total full- and part-time jobs estimates. No convenient or adequate means exist at the county or regional level for converting the job estimates to a full-time equivalent measure. So, interpret the average earnings per job estimates with caution in consideration of the following issues:
Average earnings per job within industries involving more part-time work is lower than industries involving more full-time work, although there could be little difference in the underlying wage of full-time workers. Such differences could also prevail between counties and regions. An increase in the proportion of part-time jobs over time may erode average earnings per job estimates, although full-time earnings per worker may have remained unchanged.
As with per capita income, average earnings per job may be subject to extreme short-run variation, especially in smaller counties. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller counties. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent counties owing to the extreme annual variations in farm incomes. Also, Since average earnings per job are just a simple average, it does not account for variations in the distribution of earnings among high- vs. low-wage jobs.
Rabun County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Rabun County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Rabun County's annual average earnings per job over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of Rabun County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Rabun County's average earnings per job increased 689.95%, from $4,856 in 1970 to $38,362 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 34.56%, from $24,569 in 1970 to $33,058 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Rabun County's and Georgia's annual real average earnings per job for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real average earnings per job patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Rabun County's real average earnings per job rose from $24,794 in 1969 to $33,058 in 2022, for a net gain of $8,264, or 33.33%. In comparison, Georgia's real average earnings per job increased from $32,225 in 1969 to $54,474 in 2022, for a net advance of $22,249, or 69.04%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Rabun County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Georgia, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real average earnings per job in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real average earnings per jobs in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real average earnings per job growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Rabun County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 33.33% over 1969-2022 trailed Georgia's increase of 69.04%, and fell below the United States' increase of 62.26%.
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 displays the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Rabun County and Georgia average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Rabun County's average earnings per job amounted to 65.22% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 53.59%. Similarly, in 1969, Georgia's average earnings per job totaled 84.76% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 88.30%.
Rabun County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Rabun County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Rabun County's real average earnings per job growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Rabun County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 0.62% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 2012 (9.68%) and posted its lowest growth in 2011 (-8.36%). In 2022, Rabun County's real average earnings per job declined by -4.17%
Rabun County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Rabun County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again shows the annual percent change in Rabun County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Rabun County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 0.53%. It averaged 0.41% throughout the 1980s, 2.37% in the 1990s, -0.58% throughout the 2000s, 0.29% during the 2010s, 0.81% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Rabun County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Georgia and the nation. As the chart reveals, Rabun County's average annual real average earnings per job growth fell below Georgia's average throughout the 1970s (0.53% vs. 1.32%), trailed Georgia's average throughout the 1980s (0.41% vs. 1.30%), outpaced Georgia's average in the 1990s (2.37% vs. 2.25%), trailed Georgia's average during the 2000s (-0.58% vs. 0.07%), fell below Georgia's average during the 2010s (0.29% vs. 0.83%), and surpassed Georgia's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.81% vs. -1.24%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Rabun County lagged the nation during the 1970s (0.53% vs. 0.89%), lagged the nation in the 1980s (0.41% vs. 0.71%), led the nation during the 1990s (2.37% vs. 1.68%), posted below the nation during the 2000s (-0.58% vs. 0.72%), fell below the nation over the 2010s (0.29% vs. 1.01%), and topped the nation over 2020-2022 (0.81% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.62
0.53
0.41
2.37
-0.58
0.29
0.81
-4.17
 
1.02
1.32
1.30
2.25
0.07
0.83
-1.24
-4.16
 
0.93
0.89
0.71
1.68
0.72
1.01
-0.24
-4.51
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Rabun County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
4,682
0.189
24,794
100.0
N
76.94
65.22
1970
 
4,856
0.198
24,569
99.1
-0.91
75.05
63.93
1971
 
5,032
0.206
24,420
98.5
-0.60
72.48
62.10
1972
 
5,264
0.213
24,704
99.6
1.16
69.93
60.57
1973
 
5,982
0.225
26,641
107.4
7.84
73.22
64.07
1974
 
6,295
0.248
25,391
102.4
-4.69
72.26
63.41
1975
 
6,618
0.269
24,638
99.4
-2.97
70.79
61.77
1976
 
7,153
0.283
25,247
101.8
2.47
70.30
61.94
1977
 
7,390
0.302
24,490
98.8
-3.00
67.84
59.54
1978
 
8,467
0.323
26,232
105.8
7.11
71.35
62.92
1979
 
9,113
0.351
25,930
104.6
-1.15
70.76
62.55
1980
 
9,538
0.389
24,501
98.8
-5.51
69.25
60.92
1981
 
9,863
0.424
23,253
93.8
-5.10
64.96
57.79
1982
 
9,831
0.448
21,958
88.6
-5.57
60.83
54.65
1983
 
10,225
0.467
21,907
88.4
-0.23
59.35
54.05
1984
 
11,232
0.484
23,188
93.5
5.84
60.68
55.66
1985
 
12,439
0.501
24,815
100.1
7.02
63.70
58.87
1986
 
12,938
0.512
25,259
101.9
1.79
62.68
58.60
1987
 
13,703
0.528
25,951
104.7
2.74
63.11
59.25
1988
 
14,493
0.549
26,416
106.5
1.79
63.22
59.38
1989
 
15,328
0.573
26,768
108.0
1.33
64.34
60.20
1990
 
16,130
0.598
26,985
108.8
0.81
64.62
60.64
1991
 
16,596
0.618
26,866
108.4
-0.44
63.17
60.27
1992
 
17,586
0.634
27,730
111.8
3.22
62.70
59.86
1993
 
18,632
0.650
28,664
115.6
3.37
65.38
61.90
1994
 
19,712
0.664
29,707
119.8
3.64
67.00
63.77
1995
 
20,281
0.678
29,933
120.7
0.76
66.81
64.17
1996
 
21,009
0.692
30,358
122.4
1.42
66.29
64.03
1997
 
21,959
0.704
31,188
125.8
2.73
66.57
64.17
1998
 
22,802
0.710
32,130
129.6
3.02
64.53
63.32
1999
 
24,328
0.720
33,788
136.3
5.16
65.14
64.44
2000
 
24,618
0.738
33,348
134.5
-1.30
62.88
61.69
2001
 
25,497
0.753
33,860
136.6
1.54
62.36
61.47
2002
 
26,255
0.763
34,414
138.8
1.64
62.66
61.91
2003
 
27,441
0.779
35,229
142.1
2.37
63.64
62.86
2004
 
29,521
0.798
36,982
149.2
4.98
66.29
64.95
2005
 
30,032
0.821
36,568
147.5
-1.12
66.55
64.38
2006
 
30,385
0.844
35,984
145.1
-1.60
65.83
62.73
2007
 
30,151
0.866
34,814
140.4
-3.25
65.20
61.06
2008
 
28,948
0.892
32,464
130.9
-6.75
63.16
57.55
2009
 
28,205
0.889
31,719
127.9
-2.29
60.84
56.36
2010
 
28,933
0.905
31,965
128.9
0.77
60.91
55.44
2011
 
27,186
0.928
29,294
118.2
-8.36
56.15
50.69
2012
 
30,373
0.945
32,129
129.6
9.68
61.58
55.16
2013
 
31,060
0.958
32,428
130.8
0.93
62.06
55.63
2014
 
30,528
0.971
31,433
126.8
-3.07
59.35
53.57
2015
 
31,031
0.973
31,892
128.6
1.46
58.36
53.50
2016
 
32,865
0.983
33,439
134.9
4.85
60.68
56.20
2017
 
33,256
1.000
33,256
134.1
-0.55
59.78
55.13
2018
 
33,300
1.020
32,632
131.6
-1.88
58.59
53.62
2019
 
33,461
1.035
32,326
130.4
-0.94
57.12
51.94
2020
 
34,710
1.046
33,172
133.8
2.62
58.18
51.51
2021
 
37,604
1.090
34,498
139.1
4.00
60.69
53.40
2022
 
38,362
1.160
33,058
133.3
-4.17
60.69
53.59
Source: Calculations by the Georgia Regional Economic Analysis Project (GA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Georgia:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,085
0.189
32,225
100.0
N
84.76
1970
 
6,470
0.198
32,735
101.6
1.58
85.18
1971
 
6,942
0.206
33,692
104.6
2.92
85.67
1972
 
7,528
0.213
35,328
109.6
4.86
86.62
1973
 
8,171
0.225
36,387
112.9
3.00
87.51
1974
 
8,712
0.248
35,139
109.0
-3.43
87.75
1975
 
9,348
0.269
34,804
108.0
-0.95
87.26
1976
 
10,175
0.283
35,913
111.4
3.19
88.11
1977
 
10,893
0.302
36,100
112.0
0.52
87.77
1978
 
11,867
0.323
36,767
114.1
1.85
88.18
1979
 
12,879
0.351
36,647
113.7
-0.33
88.40
1980
 
13,773
0.389
35,382
109.8
-3.45
87.97
1981
 
15,182
0.424
35,794
111.1
1.16
88.96
1982
 
16,161
0.448
36,096
112.0
0.85
89.83
1983
 
17,229
0.467
36,911
114.5
2.26
91.06
1984
 
18,510
0.484
38,213
118.6
3.53
91.72
1985
 
19,527
0.501
38,955
120.9
1.94
92.42
1986
 
20,640
0.512
40,298
125.1
3.45
93.49
1987
 
21,714
0.528
41,123
127.6
2.05
93.89
1988
 
22,926
0.549
41,785
129.7
1.61
93.93
1989
 
23,824
0.573
41,606
129.1
-0.43
93.58
1990
 
24,961
0.598
41,758
129.6
0.36
93.84
1991
 
26,271
0.618
42,528
132.0
1.85
95.40
1992
 
28,050
0.634
44,229
137.3
4.00
95.48
1993
 
28,497
0.650
43,841
136.0
-0.88
94.67
1994
 
29,421
0.664
44,338
137.6
1.13
95.19
1995
 
30,354
0.678
44,801
139.0
1.04
96.04
1996
 
31,691
0.692
45,794
142.1
2.22
96.59
1997
 
32,987
0.704
46,852
145.4
2.31
96.40
1998
 
35,337
0.710
49,794
154.5
6.28
98.13
1999
 
37,349
0.720
51,873
161.0
4.18
98.93
2000
 
39,153
0.738
53,037
164.6
2.24
98.12
2001
 
40,890
0.753
54,301
168.5
2.38
98.59
2002
 
41,897
0.763
54,918
170.4
1.14
98.80
2003
 
43,120
0.779
55,357
171.8
0.80
98.77
2004
 
44,536
0.798
55,791
173.1
0.78
97.98
2005
 
45,128
0.821
54,949
170.5
-1.51
96.74
2006
 
46,159
0.844
54,665
169.6
-0.52
95.29
2007
 
46,245
0.866
53,397
165.7
-2.32
93.65
2008
 
45,831
0.892
51,398
159.5
-3.74
91.12
2009
 
46,356
0.889
52,132
161.8
1.43
92.64
2010
 
47,504
0.905
52,483
162.9
0.67
91.02
2011
 
48,418
0.928
52,173
161.9
-0.59
90.28
2012
 
49,323
0.945
52,175
161.9
0.00
89.58
2013
 
50,045
0.958
52,250
162.1
0.14
89.63
2014
 
51,435
0.971
52,960
164.3
1.36
90.25
2015
 
53,175
0.973
54,651
169.6
3.19
91.67
2016
 
54,164
0.983
55,110
171.0
0.84
92.62
2017
 
55,636
1.000
55,636
172.6
0.95
92.22
2018
 
56,833
1.020
55,693
172.8
0.10
91.51
2019
 
58,580
1.035
56,592
175.6
1.62
90.94
2020
 
59,654
1.046
57,012
176.9
0.74
88.54
2021
 
61,957
1.090
56,841
176.4
-0.30
87.98
2022
 
63,214
1.160
54,474
169.0
-4.16
88.30
Source: Calculations by the Georgia Regional Economic Analysis Project (GA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,179
0.189
38,018
100.0
N
1970
 
7,596
0.198
38,430
101.1
1.08
1971
 
8,103
0.206
39,326
103.4
2.33
1972
 
8,691
0.213
40,786
107.3
3.71
1973
 
9,336
0.225
41,579
109.4
1.94
1974
 
9,928
0.248
40,044
105.3
-3.69
1975
 
10,713
0.269
39,883
104.9
-0.40
1976
 
11,549
0.283
40,761
107.2
2.20
1977
 
12,412
0.302
41,131
108.2
0.91
1978
 
13,457
0.323
41,694
109.7
1.37
1979
 
14,568
0.351
41,454
109.0
-0.58
1980
 
15,657
0.389
40,220
105.8
-2.98
1981
 
17,066
0.424
40,237
105.8
0.04
1982
 
17,989
0.448
40,181
105.7
-0.14
1983
 
18,920
0.467
40,535
106.6
0.88
1984
 
20,181
0.484
41,663
109.6
2.78
1985
 
21,130
0.501
42,152
110.9
1.17
1986
 
22,078
0.512
43,104
113.4
2.26
1987
 
23,126
0.528
43,799
115.2
1.61
1988
 
24,408
0.549
44,487
117.0
1.57
1989
 
25,460
0.573
44,462
117.0
-0.05
1990
 
26,599
0.598
44,498
117.0
0.08
1991
 
27,537
0.618
44,577
117.3
0.18
1992
 
29,378
0.634
46,323
121.8
3.92
1993
 
30,101
0.650
46,309
121.8
-0.03
1994
 
30,909
0.664
46,580
122.5
0.59
1995
 
31,605
0.678
46,646
122.7
0.14
1996
 
32,810
0.692
47,411
124.7
1.64
1997
 
34,218
0.704
48,600
127.8
2.51
1998
 
36,011
0.710
50,743
133.5
4.41
1999
 
37,751
0.720
52,432
137.9
3.33
2000
 
39,903
0.738
54,053
142.2
3.09
2001
 
41,477
0.753
55,080
144.9
1.90
2002
 
42,406
0.763
55,584
146.2
0.92
2003
 
43,655
0.779
56,045
147.4
0.83
2004
 
45,456
0.798
56,943
149.8
1.60
2005
 
46,648
0.821
56,800
149.4
-0.25
2006
 
48,442
0.844
57,368
150.9
1.00
2007
 
49,382
0.866
57,019
150.0
-0.61
2008
 
50,298
0.892
56,407
148.4
-1.07
2009
 
50,041
0.889
56,276
148.0
-0.23
2010
 
52,191
0.905
57,661
151.7
2.46
2011
 
53,633
0.928
57,792
152.0
0.23
2012
 
55,061
0.945
58,245
153.2
0.78
2013
 
55,837
0.958
58,296
153.3
0.09
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
154.3
0.66
2015
 
58,005
0.973
59,615
156.8
1.59
2016
 
58,480
0.983
59,501
156.5
-0.19
2017
 
60,329
1.000
60,329
158.7
1.39
2018
 
62,102
1.020
60,856
160.1
0.87
2019
 
64,419
1.035
62,233
163.7
2.26
2020
 
67,378
1.046
64,393
169.4
3.47
2021
 
70,421
1.090
64,606
169.9
0.33
2022
 
71,586
1.160
61,690
162.3
-4.51
Source: Calculations by the Georgia Regional Economic Analysis Project (GA-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PN
 
   
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