Report: Montgomery tops state in fastest wage growth

Houston Business Journal

Montgomery County had the fastest rate of increase in average weekly wages among Texas' largest counties in the third quarter of 2008, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics , a division of the U.S. Department of Labor .

The county, which is home to The Woodlands, saw a 5.5 percent rise in wages compared to the third quarter of 2007. Montgomery's growth puts the county at No. 18 in the nation for the growth in that quarter.

Among the state's largest counties in the Houston area, Galveston County saw an increase of 3.5 percent; Harris County, 3 percent; Fort Bend County, 2.1 percent; and Brazoria County, 0.8 percent.

Of the nation's 334 largest counties, Rutherford County in Tennessee (Murfreesboro) had the highest weekly wage growth of 17.3 percent during the quarter.

Harris County residents took home the most for a week among Texas' 24 largest counties — $1,050. That was followed by Dallas County with $1,025 a week. The national average weekly take-home pay was $841.

Wages in two area counties — Brazoria and Galveston — fell below the nation at $800 and $803, respectively, but were within 5 percent of the national average.

New York County residents pull in the most weekly coin at $1,552.

At the lower end of the pay scale, four of the seven lowest-paying large counties in the United States were located in Texas along the Mexican border — Cameron, $538; Hidalgo, $549; Webb, $559; and El Paso, $601.