© Copyright 2005 by the Wyoming Department of Employment, Research & Planning

Regional Competition for Labor

by: Susan J. Murray, Researcher

Although Wyoming demonstrated better employment and wage growth than the region during the most recent national recession (Henderson, 2004), it appears that the regional competition for labor is expanding. Based on the most recently available statistics, several surrounding states are growing faster and paying better than Wyoming. 

Wage rates of some states in the region are beginning to grow at a faster pace than wage rates in Wyoming. Of the selected states, only Montana’s average weekly wage grew faster than Wyoming’s in fourth quarter 2002 (2.9% compared to 2.1%; see Table). However, according to the recently released quarterly data for fourth quarter 2004 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2005), Idaho (6.6%), Colorado (5.9%), and Utah (5.2%) had higher growth rates than Montana (4.2%) and Wyoming (4.1%). The $830 average weekly rate in Colorado remained significantly higher than Wyoming ($641) and the other selected states. 

References

Henderson, C. R. (2004) Economic recovery and labor availability in Wyoming. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, 41(7), 1-7, 16

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