The jobs engine was roaring in Utah’s four largest counties during the 12 months that ended in March, but wages continued to trail well behind the U.S. average, according to preliminary government figures released Tuesday.
Mark Knold, chief economist at the state Department of Workforce Services, cautioned that the gulf between vigorous job growth and sub-par compensation shouldn’t be an indictment of Utah’s economy. Instead, he thinks it speaks volumes about the distinctive structure of Utah’s labor force, which is much younger than the national average.
Employment shot up 4.2 percent in Davis and Utah counties from the end of March 2011 to the same month of this year, the U.S. Commerce Department said. In Salt Lake County, employment increased 3.5 percent, and in Weber County the year-over-year growth rate was 2.1 percent.
The four Wasatch Front counties —which account for 79.2 of all employment in the state — outpaced the national growth average of 1.8 percent in the same yearlong period, the department said. Salt Lake Tribune
