Gilliam County’s 2021 Payroll Down 13% to $44.4 Million

December 22, 2022

Gilliam County’s total all ownerships payroll fell to $44.4 million in 2021, a loss of 13.2% or $6.8 million. Government payroll rose by $0.8 million (+9.2%) to reach $9.7 million. Private industry payrolls fell to $34.7 million, a loss of $7.6 million (-17.9%). Oregon’s 2021 payroll rose by 9.4% or $10.4 billion in 2021 to reach $120.4 billion.

Gilliam County’s total all ownerships (private and government) employment fell by 85 jobs or 8.9% in 2021. The county’s job loss ranked 36th in 2021, just behind Sherman (-1.8%) and Malheur (-0.4%). Crook County’s 7.5% employment increase ranked first in 2021; 33 of 36 Oregon counties added jobs. Oregon’s 2021 employment rose by about 44,300 jobs or 2.4% to 1,880,900.

Oregon’s average wage reached $64,018 in 2021, exceeding Gilliam County’s $51,359 by about $12,700 or 20%. The Gilliam County average ranked 12th highest in Oregon, falling from sixth in 2020. Gilliam County’s average wage ranked just behind Jackson in 11th position ($51,907) and just ahead of Wasco ($50,381).

The annual wage gap exceeded $10,000 for 27 of Oregon’s 36 counties in 2021. Only two counties, Multnomah ($72,532), and Washington ($86,181) exceeded Oregon’s 2021 average wage. Multnomah County boasted Oregon’s largest payroll in 2021, with $34.9 billion or 29% of Oregon’s total payroll. Washington County’s 2021 payroll, at $25.2 billion ranked second (Gilliam 34th). Together the two metro counties held 49.9% of Oregon’s $120.4 billion payroll while hosting 41.1% of its jobs. Excluding Multnomah and Washington, average pay for Oregon’s remaining 34 counties falls to $54,460, a drop of about $9,600 or 15%.

Gilliam County’s 2021 private industry payroll fell by 17.9% or $7.6 million to $34.7 million. Private industry cut 87 jobs (-11.9%), dropping its total to 645. Confidentiality prohibited the release of employment and payroll data for several private industries in 2021, including these: manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; and information.

Construction met publication standards for confidentiality in 2021 but fell short in 2020. Construction averaged 59 jobs in 2021 with a payroll of $5.1 million. Wages averaged $86,878, exceeding Gilliam County’s 2021 pay by about $35,500.

Professional and business services increased its payroll by $1.8 million or 12%, rising to $16.4 million. Employment grew by nine jobs or 3.8% to average 245. Annual wages in professional and business services reached $66,808 in 2021, an increase of 7.9% or $4,872.

Payrolls in trade, transportation and utilities rose by $0.4 million or 6.6% to reach $7.0 million. Employment fell by one job to 126 and the industry paid $53,127, exceeding Gilliam County’s 2021 pay by about $1,800.

Local government led public ownerships with a payroll gain of $0.7 million, rising to $8.7 million. Local government represented 90% of government payrolls in 2021; and 91% of its jobs. Local government employment rose by one job to 201, while its pay averaged $43,305, trailing the county’s all ownerships wage by about $8,100.