The Share of Minimum Wage Jobs Higher in Eastern Oregon

Roughly 5.5 percent of jobs (115,225 jobs) paid minimum wage or less in Oregon in the third quarter of 2016. There are some exemptions when workers earn less than the minimum wage. The share of minimum wage jobs in Oregon has not changed much during the last 16 years. Since 2001 Oregon’s minimum wage jobs have accounted for between 4 and 6 percent of total jobs. This share does vary by county, however.

Counties with a higher share of minimum wage jobs tended to be in rural areas. Eastern Oregon had a greater share of minimum wage jobs than other areas of the state. The highest shares of minimum wage jobs were found in Malheur (12.6%) and Harney (10.2%) counties. Other counties with a high percentage of minimum wage jobs included Grant (9.2%), Wheeler (9.2%), Baker (8.6%), and Wallowa (8.1%).

Six counties had a share of minimum wage jobs lower than the statewide share of 5.5 percent. These included Morrow (2.2%), Multnomah (3.9%), Hood River (4.2%), Washington (4.3%), Crook (4.8%), and Umatilla (5.4%) counties.

Read the full article "The Share of Minimum Wage Jobs Higher in Eastern Oregon" written by Economist Felicia Bechtoldt.