In Cowlitz County, jobs in the basic chemical manufacturing pay the highest wages

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Jobs in the basic chemical manufacturing industry reported the top wages in Cowlitz County for the 2nd quarter of 2006. The average worker in the industry in Cowlitz County earned an annual wage of $71,961 in 2nd quarter of 2006. The wage rate is greater than the industry wage rate in Washington of $67,636 and less than then the pay for jobs in this industry across the nation of $74,078.

High-wage employment in Cowlitz County, Washington can be found in pulp, paper, and paperboard mills ($67,166), computer systems design and related services ($65,036), misc. durable goods merchant wholesalers ($59,980) and chemical merchant wholesalers ($58,352) industries. Note: Click Graph Above for Detail Comparison

About: These facts are part of the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Cowlitz County Wages have increased by 13.3% Since 2001

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From the second quarter of 2001 to the second quarter of 2006, industry wages have increased in Cowlitz County, Washington by a total of 13.3%. This is greater than the growth in wages for the State of Washington and less than the growth in industry wages across the US.

About: These facts are part of the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Cowlitz County Industry Wages Lag Behind Washington, and Wages Lag Behind the United States

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Total wages in all industries in Cowlitz County, Washington when analyzed can be understood as being relatively high when compared to other 2nd quarter of 2006 County wages throughout the state. The average pay is 17.2 percent lower than the with an state average of $41,025. The overall industry wage was less than the US average pay of $40,259.

About: These facts are part of the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Cowlitz County Five-Year Industry Employment Change

Total industry employment has decreased by 3.3 percent from 2001 (2nd Quarter). These figures are greater than percent in the State of Washington, which went through a gain of 5.3 percent since the 2nd Quarter of 2001. The losses felt were greater than than the gain experienced overall in the US of 2.6 percent.

Cowlitz County Five-Year Percentage Growth in Employment

The Converted paper product manufacturing industry has experienced the largest percentage growth, expanding by 360.0 percent from the 2001 (Q2) to the 2006 (Q2). This industry in Cowlitz County has increased employment faster than the industry has grown in the State of Washington, where this industry saw a loss of 6.7 percent. The Converted paper product manufacturing industry in Cowlitz County outpaced the United States, which experienced a lost 17.2 percent of the industry employment.

Top 5 Industries
1. Converted paper product manufacturing (360.0 percent gain)
2. Building material and supplies dealers (219.4 percent gain)
3. Clothing stores (189.8 percent gain)
4. Computer systems design and related services (164.6 percent gain)
5. Investigation and security services (160.0 percent gain)

Cowlitz County Five-Year Percentage Decline in Employment

The Other specialty trade contractors industry has seen the largest percentage drop in employment, losing 72.2 percent from 2001 (Q2) to 2006 (Q2). The losses of the area have declined faster than the industry has experienced in the State of Washington, where the industry sector experienced a gain of 27.2 percent. The losses in the Other specialty trade contractors industry in Cowlitz County outpaced the US in terms of percent of decline of industry employment. The US gained 22.3 percent in terms of employment in the Other specialty trade contractors industry.

Top 5 Industries
1. Other specialty trade contractors (72.2 percent decline)
2. Electronic equipment repair and maintenance (54.6 percent decline)
3. Commercial machinery repair and maintenance (53.8 percent decline)
4. Office supplies, stationery, and gift stores (52.2 percent decline)
5. Household goods repair and maintenance (50.5 percent decline)

Total Five-Year Employment Growth in Cowlitz County

Of the industries (4-digit NAICS) in the area, the Building material and supplies dealers industry has added the most employment with 298 employees finding new jobs in the industry. The employment growth in the Building material and supplies dealers industry makes up 14.1 percent of the growth in Cowlitz County.

Top 5 Industries
1. Building material and supplies dealers (298 new jobs)
2. Building foundation and exterior contractors (172 new jobs)
3. Outpatient care centers (152 new jobs)
4. Employment services (145 new jobs)
5. Converted paper product manufacturing (138 new jobs)

In Cowlitz County, Washington, the entire sum of jobs in all industries overall has decreased by 1,089 total jobs between the 2nd Quarter of 2001 and 2nd Quarter of 2006.

Given the 95 industries (4-digit NAICS) with sufficient data reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in each quarter, 47 described an expansion of jobs throughout the time period, while 48 industries reported employment loss in the period.

Total Five-Year Employment Decline in Cowlitz County

Of the area's industries (4-digit NAICS), the Other specialty trade contractors industry witnessed the largest drop in employment, losing a total of 465 jobs during the time period. The jobs lost in the Other specialty trade contractors industry make up 20.6 percent of the total employment decline in Cowlitz County, Washington.

Top 5 Industries
1. Other specialty trade contractors (465 jobs lost)
2. Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills (366 jobs lost)
3. Grocery stores (139 jobs lost)
4. Fruit and tree nut farming (119 jobs lost)
5. Nonresidential building construction (113 jobs lost)





About: This report is part 2 of 6 in the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Cowlitz County One-Year Industry Employment Change

In Cowlitz County, Washington, the entire sum of jobs in all industries overall has increased by 613 jobs from mid-2005 to mid-2006.

Total One-Year Employment Growth in Cowlitz County

Out of the 4-digit NAICS industries, the Building equipment contractors industry has grown the most with 140 new jobs created in the period. The job growth in the Building equipment contractors industry makes up 12.3 percent of the total employment growth in Cowlitz County.

Top 5 Industries
1. Building equipment contractors (140 new jobs)
2. Building material and supplies dealers (130 new jobs)
3. Building foundation and exterior contractors (71 new jobs)
4. Warehousing and storage (50 new jobs)
5. Residential building construction (48 new jobs)

Total One-Year Employment Decline in Cowlitz County

From of the area's 4-digit NAICS industries, the Grocery stores industry faced the greatest employment loss with a total loss of 97 jobs. The declines in the Grocery stores industry make up 10.8 percent of the total employment decline in Cowlitz County, Washington.

Top 5 Industries
1. Grocery stores (97 jobs lost)
2. Logging (69 jobs lost)
3. Sawmills and wood preservation (66 jobs lost)
4. Accounting and bookkeeping services (46 jobs lost)
5. Other miscellaneous store retailers (44 jobs lost)

Of the 99 industries (4-digit NAICS) with sufficient data reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in each quarter, 51 showed an escalation in the number employed, while 48 industry sectors reported declines during the time period.

Total employment has increased by 2 percent since the 2nd Quarter figures of 2005. This change is less than percent in the State of Washington, which experienced a gain of 3.6 percent since the 2nd Quarter of 2005. The gains felt were equal to than the gain experienced overall in the US of 2.0 percent.

Cowlitz County One-Year Percentage Growth in Employment

The Timber tract operations industry has gone through the largest job growth by percent, increasing by 115.0 percent from 2005 to 2006. This industry in Cowlitz County has expanded faster than the industry job growth experienced in Washington, where this industry saw a gain of 2.7 percent. The Timber tract operations industry in Cowlitz County outpaced the United States, which experienced a gained 0.3 percent of the employment in this industry.

Top 5 Industries
1. Timber tract operations (115.0 percent gain)
2. Other fabricated metal product manufacturing (108.5 percent gain)
3. Electric goods merchant wholesalers (86.7 percent gain)
4. Commercial equip. merchant wholesalers (84.4 percent gain)
5. Computer systems design and related services (71.6 percent gain)

Cowlitz County One-Year Percentage Decline in Employment

The Poultry and egg production industry has lost the largest percent of jobs, losing 39.5 percent from 2005 (Q2) to 2006 (Q2). The losses of the area have declined faster than the industry sector has gone through in the Washington, where the industry felt a gain of 1.6 percent. The losses in the Poultry and egg production industry in Cowlitz County outpaced the United States in terms of percentage decline of industry employment. In this period, the United States lost 0.7 in percent of jobs in the Poultry and egg production industry.

Top 5 Industries
1. Poultry and egg production (39.5 percent decline)
2. Other personal services (39.4 percent decline)
3. Used merchandise stores (36.4 percent decline)
4. Consumer goods rental (34.6 percent decline)
5. Accounting and bookkeeping services (32.5 percent decline)





About: This report is part 1 of 6 in the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Income and Poverty in Cowlitz County, Washington

When analyzed against other counties (and parishes) in the US, Cowlitz County reported a relatively high median income for households of $46,562 (Adjusted to 2005 Dollars). This is 15 percent lower than the household income median in State of Washington of $53,558 and this is 5.5 percent lower than the median in the US, which is $49,133.

The median household income has declined from the values (adjusted for inflation) in 2000. The median has decreased to $41,647, which represents a 10.6 percent decline. Cowlitz County, Washington, in terms of percent of decline, ranks 6 of 16 counties in percent of decline for income levels in the State of Washington. Cowlitz County ranks 197 of 668 counties (or parishes) when analyzing the decline in household income across the nation.

Evaluated with other counties (or parishes) across the nation, Cowlitz County, Washington can be understood to have a medium-high poverty rate amid the residents with a poverty rate of 14.0 percent of people living in a family with an income below the poverty level in 1999. The Hispanic race/ethnicity population category, holds the highest rate of poverty with 36 percent of the people in 2000 living in poverty. The population that is aged Under 5 years are experiencing most percent people in poverty in Cowlitz County, accounting 25.8 percent of this age group in the area living in poverty.

The poverty rate in Cowlitz County, Washington has increased by 0.8 percent from the rates reported in the Decennial Census, moving from 14 percent to 14.8 percent.

While household income level experienced a decline from 2000 to 2005 in Cowlitz County, Washington, the Race/Ethnicity group that experienced the largest decline in household income was the American Indian and Alaska Native category. This category saw a decline of 60.2 percent since the year 2000. The Asian population category was least influenced by the median household income decline in Cowlitz County, encountering a 30.2 percent increase in household income level, since the year 2005.

Black or African American headed households had median income levels that were 31 percent less than the overall median reported in 2000, with a reported median of $32,112. Hispanic households in Cowlitz County, Washington recorded a median income of $37,327, which is 19.8 percent less than the areas median income level for all households. The households that were headed by an American Indian and Alaska Native individual in Cowlitz County reported a median household income of $41,482, this median was 10.9 percent less than the median income level in this area. In Cowlitz County, Washington White householders had a median income (2005 Dollars) of $46,876 according to the Decennial Census of 2000, which was 0.7 percent greater than the median income in 2000. The Asian householders in the area have reported their median household incomes at $29,087. This median income level is 37.5 percent less than the reported median household income for all households in the area.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Higher Education in Cowlitz County, Washington

Cowlitz County, Washington can be considered to have a moderately-educated 2000 population, with 13.2 percent of the population (+25) having received a BA or higher, as reported the 2000 Decennial Census. Cowlitz is reported having a lower percent of highly educated individuals than the State of Washington's proportion of 27.8 percent and a lower percent than the average across the nation of 24.4 percent.

Since the year 2000, Cowlitz has decreased in the population percent with a Bachelors Degree or Higher. This population percent has declined by 0.8 percent to a total of 12.4 percent in 2005, according to the American Community Survey. The 2005 proportion of highly educated population is less than the State of Washington percent of 30.2 and less than the United States percent of 27.2.

According to the 2000 Decennial Census in Cowlitz County, Washington, a high proportion of the male population in the area have reached the Some College or Associates Degree category, with 35 percent receiving this level of education. The women in Cowlitz have on average achieved a lower level of higher education (Bachelors Degree or Higher) than the male population-- 14.6 percent (Men) versus 12 percent (Women). The most common level of education for women in the area is Some College or Associates Degree category, with 39.2 percent of the female population achieving this education level.

From 2000 to 2005, the percent of male population that is highly educated has decreased by 1.4 percent. In the year 2005, 13.6 percent of area's male population, over the age 25, achieved a Bachelors Degree or Higher. At the same time, the percent of women, over the age 25, holding at least a Bachelors Degree has decreased by a total of 0.6 percent. By the year 2005, a total of 11.4 percent of the female population having received at least a Bachelors Degree.

In Cowlitz County, Washington as reported in the Census of the year 2000, 13.6 percent of the White Alone, 17.8 percent of Black or African American, 12.6 percent of the Asian alone and 8.8 percent of the Hispanic or Latino population, over the age 25, has achieved a Bachelors Degree or Higher.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Demographic Profile for Cowlitz County, Washington

Cowlitz County, Washington had a population of 97,325 in 2005. The estimated population has increased, since the population in 2000 of 93,048. This growth represents an increase of 4.6 percent. Cowlitz ranks 17 of 39 counties when analyzing total population change in Washington and the county ranks 548 of 3,141 counties when calculating the total change in county population across the US.

The population division of the Census Bureau estimates in 2005 a median age in Cowlitz County, Washington to be 37.8 years of age. The median age in Cowlitz is greater than the median in Washington of 36.7. Since 2000, the area has experienced an increase in the median, when the median age was 37.0 years of age. With 24.3 percent of the population in the year 2005 being made up of individuals less than 18 years old, Cowlitz can be described as being made up of a medium-high percent of individuals under 18. The working age population group (18-64) has a medium-high representation within the population, making up 62.2 percent of the population falling in this age category. The retirement (65 and over) group makes up 13.5 percent of the total population base. Compared to other counties throughout the nation, this represents a medium-low percent of the population.

Since 2000, a medium-high number of individual migrated to the Cowlitz from another country. The international migration into Cowlitz makes up 0.6 percent of immigration into the State of Washington. This percent of immigration can be considered medium-high when analyzed against immigration per population in 2005.

Cowlitz County, Washington has a population base that is comprised of 89 percent White, 0.6 percent African American, 1.3 percent Asian, and 5.6 percent Hispanic. The area can be described as having a modest level of diversity, with 7.5 percent of the population being minorities. This is less than the State of Washington percent of 18.3. Since 2000, Cowlitz has increased in diversity when 6.4 percent of the total population were minorities.

By measuring total land area, Cowlitz spans a total area of 1139 square miles. The land areas has a medium-low average area density of 85 persons per square mile. Similar counties in the US, in terms of density, include: -- more densely populated -- Stephenson, IL (85 per sq. mile ), Crittenden, AR (85 per sq. mile ), Upson, GA (85 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Lafourche, LA (85 per sq. mile ), Pike, KY (85 per sq. mile ), Chatham, NC (85 per sq. mile ).

Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Housing Report for Cowlitz County, Washington

The residential real estate values in Cowlitz County, Washington have moderate increases since their reported values in 2000. The values have increased by $23,600, or 18.2 percent, from when in 2000 they were valued at $129,900.

Cowlitz County recorded a median home value in 2005 of $153,500, according to the American Community Survey. This value is less than the Washington 2005 median home value of $227,700 and less than median home value of $167,500 for the rest of the nation in that year.

In Cowlitz County, the census reported 40,577 homes in the year 2005. This county has gone through a growth in housing units, adding a total of 1,375 residential units since 2001, or 3.5 percent.

When compared to other counties in Washington, Cowlitz County stands 25 of 39 in terms of growth of new housing structures between 2001 and 2005. The county stands 1,202 of 3,141, when comparing thee change in housing structures in counties throughout the nation.

Cowlitz County has a small, but present proportion of high-valued homes. In 2005, the American Community Survey reports that 0.6 percent of the houses are valued over a half a million dollars.

It can be understood that there is a fair amount of housing that is affordable in Cowlitz County, Washington. In 2005, 32 percent of owner-occupied dwellings were valued under $125k.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Employment Report for Cowlitz County, Washington -- Annual 2005 Industry Summary

Manufacturing has the largest employers in Cowlitz County. The industry averages 53 employees per business. This is greater than the industry's average in the United States of 39 and greater than the Washington average of 36 for the Manufacturing industry.

Cowlitz County is ranked number 13 of 40 Counties in the State of Washington by total number of jobs in 2005. This position has moved up since the year 2001, when it was ranked 12 of 40 Counties.

In Cowlitz County, Manufacturing, Other services, except public administration and Transportation and Warehousing are the three industries with the highest location quotients. The Manufacturing industry has a US LQ in the county of 1.82. The percent of employment in the Manufacturing sector is 1.82 times more than the average percent in the United States, revealing signs that Cowlitz may be an exporter of products or services of Manufacturing.

Educational services is an attractive industry due to its high level of job growth since the year 2001 in Cowlitz County, with an employment growth of 27.7 percent. This is greater than the change in industry employment in the United States of 13.8 percent. The State of Washington underwent a employment change in the industry of 9.8 percent, in the recent period of 2001-2005.

In Cowlitz County, Manufacturing, Retail Trade, and the Health care and social assistance industries have the largest percent of jobs of all industries. The Manufacturing is the largest employment industry and makes up 23.3 percent of all the jobs in the county. This makes up 7,206 individuals. The Retail Trade and Health care and social assistance sectors provide 14.6 and 14.5 percent of industry employment.







Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).