The Brief
- A SmartAsset study revealed workers in the High Plains and West Texas regions saw the highest five-year wage increases from 2021 to 2026.
- Coke County reached Texas’ highest average weekly wage for 2026 at $2,408, according to the study.
- Travis County boasts the highest average weekly wage among populous Texas counties, while Ellis County led wage growth in large counties due to data center development.
AUSTIN, Texas – Everything’s bigger in Texas, but is that true when it comes to wages? Turns out, it varies quite a bit by county, and some areas have seen wages rise faster than others.
What we know:
A study conducted by SmartAsset took a look at 252 of Texas’ 254 counties to determine where workers’ wages have increased the most over the last five years.
Two regions stand out
Workers within counties in the High Plains and West Texas regions have been some of the most fortunate, the study found. Nine of the 15 top counties for a five-year change in weekly wages were in those two regions.
Workers earn the most in this county
That includes Coke County, which was revealed to be the county with the highest average weekly wage in Texas for 2026. The 3,412 residents of the small county in West Texas earn an average of $2,408 a week, according to the study. That’s up from an average weekly wage of $1,206 in 2021. …