According to information released by Statistics Estonia, the average gross monthly income per employee in 2017 totaled EUR 1,155, up by 7.6% YoY. The fastest growth of 8.6% was registered in the income of those under 25 years of age.
Last year the average gross monthly income per employee was the highest in Harju County at EUR 1,283, and the lowest in Ida-Viru County at EUR 947. In 2017 Harju County was the only county where the average monthly gross income exceeded the national average. Income close to the national average was earned in Tartu and Hiiu Counties at EUR 1,149 and EUR 1,147, respectively. Average monthly wages fell below EUR 1,000 in Voru, Valga and Ida-Viru Counties.
Of municipalities, the highest income was earned in the municipalities of Harju County, with the highest average income, EUR 1,601, reported in Viimsi Municipality. The city of Narva, meanwhile, recorded the lowest average income at EUR 890, or just over half the country’s highest average. The average gross monthly income in the Estonian capital of Tallinn totaled EUR 1,257 last year.
The number of persons earning gross income increased in 2017 to 528,735, up by approximately 9,000 compared to 2016 figures. The share of young people among income recipients has decreased steadily in recent years, but this has been compensated for by the increasing share of older income recipients.
The highest average monthly gross income was earned in the 25-49 age group (EUR 1,290), followed by the population aged 50-62 (EUR 1,062) and 63 and over (EUR 845). Although the average monthly gross income was the lowest (EUR 787) in the age group of young people (aged under 25), the growth of the income compared to the previous period was the fastest (8.6 %) in this age group. The average income of persons aged under 25 is affected also by restrictions regarding the employment of minors resulting from legislation.
Over half (52%) of income recipients were women, and their average monthly gross income was EUR 1,019. The average monthly gross income of men was EUR 1,305. As the dataset does not enable distinguishing between full-time and part-time employees and analyzing by economic activities, the reasons for the difference in men’s and women’s monthly gross income do not appear from the data. (ERR/Business World Magazine)
