Average monthly gross income rose by EUR 92 (+6.7%), to EUR 1,475 per employee in 2021, state agency Statistics Estonia reported.
Gross income also continued to rise as 2021 progressed.
Statistics Estonia analyst Greta Tischler noted that the highest average income was once again earned in municipalities of Harju County, principally those which made up Tallinn’s commuter belt.
She said: “The average monthly gross income was the largest in Rae rural municipality, which was also the only administrative unit where average monthly income exceeded EUR 2,000. Among cities, the highest income was earned in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia – EUR 1,631 per month on average.”
The monthly income per employee was the lowest in Narva, Ida-Viru County (EUR 1,074), which was also the only municipality where the average monthly income was below EUR 1,100. Ida-Viru County itself posted the lowest monthly average wage for 2021, at EUR 1,146.
In 2021, the average monthly gross income stood at EUR 1,635 for men and EUR 1,327 for women. Based on age group, employees aged 25-49 earned the highest gross income at EUR 1,657 per month on average.
The lowest income was earned by employees aged under 25, whose average gross income was EUR 989 per month.
Apart from Harju County, where the average stood at EUR 1,652, Tartu County was also higher than average, at EUR 1,498 per month. Overall a EUR 506 spread covered the highest-waged to lowest-waged counties on average.
The total waged workforce for the year stood at 532,667, around 40% of the total population.
This figure was slightly up on 2021.
By age group, 56% of the waged were age 25-49, while 28% were aged 50-62. 10% of the waged workforce were aged 63 and over; 6% 24 and under.
The analysis is based on the 2021 data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (MTA), Statistics Estonia says. The average monthly gross income per employee is calculated by dividing the average monthly sum of payments with the average monthly number of persons receiving payments. For the place of residence of the income recipient, the person’s place of residence is used. (ERR/Business World Magazine)
