The average monthly gross income continued to grow steadily last year

The average monthly gross income was higher than the Estonian average in Harju county (1,061 euros). Employees in Tartu and Hiiu counties earned the Estonian average gross income (955 and 954 euros, respectively). Employees in Valga county had the lowest average gross income (799 euros). In most counties, the average monthly gross income was 800–900 euros.

Among local government units, the average monthly gross income was the highest in Viimsi rural municipality (1,362 euros) and the lowest in Piirissaare rural municipality (632 euros). Nine of the ten local government units with the highest gross income per employee were in Harju county, and one was in Lääne county (Vormsi rural municipality).

The highest average monthly gross income was earned by 25–49-year-olds (1,068 euros), followed by 50–62-year-olds (884 euros). The average gross income of employees aged 63 and older and employees aged under 25 was less than 700 euros. In 2014, men had a higher average monthly gross income than women in all age groups. The difference between the gross income of male and female employees was 24%, which means a slight decrease compared to the previous years.

In 2014, gross income was earned by 518,495 persons, which is 9,172 more than the year before. The number of income recipients grew in all age groups, except for the population aged under 25 where the number of income recipients decreased for the second year in a row (by 2% compared to 2013). For the first time in the last ten years, the number of income recipients aged 63 and older exceeded the number of income recipients aged under 25 (by 3,434).

The analysis is based on the data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board as at 23 March 2015. The average monthly gross income per employee is calculated by dividing the monthly average sum of disbursements with the monthly average number of persons receiving disbursements.