Navigate to content

Last year, the growth of the average monthly gross income continued

News
Posted on 18 May 2017, 11:00
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2016, the average monthly gross income per employee was 1,073 euros. The growth of gross income continued at the same rate as in previous years (6%), however, the number of people receiving income started to decrease for the first time since the years of the economic crisis.

In counties, the average monthly gross income per employee was mainly in the range 900–1,200 euros. It exceeded 1,000 euros in Harju, Tartu, Hiiu and Rapla county; only in Ida-Viru county, the monthly gross income was below 900 euros.

The average monthly gross income varied greatly among local government units. There was a two-fold difference between the local government unit with the highest and the lowest gross monthly income. The highest monthly gross income per employee was earned in the rural municipalities of Harju county, led by Viimsi rural municipality (1,505 euros). At the other end were the Tartu county rural municipalities of Piirissaare and Peipsiääre and the city of Kallaste, where the gross income was below 800 euros per month.

Average monthly gross income per employee, 2016

The number of persons receiving gross income was slightly below 520,000, and it decreased by almost 350 persons compared to 2015. The main reason behind the decline in the number of income recipients is the fact that the number of young people (aged under 25) has continuously decreased in recent years. Before the financial crisis, the number of young income recipients was close to 64,000; in 2016, it was 34,000. Also in the age group 50–62, the number of income recipients decreased by 700 persons. The number of income recipients grew among the population aged 25–49 and 63 and over, but less than in the previous years.

Gross income recipients, 2003–2016

The number of income recipients decreased in most counties, with the exception of a small increase in Harju, Tartu and Saare counties. The decrease in the number of young employees was also prevalent in counties, especially in Ida-Viru and Järva counties, where the number of income recipients under 25 years of age fell by 10% compared to 2015.

Over a half (53%) of income recipients were women and their average monthly gross income was 948 euros. The average monthly gross income of men was 1,214 euros. As the dataset does not enable distinguishing between full-time and part-time employees and analysing by economic activities, the reasons for the difference in men’s and women’s monthly gross wages do not appear from the data.

The analysis is based on the data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board as at 26 April 2017. The average monthly gross income per employee is calculated by dividing the average monthly sum of payments with the average number of persons receiving payments. In Estonia, the main representative of public interest for the survey is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.