Average monthly gross income per employee increased last year
The average monthly gross income per employee was the highest in Harju county (1,283 euros) and the lowest in Ida-Viru county (947 euros). In 2017, Harju county was the only county where the average monthly gross income was above the Estonian average. Income close to the average was earned in Tartu and Hiiu counties (respectively 1,149 and 1,147 euros). Average income was below 1,000 euros in Võru, Valga and Ida-Viru counties.
Of municipalities, the highest income was earned in the rural municipalities of Harju county, where income was the highest in Viimsi rural municipality (1,601 euros). In the municipality with the lowest income (Narva city), average monthly gross income was 890 euros. The difference between the municipalities with the highest and the lowest gross income was 711 euros. In Tallinn, the average monthly gross income was 1,257 euros.
The number of persons receiving gross income increased in 2017 to 528,735, i.e., compared to 2016, the number increased by approximately 9,000 persons. The share of young people among income recipients has decreased steadily in recent years but this is compensated by the increasing share of older income recipients.
The highest average monthly gross income was earned in the 25–49 age group (1,290 euros), followed by the population aged 50–62 (1,062 euros) and 63 and over (845 euros). Although the average monthly gross income was the lowest (787 euros) 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 a half (52%) of income recipients were women, and their average monthly gross income was 1,019 euros. The average monthly gross income of men was 1,305 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 income do not appear from the data.
The analysis is based on the data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board as at the beginning of April. 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.