Average monthly gross income per employee increased by 6.8%

The average monthly gross income per employee was highest in Harju county (1,375 euros) and lowest in Ida-Viru county (996 euros). Ida-Viru was the only county where the gross income was below 1,000 euros.

In approximately a quarter of the municipalities, employees earned more than the Estonian average monthly gross income. Similarly to previous years, the top ten included mainly the municipalities of Harju county. The average monthly gross income was highest in Viimsi (1,711 euros) and Rae (1,704 euros) rural municipalities. In Tallinn, the average gross income per month was 1,348 euros. The gross income was below 1,000 euros in four cities of Ida-Viru county (Narva, Kohtla-Järve, Sillamäe and Narva-Jõesuu) and in Valga rural municipality.

Employees aged 25–49 earned the highest average monthly gross income (1,382 euros). The average monthly gross income of 50–62-year-old employees (1,135 euros) was slightly below the average for Estonia. For employees aged up to 24 and 63 and over, the average income was below 1,000 euros.

In 2018, the average monthly gross income of men was 1,386 euros, and of women, 1,095 euros. Of counties, the biggest gender gap in gross income was in Hiiu county, and of municipalities, in Viimsi rural municipality – 402 and 483 euros, respectively. 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.

In 2018, the number of employees receiving gross income was 535,405. Compared to the previous year, the number increased by 6,670 persons. The increase was largest in the age group of 63-year-olds and over. The number of young income recipients, which had decreased in previous years, increased by 554 persons in 2018. Of income recipients, 6% were young people and 9% were older people.  

The analysis is based on the 2018 data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. 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. The main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Social Affairs, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.