Grants Pass Ranks Among America’s Fastest Growing Wage Towns as Oregon Pay Surges
Recent research reveals three surprising Oregon towns among the metros where hourly wages are increasing faster than the rest of America, including Grants Pass.
Oregon Towns Where Wages Are Rising Faster Than Many Other US Towns
Ranking among the top 50 metros in hourly wage growth, Oregon shows robust wage gains across three Metros:
- Grants Pass: Ranked 6th nationwide, Grants Pass’ hourly wages rose by 35.6%, the sixth-highest growth nationwide, ahead of Washington’s Spokane (+29.86%) and Idaho’s Twin Falls (+29.98%).
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro: Ranked 20th, Portland saw a 31.32% increase, slightly above Washington’s Seattle (+31.15%).
- Salem: Ranked 27th, Salem posted a 30.36% rise, keeping Oregon competitive with regional peers.
An AlgoCademy study analyzed hourly mean wages from 2019 to 2024 across 395 metropolitan statistical areas nationwide, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The findings across all American metros were:
Top 10 Metro Areas by Wage Growth (2019-2024)
| Rank | Metro Area | State | 2019 Hourly Mean Wage | 2024 Hourly Mean Wage | Percentage Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | California | $40.37 | $58.25 | 44.29% |
| 2 | Sebring | Florida | $17.81 | $24.71 | 38.74% |
| 3 | Decatur | Illinois | $22.01 | $30.35 | 37.89% |
| 4 | Boulder | Colorado | $32.29 | $44.51 | 37.84% |
| 5 | Bellingham | Washington | $24.23 | $33.22 | 37.10% |
| 6 | Grants Pass | Oregon | $20.56 | $27.88 | 35.60% |
| 7 | Ocala | Florida | $19.06 | $25.75 | 35.10% |
| 8 | Modesto | California | $23.67 | $31.91 | 34.81% |
| 9 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | Florida | $19.68 | $26.46 | 34.45% |
| 10 | Logan | Utah | $20.19 | $27.14 | 34.42% |
Grants Pass is a way from San Jose’s $58.25 mean hourly wage, which continues to grow higher than other regions.
Founder & CEO of AlgoCademy, Mircea Dima, emphasized that big wage growth isn’t always limited to large urban hubs, with smaller and mid-sized areas like Grants Pass seeing wage increases above 34%, showing that opportunities for higher earnings are spreading beyond major US cities.
Dima said, “The trends are a clear sign that workers nationwide are benefitting, which can have a positive effect on local communities, from boosting spending power to attracting new talent and investment.”