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Average Earnings
The figures in this factsheet are based upon the median earnings in pounds for residents (resident based) living in the area and by where they work (work based), who are on adult rates of pay and whose pay was not affected by absence. Figures for earnings come from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The ASHE is based on a 1 per cent sample of employees, information on whose earnings and hours is obtained from employers. The survey does not cover the self-employed.
Average Earnings are calculated as nominal unadjusted average weekly earnings, divided by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The data series is calculated for regular and total pay at the whole economy level and then seasonally adjusted. The dashboards below explore these datasets.
ASHE Resident Based Key Messages:
- Total annual pay in County Durham increased between 2010 and 2025, from £19,718 to £29,718, an increase of 50.7%, (NECA: 54.4%; NE: 54.3%; Eng: 53.4% increases). Pay across England remained higher at £33,080 in 2025,
- Full-time annual pay in County Durham increased by 47.1% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £33,436, lower than increases seen across NECA (50%), the region (50.2%) and England (49.3%). Gross full-time annual pay in County Durham was 4% lower than the region and 14.8% lower than in England which was £39,243 in 2025,
- Part-time annual pay in County Durham increased by 87% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £15,676. This is higher than the increase seen across the region (82.5%) and England (70.7%),
- Male annual pay in County Durham increased by 45.2% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £33,608. This is similar to the increases seen across the region (45.7%) and that nationally (45%). Male annual pay in County Durham was 13.3% lower than in England which was £38,762 in 2025,
- Female annual pay in County Durham increased by 57.3% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £25,667. This is lower than the increases seen across the region (69.5%) and that nationally (69.5%). Female annual pay in County Durham was 7.8% lower than in England which was £27,848 in 2025.
- Female annual pay in County Durham was 23.6% lower than male pay in 2025 compared with 28.2% lower across England,
- In the latest release (2021/22), estimates suggested that less than around 1 in 8 male jobs, 12.7%, in County Durham earned less than the £10.90 (outside London) hourly rate set by the Living Wage Foundation. This is lower than the 13.5% estimated across the North East and higher than the 10.4% across England. Recent estimates suggest that these proportions area falling. (ONS bespoke research commissioned by the Living Wage Foundation.),
- In the latest release (2023), estimates suggested that around 1 in 5 of female jobs, 20.3%, in County Durham earned less than the £10.9 (outside London) hourly rate set by the Living Wage Foundation. This is higher than the 18.1% estimated across the North East and the 15.7% across England. (ONS bespoke research commissioned by the Living Wage Foundation.)
Dashboard
ASHE Workplace Based Key Messages:
- Total annual pay in County Durham increased between 2010 and 2025, from £19,019 to £29,393, an increase of 54.5%, (NECA: 51.1%; NE: 52.7%; Eng: 53.8% increases). Pay across England remained higher at £33,142 in 2025,
- Full-time annual pay in County Durham increased by 53.2% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £32,945, higher than increases seen across NECA (49.2%), the region (48.8%) and England (49.6%). Gross full-time annual pay in County Durham was 4.2% lower than the region and 16.2% lower than in England which was £39,298 in 2025,
- Part-time annual pay in County Durham increased by 70.8% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £15,351. This is lower than the increase seen across the region (75.8%) and England (71%),
- Male annual pay in County Durham increased by 53.1% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £33,200. This is higher than the increases seen across the region (43%) and that nationally (45.4%). Male annual pay in County Durham was 14.5% lower than in England which was £38,823 in 2025,
- Female annual pay in County Durham increased by 57.8% between 2010 and 2025, rising to £25,337. This is lower than the increases seen across the region (66%) and that nationally (69.7%). Female annual pay in County Durham was 9.1% lower than in England which was £27,865 in 2025.
- Female annual pay in County Durham was 23.7% lower than male pay in 2025 compared with 28.2% lower across England,
Dashboard
Links to Data
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