By Hank Russell
The year 2024 ended with a bang on Long Island as employment numbers and wages rose annually in December and during the fourth quarter of last year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in Nassau County went up by only 0.9% in December 2024 over the previous December. Suffolk was one of the bottom five counties, showing only a 0.5% increase. Both counties’ figures were beneath the statewide average of 1.5%.
The top five counties in employment growth were Kings (5.3%), Rockland (2.8%), Queens (2.7%), Saratoga (2.1%) and Dutchess (2.0%), according to BLS.
During Q4 2024, Nassau and Suffolk saw a jump in wages. Employment in Nassau improved by 3.5%, to $1,569 per week, although it was less than the statewide 5.4% increase and a weekly average salary of $1,881.
Suffolk had the third-highest year-over-year salary increase in the state, according to BLS. The county had a strong showing, rising 6.7%, behind Albany (8.0%) and New York County (7.5%). Suffolk’s average salary was $1,608.