Hillsborough County ranks number one in Florida for highest wages
January 8, 2020
Tampa area strengthens its draw as a magnet for talent, with greatest number of STEM jobs available, highest paid average wages and lowest cost of living among major Florida metros
Hillsborough County’s average annual wage of $54,278 is the highest among all Florida counties, according to Enterprise Florida’s State of Florida 2018 Average Annual County Wage Data Report. Hillsborough County’s average annual wages lead those in neighboring counties in Tampa Bay which comprise the Tampa metropolitan statistical area (MSA). These higher wages, combined with Tampa’s lower cost of living, are key factors that are driving talent to locate in Hillsborough County. The County had the state’s second highest population gain in 2017-2018 and ranked third in the nation for net migration year over year in that same time period.
Regional Comparison of Wages
| County | Average Annual Wage | Hourly Wage |
| HILLSBOROUGH | $54,278 | $26.10 |
| PINELLAS | $48,901 | $23.51 |
| SARASOTA | $46,792 | $22.50 |
| MANATEE | $42,289 | $20.33 |
| POLK | $42,227 | $20.30 |
| PASCO | $38,338 | $18.43 |
| CITRUS | $37,038 | $17.81 |
| HERNANDO | $36,106 | $17.36 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
“This latest wage data strengthens the message that we’ve been sharing nationally in our Make it Tampa Bay talent attraction campaign: There is no better place in Florida to find a great job, enjoy an incredible lifestyle in a city that’s on the rise, and live more affordably than you could in many other competing markets,” said Craig J. Richard, CEcD, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. “This is why exciting, fast-growing companies are choosing to relocate or expand in Hillsborough County. Tampa’s reputation as a top 20 “Surge City” and its climb up the ranks as a top city for startups and tech talent are fueling the talent migration that will drive this region forward in the next decade.”
This is the first time in over a decade that Hillsborough County’s average annual wages have surpassed every other county in the state.
Top 6 Florida Counties
| County | Average Annual Wage | Hourly Wage |
| HILLSBOROUGH | $54,278 | $26.10 |
| PALM BEACH | $54,044 | $25.98 |
| MIAMI-DADE | $53,669 | $25.80 |
| DUVAL | $53,069 | $25.51 |
| BROWARD | $52,193 | $25.09 |
| ORANGE | $49,412 | $23.76 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Tampa’s reputation as a top talent market has grown over the last ten years, as companies ranging from Fortune 500 organizations such as USAA, Mosaic, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Amgen to fast-growing newcomers such as BlueGrace Logistics, Drift, and TransferWise have chosen to locate or expand here.
