MiddletownJournal.com

LABOR DAY

BY THE NUMBERS

How We Work

151 million

Number of people age 16 or older in the nation's labor force in May 2006. Among the nation's workers are 81.2 million men and 69.8 million women.

15.5 million

Number of labor union members nationwide. About 13 percent belong to unions, with New York having among the highest rates of any state, 25 percent. North Carolina has one of the lowest rates, 3 percent.

82%

Percentage of full-time workers ages 18 to 64 covered by health insurance during all or part of 2004.

77%

Percentage of workers in private industry who receive a paid vacation as one of their employment benefits.

$40,798 and $31,223

The 2004 annual median earnings, respectively, for male and female full-time, year-round workers.

$1,419

Average weekly wage in New York County, N.Y., the highest among the nation's 317 largest counties. Passaic County, N.J., led the nation in growth of average weekly wages the third quarters of 2004 to 2005, with an increase of 19 percent.

7.5 million

Number of workers who hold down more than one job.

5.1 million

Number of state government employees nationwide as of

March 2005.

5 million

The number of people who work at home.

294,000

Who work full time at both jobs.

10.5 million

Number of self-employed workers.

28%

Percentage of workers 16 or older who work more than 40 hours a week.

4

Median number of years workers have been with their current employer.

5%

Percent of workers who work the evening shift.

105,500

Number of jobs added in Maricopa County (Phoenix), Ariz., between September 2004 and September 2005, the highest of the nation's 317 largest counties. Among these counties, Lee, Fla., experienced the highest rate of job growth, 11.4 percent.

38.4 minutes

The average time it takes to commute to work for residents of New York City, the most time-consuming commute among the 70 published cities with 250,000 or more people.

58%

Percentage of workers 16 and older living in Aurora, Colo., who worked in a different county, one of the highest rates among the nation's 70 published cities with 250,000 or more people.

Source: Census Bureau