King County's economy outpacing the nation

SEATTLE – King County’s economy is outpacing the rest of the U.S. when it comes to job growth and wage increases.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), employment and wage growth in King County grew twice as fast as the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2013.

This economic surge was fueled by an 11.2% increase in hiring in the construction industry.

BLS data reveals every major job sector in King County saw employment growth in the past year, but the county’s 1.6% wage growth was the highest among the nation’s 10 largest counties.

The local Leisure and Hospitality sector is still below the bubble when it comes to the national average wage, but still saw 4.2% increase in job growth.

Information Technology remained the highest paying industry in the area, but its job growth remained below the national average.