For 40 years, workers in the South have been paid less than their counterparts in every other region: Real median hourly wages ($2021) of workers by region, 1979–2021
| Year | South | West | Northeast | Midwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | $16.42 | $19.64 | $18.29 | $18.78 |
| 1980 | $15.89 | $19.35 | $18.04 | $18.48 |
| 1981 | $15.81 | $19.46 | $17.80 | $17.99 |
| 1982 | $16.00 | $19.52 | $18.13 | $17.97 |
| 1983 | $15.74 | $19.32 | $18.30 | $17.93 |
| 1984 | $15.70 | $19.30 | $18.57 | $17.73 |
| 1985 | $15.98 | $19.48 | $18.54 | $17.83 |
| 1986 | $16.49 | $19.91 | $19.16 | $17.82 |
| 1987 | $16.40 | $19.69 | $19.86 | $17.79 |
| 1988 | $16.40 | $19.58 | $20.00 | $17.66 |
| 1989 | $16.11 | $19.19 | $20.11 | $17.48 |
| 1990 | $16.07 | $18.84 | $20.12 | $17.52 |
| 1991 | $15.95 | $19.26 | $19.62 | $17.50 |
| 1992 | $16.12 | $18.98 | $19.75 | $17.22 |
| 1993 | $16.32 | $18.67 | $19.80 | $17.53 |
| 1994 | $16.22 | $18.52 | $19.83 | $17.47 |
| 1995 | $16.24 | $18.13 | $19.65 | $17.62 |
| 1996 | $16.30 | $18.20 | $19.63 | $17.44 |
| 1997 | $16.79 | $18.41 | $19.84 | $17.86 |
| 1998 | $16.86 | $19.09 | $20.08 | $18.51 |
| 1999 | $17.69 | $19.51 | $20.39 | $19.13 |
| 2000 | $17.55 | $19.46 | $20.45 | $19.12 |
| 2001 | $18.30 | $19.81 | $21.24 | $19.46 |
| 2002 | $18.25 | $19.80 | $21.30 | $19.62 |
| 2003 | $18.41 | $20.53 | $21.52 | $19.65 |
| 2004 | $18.57 | $20.31 | $21.43 | $19.81 |
| 2005 | $18.14 | $20.33 | $20.86 | $19.47 |
| 2006 | $18.54 | $20.17 | $21.04 | $19.40 |
| 2007 | $18.47 | $20.34 | $21.03 | $19.29 |
| 2008 | $18.68 | $20.60 | $21.07 | $18.97 |
| 2009 | $18.96 | $20.96 | $21.75 | $19.14 |
| 2010 | $18.68 | $20.39 | $21.69 | $19.11 |
| 2011 | $18.21 | $19.70 | $21.25 | $18.74 |
| 2012 | $18.22 | $19.78 | $20.82 | $18.71 |
| 2013 | $18.21 | $19.71 | $20.89 | $18.73 |
| 2014 | $18.21 | $19.45 | $20.94 | $18.72 |
| 2015 | $18.49 | $19.78 | $21.58 | $19.24 |
| 2016 | $18.96 | $20.36 | $21.68 | $19.34 |
| 2017 | $19.08 | $20.63 | $22.02 | $19.76 |
| 2018 | $19.30 | $20.83 | $21.68 | $19.96 |
| 2019 | $19.66 | $21.18 | $21.79 | $20.33 |
| 2020 | $20.93 | $22.76 | $24.15 | $21.11 |
| 2021 | $20.03 | $22.08 | $23.81 | $21.05 |
Note: All dollar amounts are in constant 2021 dollars.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group (ORG) microdata.