The 5 lowest paying jobs in Richmond

The United States may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but there is a growing trend of financial inequality, with middle-class households being the most affected. In fact, the number of adults living in middle-class households has fallen from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to an April 2022 analysis from the Pew Research Center.

In contrast, the top income level rose from 14% to 21%. The decline of the middle class in the United States can be attributed to a variety of factors, including a decline in unions and manufacturing jobs and an increased need for college-educated, tech-savvy employees.

The COVID-19 pandemic also played a major role in exposing the severe financial shortfall, as those in the middle and upper income brackets were able to keep their jobs and/or work remotely. At the start of the pandemic in the United States, workers who were in the lower income bracket found themselves unemployed or had to be out of work, even temporarily, because their workplaces were closed.

Those working in the leisure and hospitality sectors were the hardest hit financially. In December 2020, employment in the hospitality industry was down 23% from pre-pandemic levels in February 2020, an unemployment rate that topped other industries.

Stacker compiled a list of the lowest paying jobs in Richmond, Virginia using data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information as of May 2021.

• Average annual salary: $23,890
• #132 highest salary among all metros
• Employment: 630

• Average annual salary: $23,710
• #212 highest salary among all metros
• Employment: 1,160

• Average annual salary: $23,620
• #171 highest salary among all metros
• Employment: 1,330

• Average annual salary: $23,490
• #202 highest salary among all metros
• Employment: 16,930

• Average annual salary: $22,620
• #89 highest salary among all metros
• Employment: 170

Copyright 2022 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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