{"schema_version": 1, "id": "hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 215, "label": "Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV MSA", "slug": "hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa"}, "focus_area": {"key": "general_conditions", "slug": "metro-job-market", "label": "General Market Conditions"}, "period": "2026-10", "public_after": "2026-10-01", "frozen_at": "2026-11-03T07:41:13.448489+00:00", "headline": "Hagerstown's low jobless rate hides a wage story split by sector.", "headline_summary": "Washington County's 3.6% unemployment rate beats the state's 3.9% and the nation's 4.1%, even as advertised pay for Electricians and Data Engineers fell sharply while CDL Truck Driver pay climbed to $85,000.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "Washington County unemployment", "value": "3.6%", "context": "vs 3.9% Maryland, 4.1% national (Sept. 2026)"}, {"label": "CDL Truck Driver advertised pay", "value": "$85,000", "context": "vs $78,872 national median, up moderately"}, {"label": "Maryland payroll employment change", "value": "-20,100 jobs", "context": "Aug.-Sept. 2026, amid falling unemployment rate"}, {"label": "Maryland labor force participation", "value": "63.7%", "context": "vs 61.8% national rate"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "Truck driver pay signals a logistics corridor flexing its muscle.", "body": "CDL Truck Driver advertised pay rose to a $85,000 metro median, moderately ahead of the $78,872 national figure, consistent with the metro's position along I-70/I-81 freight corridors. This divergence may reflect sustained regional demand for distribution and warehousing capacity even as other skilled trades soften."}, {"headline": "Electrician and HVAC pay drift lower while national figures climb.", "body": "Metro Electrician pay fell significantly to $67,600 against a rising national median of $71,835, and HVAC Technician pay held flat locally while climbing nationally. That gap suggests local construction and trades demand has not kept pace with national momentum, a detail relevant to any infrastructure or housing development timeline."}, {"headline": "County unemployment at 3.6% outperforms state and nation alike.", "body": "Washington County's rate sits below Maryland's 3.9% and the national 4.1%, extending a decline from 4.5% in January. Tight labor availability alongside flat-to-falling pay in several occupations is consistent with a market where demand exists but employers are not yet competing aggressively on advertised wages."}, {"headline": "Technical-role pay erosion raises a workforce-pipeline question.", "body": "Data Engineer advertised pay fell significantly to $101,182, nearly $37,000 below the national median, and Financial Analyst and Warehouse Manager pay also dropped sharply. Persistent gaps of this size may indicate the metro is not yet a competitive draw for higher-wage technical and analytical work, a factor economic development planners may want to track against any technology-sector recruitment goals."}], "local_conditions": "Washington County's unemployment rate held at 3.6% in September, well below both the Maryland rate of 3.9% and the national rate of 4.1%, consistent with the broader MSA trend that saw employment climb to 141,765 by mid-year from 138,497 in January. Metro wage data show a divided picture: CDL Truck Driver pay rose to a $85,000 metro median, moderately outpacing the $78,872 national figure, while Electrician ($67,600) and Data Engineer ($101,182) advertised pay fell significantly against rising or flat national figures, suggesting uneven demand across the metro's blue-collar and technical segments.", "implications": "Low unemployment alongside falling advertised pay in several skilled trades and technical roles points to a labor market that is tight on headcount but inconsistent in wage pressure \u2014 a signal for economic development leaders that the metro's competitive position varies sharply by sector. Commerce leaders weighing expansion or relocation incentives should treat the county's sub-4% unemployment as evidence of a thin available labor pool; it does not indicate that wage costs are rising across the board. Consider evaluating sector-specific advertised pay trends before assuming metro-wide tightness applies equally to logistics, construction trades, and professional services.", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Data gap to monitor", "body": "BLS has not yet released October metro-level employment data for Hagerstown-Martinsburg, with the most recent full MSA figures dating to June. Expect a lag before the complete picture of fall 2026 conditions becomes available through the BLS Mid-Atlantic office."}, {"category": "Emerging pressure point", "body": "Maryland's employer-survey data showed a loss of 20,100 payroll jobs across August and September even as household-survey unemployment fell, a divergence state officials attribute to data volatility. Watch whether upcoming revisions confirm payroll softness or correct toward the stronger household-survey signal."}, {"category": "Worth watching", "body": "Statewide small-business hiring intent remained flat in October (NFIB), with skilled-worker opening reports down four points and unskilled-labor shortage reports up three. A similar pattern locally would suggest commerce leaders should temper expectations for near-term private-sector expansion announcements."}, {"category": "Policy factor", "body": "Federal labor force growth has slowed amid lower immigration flows and elevated retirements, a structural trend with direct relevance to a metro positioned along a major freight and logistics corridor dependent on driver and warehouse labor availability. No partisan read is implied; the demographic and policy facts bear watching as a constraint on labor supply regardless of cause."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 26119.0, "metro_p50": 32412.4, "metro_p75": 35360.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33340.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 28463.5, "metro_p50": 33280.0, "metro_p75": 33280.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 31268.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 35318.0, "metro_p50": 39520.0, "metro_p75": 41600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 38480.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "CDL Truck Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 62492.0, "metro_p50": 85000.0, "metro_p75": 93600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 78872.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Delivery Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 29555.0, "metro_p50": 33195.0, "metro_p75": 36511.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 34826.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 33239.0, "metro_p50": 38932.0, "metro_p75": 45760.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 40726.6, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Electrician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 60697.0, "metro_p50": 67600.0, "metro_p75": 72536.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 71835.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 33666.5, "metro_p50": 39520.0, "metro_p75": 43680.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Customer Service Representative", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 32485.25, "metro_p50": 37440.0, "metro_p75": 43539.75, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Food Service Worker", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 26903.0, "metro_p50": 35953.8, "metro_p75": 42959.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 33764.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 36014.0, "metro_p50": 44200.0, "metro_p75": 46800.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 41600.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 34320.0, "metro_p50": 42426.8, "metro_p75": 45805.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 44552.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 53040.0, "metro_p50": 65520.0, "metro_p75": 70720.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 71406.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Registered Nurse", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 87218.25, "metro_p50": 106511.0, "metro_p75": 116479.25, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 102252.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Software Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 113354.0, "metro_p50": 121250.6, "metro_p75": 134128.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 154403.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 92917.0, "metro_p50": 101182.0, "metro_p75": 120958.75, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 138000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 56646.0, "metro_p50": 67373.0, "metro_p75": 73329.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 72000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 65335.0, "metro_p50": 77599.0, "metro_p75": 83158.5, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 94646.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 62000.0, "metro_p50": 69954.8, "metro_p75": 77500.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 74477.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 50576.0, "metro_p50": 70000.8, "metro_p75": 80677.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 62916.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 73087.5, "metro_p50": 94521.6, "metro_p75": 100869.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 86294.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Elementary/Secondary School Teacher", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 38750.0, "metro_p50": 56656.0, "metro_p75": 61042.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 55908.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 52000.0, "metro_p50": 82206.8, "metro_p75": 100974.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 94009.4, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Warehouse Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 50960.0, "metro_p50": 50960.0, "metro_p75": 62990.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Business Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 91303.0, "metro_p50": 107237.0, "metro_p75": 115295.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 98302.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 55944.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 58354.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 35239.5, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 50391.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 70720.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 60642.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 74611.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 84907.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 31200.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 68627.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [{"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics)", "source_url": null, "statement": "Washington County unemployment rate at 3.6% in September 2026"}, {"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics", "source_url": null, "statement": "Hagerstown-Martinsburg MSA employment grew to 141,765 by June 2026"}, {"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics", "source_url": null, "statement": "Maryland lost 20,100 payroll jobs across August and September 2026"}, {"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics", "source_url": null, "statement": "Maryland labor force participation rate at 63.7% vs 61.8% national"}, {"source_name": "National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)", "source_url": null, "statement": "NFIB small business hiring intent flat with skilled-worker openings down"}, {"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics", "source_url": null, "statement": "Federal labor force growth slowed amid retirements and immigration curbs"}], "methodology": "Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay.", "edition_label": "November 2026", "files": {"html": "hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "pdf": "hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf", "sources_html": "hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-11-03T08:22:49.892400+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/hagerstown-martinsburg-md-wv-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf"}