Good news, bad news for the Valley

December 19, 2007 at 10:01p.m.

You can make more money working outside the Mahoning Valley, but you won’t find a cheaper place to buy a house.

Two recent reports show the good and the bad of being a Valley resident.

First the bad news.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said today that Valley workers receive the lowest pay among Ohio metropolitan areas that were surveyed. Toledo was not included in the report.

The Cleveland-Akron and Columbus areas had average pay rates that equaled the national average. Cincinnati and Dayton-Springfield were 2 percent under, while the Valley came in at 4 percent below the average.

The average pay for all jobs that were surveyed in the Valley was $16.78 an hour. The survey was conducted last April.

And now the good news.

The Mahoning Valley has lower-paying jobs but it also has the least-expensive housing in the nation.

For the complete story, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.