Bay Area raises top Southern California wage hikes for 1st time in 3-plus years

“Swift swings” takes a quick peek at one economic trend.

The number: Bay Area pay raises started 2024 above Southern California wage hikes for the first time since the pandemic-scarred summer of 2020.

The source: My trusty spreadsheet looked at the quarterly Employment Cost Index. It tracks changes in private-industry pay nationwide and 15 big job markets, including a seven-county Southern California area and a 10-county Bay Area region.

Quick analysis

Bay Area wages...