Average W.Va. worker made $39,721 last year, up 1.6 percent from 2011

The average worker in West Virginia made $629 more in 2012 compared with the year before.

WorkForce West Virginia said workers earned an average of $39,721 in the state last year, up 1.6 percent from 2011.

Workers in Boone County continue to have the highest annual average wages at $54,374, followed by Mingo , McDowell ($46,679), Marshall ($46,242), and Putnam ($44,646).

Wirt County had the lowest wages at $25,502, followed by Tucker ($25,830), Summers ($27,398), Pocahontas ($27,473) and Hampshire ($28,629).

Among all industries, securities and commodities brokerage firms paid the highest average annual wages of $126,234. Software publishers were next at $91,676. Coal mining was fifth at $84,751.

The data includes workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance programs.