Whatcom wages jump 3.5 percent in second quarter, ranking 30th in U.S.

The fire at BP Cherry Point last February created a host of problems, but one silver lining appears to be an overall boost in local wages.

During the second quarter of 2012, the average Whatcom County weekly wage was $777, an increase of 3.5 percent compared to a year earlier, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.