The average manufacturing wage in the area is $478.55 a week, the lowest in the state, and about 26 percent less than in Hartford, an hour west.

For instance, the manufacturing wages are down, but not the office staff.

Overall manufacturing wages in Mexico average $1.90 an hour compared with $14.50 an hour in the United States, according to figures from both governments.

"In France, no one earns less than 60 percent of the average manufacturing wage, but here it is 40 percent."

The average Mexican manufacturing wage is less than 60 cents an hour, compared with $10.50 in the United States.

The evolution has given the state both the nation's highest percentage of people employed in manufacturing and the lowest manufacturing wages.

That's happening anyway, seeing as the gap between Chinese manufacturing wages, up ten-fold over 20 years, and those in the West, is rapidly getting smaller.

But the benefits to working America are limited; wages in the apparel industry average about $6.50 an hour, 40 percent less than the average manufacturing wage.

In time spent working at the average manufacturing wage, personal computer prices have fallen 85 percent since 1984.

Combined with the country's low manufacturing wages, it could increase local production.