Employment rose in the three largest counties in Oklahoma from June 2020 to June 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that Cleveland County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment (+5.7 percent). (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 6.7 percent over the year, with 339 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Atlantic, NJ, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 36.8 percent. Calcasieu, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.9 percent.

Among the three largest counties in Oklahoma, employment was highest in Oklahoma County (451,100) in June 2021. Within Oklahoma County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the three largest Oklahoma counties accounted for 56.5 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.2 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 74 counties in Oklahoma with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 74 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,241 in the second quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Two of the three large Oklahoma counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2020 to the second quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) However, all three counties had rates of wage change that were less than the national rate of 4.5 percent. Weekly wages increased in Oklahoma County (+2.6 percent) and Tulsa County (+1.7 percent), while Cleveland County’s average weekly wage declined (-1.8 percent).

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 302 had over-the-year wage increases. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+29.7 percent). Atlantic, NJ, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-7.4 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the three large counties in Oklahoma were all below the national average of $1,241 in the second quarter of 2021. Average weekly wages in Oklahoma County ($1,085) and Tulsa County ($1,035) ranked 187^th and 228^th, respectively, in the middle third of the large county national rankings. The average weekly wage in Cleveland County ($854) ranked 335^th out of the 343 largest U.S. counties.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 90 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2021. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,516. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 253 counties. At $728 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Oklahoma's smaller counties

All 74 smaller counties in Oklahoma reported average weekly wages below the national average. Among these smaller counties, Washington posted the highest weekly wage, $1,004, followed by Dewey ($995). Sequoyah County reported the lowest average wage in the state at $628 per week, followed by Jefferson County and McIntosh County at $639 and $642 per week, respectively.

When all 77 counties in Oklahoma were considered, 10 reported average weekly wages of less than $700, 24 registered wages from $700 to $799, 32 had wages from $800 to $899, and 11 had average weekly wages of $900 or higher. (See chart 3.) Over half of the higher-paying counties were located in and around the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas. The lower-paying counties, those with weekly wages under $700, were located in the southern and eastern portions of the state

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. The 2019 edition of this publication was published in September 2020. Tables and additional content from the 2019 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online are available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/2019/home.htm. The 2020 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online will be available in September 2021.

Technical Note

Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/cew. However, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s web site.

QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.

The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the three largest counties in Oklahoma, second quarter 2021

Area	Establishments, second quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		June 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, June 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Second quarter 2021	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, second quarter 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	10,863.2	144,044.8	6.7	--	$1,241	--	4.5	--
Oklahoma	114.6	1,568.7	3.1	--	963	46	2.4	33
Cleveland	6.3	86.3	5.7	174	854	335	-1.8	330
Oklahoma	29.0	451.1	3.1	313	1,085	187	2.6	201
Tulsa	23.1	349.6	3.1	313	1,035	228	1.7	248
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications. (3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. (4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Oklahoma, second quarter 2021

Area	Establishments	Employment June 2021	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	10,863,217	144,044,799	$1,241
Oklahoma	114,583	1,568,683	963
Adair	312	4,513	739
Alfalfa	143	1,247	897
Atoka	307	3,173	676
Beaver	168	1,321	841
Beckham	788	8,248	879
Blaine	311	2,939	832
Bryan	1,059	18,750	855
Caddo	611	7,196	859
Canadian	3,354	33,436	882
Carter	1,719	22,532	887
Cherokee	811	16,218	770
Choctaw	371	4,355	725
Cimarron	95	785	655
Cleveland	6,296	86,323	854
Coal	118	1,044	738
Comanche	2,423	40,105	828
Cotton	105	1,589	666
Craig	428	4,872	824
Creek	1,557	18,626	901
Custer	1,001	12,140	817
Delaware	840	9,375	702
Dewey	195	1,532	995
Ellis	133	1,101	783
Garfield	1,699	23,367	874
Garvin	803	9,642	945
Grady	1,199	11,628	852
Grant	161	1,346	936
Greer	106	881	680
Harmon	69	632	741
Harper	143	982	708
Haskell	250	3,182	670
Hughes	270	2,701	693
Jackson	638	9,355	910
Jefferson	143	1,027	639
Johnston	232	2,585	782
Kay	1,186	17,169	878
Kingfisher	578	6,276	922
Kiowa	237	1,849	705
Latimer	213	2,225	780
LeFlore	959	11,333	816
Lincoln	683	6,747	845
Logan	778	7,656	761
Love	234	5,541	752
McClain	1,116	9,726	794
McCurtain	761	12,241	777
McIntosh	394	4,150	642
Major	252	2,017	778
Marshall	284	4,451	853
Mayes	933	12,372	952
Murray	363	5,292	741
Muskogee	1,536	28,812	881
Noble	256	4,533	882
Nowata	182	1,840	848
Okfuskee	217	2,308	683
Oklahoma	28,956	451,071	1,085
Okmulgee	754	9,052	799
Osage	551	6,206	803
Ottawa	730	12,214	757
Pawnee	301	3,260	779
Payne	2,075	31,278	869
Pittsburg	1,031	14,664	864
Pontotoc	1,149	18,538	870
Pottawatomie	1,406	21,756	791
Pushmataha	268	2,553	803
Roger Mills	107	861	863
Rogers	1,974	25,469	909
Seminole	508	6,635	800
Sequoyah	713	9,343	628
Stephens	1,130	14,144	880
Texas	576	9,308	785
Tillman	178	1,472	741
Tulsa	23,107	349,590	1,035
Wagoner	805	9,606	865
Washington	1,304	18,754	1,004
Washita	269	1,786	769
Woods	310	3,285	804
Woodward	813	8,109	899
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, second quarter 2021

State	Establishments, second quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		June 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, June 2020–21	Second quarter 2021	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, second quarter 2020–21	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (2)	10,863.2	144,044.8	6.7	$1,241	--	4.5	--
Alabama	137.8	1,952.0	4.4	1,010	35	4.8	15
Alaska	23.7	315.5	6.7	1,181	17	-1.2	51
Arizona	180.2	2,857.8	5.3	1,154	20	5.9	6
Arkansas	96.1	1,205.3	4.4	974	45	5.2	12
California	1,662.9	16,992.1	7.0	1,579	3	7.5	5
Colorado	228.9	2,723.9	7.1	1,283	10	4.4	19
Connecticut	130.1	1,604.1	7.9	1,411	6	0.6	47
Delaware	35.1	440.1	5.1	1,165	19	1.7	41
District of Columbia	44.0	724.6	3.3	2,096	1	5.4	8
Florida	782.5	8,654.0	6.7	1,113	24	7.7	3
Georgia	337.0	4,453.5	6.5	1,139	22	5.9	6
Hawaii	48.7	590.5	12.7	1,117	23	0.7	46
Idaho	76.4	801.8	7.3	930	50	5.3	10
Illinois	394.6	5,743.5	6.5	1,260	11	3.5	25
Indiana	178.2	3,011.8	5.2	1,013	34	5.4	8
Iowa	106.1	1,528.0	4.8	999	38	2.1	38
Kansas	90.5	1,356.0	4.0	995	41	2.7	30
Kentucky	132.4	1,851.2	5.6	999	38	2.9	28
Louisiana	142.7	1,806.6	5.4	1,005	36	2.0	39
Maine	57.0	623.0	8.7	1,005	36	2.4	33
Maryland	175.6	2,599.7	6.8	1,319	9	1.0	44
Massachusetts	277.4	3,497.0	10.1	1,591	2	1.1	43
Michigan	270.2	4,175.6	8.4	1,143	21	2.5	32
Minnesota	192.8	2,814.5	6.4	1,240	13	3.3	26
Mississippi	75.7	1,107.1	4.1	843	51	3.8	22
Missouri	221.6	2,759.3	5.3	1,052	32	3.6	23
Montana	55.1	490.7	7.0	959	47	4.5	18
Nebraska	74.4	976.6	4.8	997	40	3.9	21
Nevada	93.9	1,353.9	14.0	1,106	25	5.3	10
New Hampshire	58.5	657.4	8.7	1,345	8	10.6	1
New Jersey	300.4	3,993.8	12.0	1,387	7	0.8	45
New Mexico	63.0	790.6	4.3	987	42	2.9	28
New York	667.9	8,885.4	9.2	1,540	5	1.3	42
North Carolina	311.1	4,511.3	7.2	1,092	27	5.1	14
North Dakota	32.6	407.4	4.3	1,067	29	0.6	47
Ohio	312.4	5,266.7	4.3	1,068	28	3.6	23
Oklahoma	114.6	1,568.7	3.1	963	46	2.4	33
Oregon	169.2	1,899.6	5.6	1,196	15	4.8	15
Pennsylvania	370.9	5,674.7	6.9	1,193	16	2.0	39
Rhode Island	42.1	472.2	10.0	1,168	18	-0.3	50
South Carolina	150.1	2,091.9	4.9	977	44	5.2	12
South Dakota	36.3	442.3	6.4	936	49	2.6	31
Tennessee	182.3	3,012.4	5.9	1,094	26	7.6	4
Texas	758.0	12,466.7	5.7	1,210	14	4.7	17
Utah	119.9	1,586.0	7.6	1,060	30	4.2	20
Vermont	27.8	292.4	7.5	1,053	31	-0.2	49
Virginia	293.6	3,854.3	6.1	1,257	12	3.2	27
Washington	263.6	3,376.7	5.7	1,547	4	8.3	2
West Virginia	52.7	663.8	4.8	955	48	2.2	37
Wisconsin	186.5	2,845.7	5.7	1,037	33	2.3	35
Wyoming	28.2	275.1	5.6	987	42	2.3	35
Puerto Rico	47.6	867.2	8.6	567	(3)	2.0	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.5	35.7	0.0	923	(3)	-8.4	(3)
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. (3) Data not included in the national ranking.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.