For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, June 2, 2026 USDL-26-0782
Technical information: (202) 691-6567 * QCEWInfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cew
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES - FOURTH QUARTER 2025
From December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased in 169 of the 372 largest U.S. counties,
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In December 2025, national employment increased
to 156.7 million, a 0.2-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Buncombe, NC, had the largest over-the-year increase in
employment, with a gain of 3.7 percent. Employment data in this release are presented for December
2025, and average weekly wage data are presented for fourth quarter 2025.
Among the 372 largest counties, 346 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the
fourth quarter of 2025, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,569, a 4.2-percent
increase over the year. San Mateo, CA, had the largest fourth quarter over-the-year wage gain at
11.1 percent. (See table 1.)
Large County Employment in December 2025
Buncombe, NC, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+3.7 percent). Within
Buncombe, the largest employment increase occurred in leisure and hospitality, with a gain of 2,352
(+13.1 percent).
Washington, DC, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-4.5 percent).
Within Washington, the largest employment decrease occurred in combined government, with a loss of
21,178 (-9.0 percent).
Large County Average Weekly Wage in Fourth Quarter 2025
San Mateo, CA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in average weekly wages (+11.1
percent). Within San Mateo, an average weekly wage gain of $1,958 (+16.1 percent) in information
made the largest contribution to the county's increase in average weekly wages.
Olmsted, MN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in average weekly wages (-3.5
percent). Within Olmsted, an average weekly wage loss of $181 (-8.7 percent) in education and health
services made the largest contribution to the county's decrease in average weekly wages.
Ten Largest Counties
Four of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in employment. In December
2025, New York, NY, and Dallas, TX, had the largest over-the-year employment percentage gain (+0.6
percent each). Within New York, financial activities had the largest employment increase, with a gain
of 9,572 (+2.3 percent). Within Dallas, financial activities also had the largest employment increase,
with a gain of 4,943 (+3.0 percent). (See table 2.)
Nine of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in average weekly wages. In
the fourth quarter of 2025, New York, NY, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage gain in
average weekly wages (+5.6 percent). Within New York, financial activities had the largest impact,
with an average weekly wage increase of $491 (+7.5 percent).
For More Information
The tables included in this release contain data for the nation and for the 372 U.S. counties with
annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024. December 2025 employment and fourth
quarter 2025 average weekly wages for all states are provided in table 3 of this release.
Over-the-year changes of employment and wages presented in this news release are adjusted and may
differ from unadjusted data used in BLS data tools and interactive charts. More information is
available in the QCEW Technical Note at www.bls.gov/cew/news-release-technical-note.htm.
QCEW reporting rates tables are available at www.bls.gov/cew/reporting-rates/.
The most current news release on quarterly measures of gross job flows is available from QCEW
Business Employment Dynamics at www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cewbd.pdf.
BLS regional offices issue QCEW news releases targeted to local data users. Links to these releases
are available at www.bls.gov/cew/regional-resources.htm.
QCEW data are available in the Census Business Builder suite of web tools assisting business owners
and regional analysts in data-driven decision making at www.census.gov/data/data-tools/cbb.html.
The QCEW news release schedule is available at www.bls.gov/cew/release-calendar.htm.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access
telecommunications relay services.
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The County Employment and Wages news release for first quarter 2026 is scheduled to be released on
Friday, August 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
United States Department of Labor
