For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, August 21, 2024 USDL-24-1721
Technical information: (202) 691-6567 * QCEWInfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cew
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES - FIRST QUARTER 2024
From March 2023 to March 2024, employment increased in 300 of the 369 largest U.S. counties, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In March 2024, national employment increased to
153.6 million, a 1.3-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Monterey, CA, and St. Johns, FL, had the largest over-the-year
increases in employment, with gains of 4.8 percent each. Employment data in this release are
presented for March 2024, and average weekly wage data are presented for first quarter 2024.
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Change to County-Equivalents in Connecticut
The replacement of Connecticut's eight counties with the state's nine planning regions was
announced in June 2022. Effective with this news release, the QCEW program will tabulate
data using the new planning regions as county-equivalents.
For more information, see www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/06/06/2022-12063/change-
to-county-equivalents-in-the-state-of-connecticut.
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Among the 369 largest counties, 357 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the
first quarter of 2024, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,527, a 4.2-percent
increase over the year. Santa Clara, CA, had the largest first quarter over-the-year wage gain at
14.6 percent. (See table 1.)
Large County Employment in March 2024
Monterey, CA, and St. Johns, FL, had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment
(+4.8 percent each). Within Monterey, the largest employment increase occurred in natural resources
and mining, which rose by 6,618 (+19.9 percent). Within St. Johns, the largest employment increase
occurred in education and health services, which rose by 1,101 (+8.1 percent).
Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-4.9 percent). Within
Elkhart, the largest employment decrease occurred in manufacturing, which fell by 6,004 (-8.9
percent).
Large County Average Weekly Wage in First Quarter 2024
Santa Clara, CA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in average weekly wages (+14.6
percent). Within Santa Clara, an average weekly wage gain of $1,792 (+37.7 percent) in manufacturing
made the largest contribution to the county's increase in average weekly wages.
Saginaw, MI, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in average weekly wages (-3.4
percent). Within Saginaw, an average weekly wage loss of $466 (-30.5 percent) in professional and
business services made the largest contribution to the county's decrease in average weekly wages.
Ten Largest Counties
Nine of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in employment. In March 2024,
Maricopa, AZ, had the largest over-the-year employment percentage gain (+2.6 percent). Within
Maricopa, education and health services had the largest employment increase and rose by 17,477 (+4.7
percent). (See table 2.)
All of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in average weekly wages. In
the first quarter of 2024, King, WA, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage gain in
average weekly wages (+6.1 percent). Within King, information had the largest impact, with an
average weekly wage increase of $1,411 (+25.1 percent).
For More Information
The tables included in this release contain data for the nation and for the 369 U.S. counties with
annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023. March 2024 employment and first quarter
2024 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.
Several 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 full data update for first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released
on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
The County Employment and Wages news release for second quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on
Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
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County Changes for the 2024 County Employment and Wages News Releases
Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2023 are included in this release
and will be included in future 2024 releases. Seven counties have been added to the publication
tables: Martin, FL; Sarpy, NE; Doņa Ana, NM; Kent, RI; Ector, TX; Gregg, TX; and Racine, WI.
No counties were dropped from the publication tables.
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Updated MSA Definitions
New Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) definitions, and those for other types of Core Based
Statistical Areas (CBSA), were announced in July 2023. With the full data update for first
quarter 2024 on September 4, 2024, QCEW data will reflect the new definitions. Data based on
the new area definitions will be available in the BLS online database. Historical data will
not be re-tabulated to reflect the new definitions.
For more information regarding the new area definitions, see www.bls.gov/bls/omb-bulletin-
23-01-revised-delineations-of-metropolitan-statistical-areas.pdf.
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United States Department of Labor
