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Employment and wages increase over the year in all 10 of the largest U.S. counties, December 2014

June 26, 2015

Private industry employment increased over the year in all 10 of the largest U.S. counties in December 2014. Government employment increased in 9 out of the 10 largest counties. Miami-Dade County, Florida, had the only decrease (-1.2 percent). Average weekly wages for private industry and government increased in each of the 10 largest counties from the fourth quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2014.

Over-the-year percent change in employment and wages, 10 largest counties
Industry Percent change in employment
from December 2013 to December 2014(1)(3)
Percent change in average weekly wage
from fourth quarter 2013 to fourth quarter 2014(1)(2)(3)

United States(4)

   

Private industry

2.6 3.6

Government

0.5 3.2

 

   

Los Angeles, CA

   

Private industry

1.6 3.5

Government

1.6 4.1

 

   

New York, NY

   

Private industry

3.1 4.2

Government

0.8 4.7

 

   

Cook, IL

   

Private industry

1.8 3.4

Government

0.3 1.2

 

   

Harris, TX

   

Private industry

4.2 4.2

Government

1.8 4.3

 

   

Maricopa, AZ

   

Private industry

2.9 2.2

Government

1.2 2.8

 

   

Dallas, TX

   

Private industry

4.5 3.1

Government

2.2 2.5

 

   

Orange, CA

   

Private industry

2.6 4.4

Government

2.5 3.4

 

   

San Diego, CA

   

Private industry

2.2 2.1

Government

0.6 5.5

 

   

King, WA

   

Private industry

3.6 6.4

Government

1.4 5.0

 

   

Miami-Dade, FL

   

Private industry

4.0 2.4

Government

-1.2 4.5
Footnotes:

(1) Data are preliminary.

(2) Calculated using unrounded data.

(3) Computed from quarterly data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications

(4) Totals do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands

Among the 10 largest counties, Dallas County, Texas, experienced the largest percentage increase in private industry employment (4.5 percent) from December 2013 to December 2014. Within Dallas County, construction had the largest percentage increase (7.6 percent) among all private industry groups. 

In the fourth quarter of 2014, King County, Washington, had the largest over-the-year percentage gain in private industry average weekly wages (6.4 percent). Within King County, increases in information (16.5 percent) and professional and business services (10.8 percent) had the largest impact on the county's average weekly wage growth.

Over the year, employment in construction increased over 10 percent in December 2014 for each of the following counties: King, Washington (13.1 percent), Miami-Dade, Florida (11.1 percent), and Cook, Illinois (10.1 percent).

From the fourth quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2014, average weekly wages in natural resources and mining increased over 15 percent in Orange County, California (22.2 percent), and Cook County, Illinois (17.5 percent). In that same industry, average weekly wages decreased 15.8 percent in Los Angeles County, California.

These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages: Fourth Quarter 2014" (HTML) (PDF). Data for the most recent quarter are preliminary and subject to revision.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment and wages increase over the year in all 10 of the largest U.S. counties, December 2014 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2015/employment-and-wages-increase-over-the-year-in-all-10-of-the-largest-counties-december-2014.htm (visited March 28, 2024).

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