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Largest counties accounted for 74 percent of 12-month increase in U.S. employment, September 2014

March 30, 2015 From September 2013 to September 2014, the 339 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more jobs had a net job growth of 2 million.  This accounted for 74 percent of the increase in U.S. employment. Among the largest counties, 328 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages.
Percent change in employment, 339 largest counties, September 2013–September 2014


4.5 percent and higher
 
3.0 percent to 4.4 percent
 
1.5 percent to 2.9 percent
 
0.0 percent to 1.4 percent
 
-0.1 percent and lower
 
Hover over a county to see data.
Hover over legend items to see counties in a category.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In September 2014, Weld County, Colorado, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment, with a gain of 8.8 percent. Atlantic County, New Jersey, had the largest decrease, with a loss of 4.0 percent. All 10 of the largest counties had over-the-year increases in employment. Among them, Harris County, Texas, had the largest gain (3.6 percent).

Average weekly wages increased over the year in all 10 of the largest U.S. counties in September 2014. King County, Washington, experienced the largest percentage gain in average weekly wages (5.1 percent). The gain was primarily due to a 9.3 percent increase in average weekly wages within the information industry. San Diego, California, had the smallest increase in average weekly wages (0.8 percent).

 
Percent change in average weekly wages, 10 largest counties, September 2013–September 2014
Industry Average weekly wage in September 2014 (p) Percent change from September 2013 to September 2014 (p)

Los Angeles, CA

 $1,036 3.1%

Private industry

 1,000 2.7

Natural resources and mining

 1,618 -8.9

Construction

 1,062 0.0

Manufacturing

 1,136 1.6

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 857 3.4

Information

 1,840 6.6

Financial activities

 1,624 7.7

Professional and business services

 1,242 0.9

Education and health services

 802 2.8

Leisure and hospitality

 578 5.1

Other services

 688 2.7

Government

 1,288 5.5

 

    

New York, NY

 1,733 3.8

Private industry

 1,845 3.4

Natural resources and mining

 3,140 48.3

Construction

 1,716 2.6

Manufacturing

 1,196 6.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 1,265 4.7

Information

 2,360 1.0

Financial activities

 3,285 5.1

Professional and business services

 2,074 3.2

Education and health services

 1,265 0.9

Leisure and hospitality

 818 5.5

Other services

 1,049 3.8

Government

 1,195 4.6

 

    

Cook, IL

 1,071 2.0

Private industry

 1,071 3.3

Natural resources and mining

 1,112 7.0

Construction

 1,387 3.7

Manufacturing

 1,137 4.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 869 3.7

Information

 1,627 3.0

Financial activities

 1,848 5.1

Professional and business services

 1,345 2.9

Education and health services

 919 1.5

Leisure and hospitality

 481 1.3

Other services

 838 4.9

Government

 1,075 -6.0

 

    

Harris, TX

 1,238 4.0

Private industry

 1,254 4.0

Natural resources and mining

 3,079 7.5

Construction

 1,262 6.4

Manufacturing

 1,491 4.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 1,103 3.7

Information

 1,373 4.4

Financial activities

 1,490 0.7

Professional and business services

 1,513 3.6

Education and health services

 972 0.8

Leisure and hospitality

 419 3.7

Other services

 755 5.4

Government

 1,112 4.3

 

    

Maricopa, AZ

 914 1.8

Private industry

 907 1.7

Natural resources and mining

 920 0.2

Construction

 935 -0.5

Manufacturing

 1,313 3.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 832 0.8

Information

 1,213 2.4

Financial activities

 1,145 1.2

Professional and business services

 996 3.8

Education and health services

 935 2.2

Leisure and hospitality

 433 1.6

Other services

 651 -0.9

Government

 972 1.9

 

    

Dallas, TX

 1,141 2.5

Private industry

 1,144 2.4

Natural resources and mining

 3,840 18.3

Construction

 1,084 5.3

Manufacturing

 1,278 -1.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 1,030 2.3

Information

 1,722 0.2

Financial activities

 1,532 5.1

Professional and business services

 1,290 1.7

Education and health services

 1,027 0.8

Leisure and hospitality

 480 4.8

Other services

 751 4.5

Government

 1,112 2.9

 

    

Orange, CA

 1,050 2.6

Private industry

 1,037 2.9

Natural resources and mining

 822 16.8

Construction

 1,174 4.4

Manufacturing

 1,387 6.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 939 1.4

Information

 1,600 5.2

Financial activities

 1,568 0.3

Professional and business services

 1,205 4.4

Education and health services

 879 1.2

Leisure and hospitality

 457 4.1

Other services

 647 1.6

Government

 1,196 0.9

 

    

San Diego, CA

 1,030 0.8

Private industry

 987 0.1

Natural resources and mining

 610 -3.6

Construction

 1,069 1.9

Manufacturing

 1,414 3.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 773 -0.4

Information

 1,751 0.7

Financial activities

 1,340 2.1

Professional and business services

 1,417 -2.1

Education and health services

 874 0.8

Leisure and hospitality

 457 3.9

Other services

 570 1.4

Government

 1,262 4.5

 

    

King, WA

 1,452 5.1

Private industry

 1,479 5.3

Natural resources and mining

 1,221 1.6

Construction

 1,213 4.3

Manufacturing

 1,542 1.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 1,125 4.5

Information

 5,134 9.3

Financial activities

 1,490 3.3

Professional and business services

 1,528 4.9

Education and health services

 949 4.3

Leisure and hospitality

 510 2.2

Other services

 794 2.5

Government

 1,262 3.0

 

    

Miami-Dade, FL

 891 2.2

Private industry

 873 2.2

Natural resources and mining

 573 4.8

Construction

 887 4.5

Manufacturing

 850 4.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities

 806 1.6

Information

 1,402 2.0

Financial activities

 1,362 4.0

Professional and business services

 1,055 3.5

Education and health services

 913 0.6

Leisure and hospitality

 521 -0.4

Other services

 576 2.7

Government

 1,017 2.2
Footnotes:

(p) = preliminary.

Among the 339 largest counties, Olmstead County, Minnesota, had the largest increase in average weekly wages (11.1 percent) from September 2013 to September 2014. Collier County, Florida, had the largest decrease, with a loss of 3.9 percent.

These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages: Third Quarter 2014" (HTML) (PDF). Data for the most recent quarter are preliminary and subject to revision. The 339 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more jobs represent about 11 percent of the total number of counties and county equivalents in the 50 states and District of Columbia. 

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Largest counties accounted for 74 percent of 12-month increase in U.S. employment, September 2014 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2015/largest-counties-accounted-for-74-percent-of-12-month-increase-in-us-employment-september-2014.htm (visited February 28, 2026).