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County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — Third Quarter 2023
Employment rose 2.3 percent in North Dakota’s only large county, Cass, from September 2022 to September 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that in September 2023, Cass County’s employment level was 128,100. (See table 1.)
National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 309 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hall, GA, had the largest increase in employment (+5.4 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.3 percent).
Cass County’s employment accounted for 29.9 percent of total employment within the state in September 2023. Within the county’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 72.9 percent of total U.S. employment.
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 52 counties in North Dakota with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 45 of the 52 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)
Large county wage changes
Cass County’s 1.9-percent wage growth from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023 was higher than the national rate of 0.1 percent and ranked 30th nationally. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 169 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+7.7 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.0 percent).
Large county average weekly wages
Cass County’s $1,238 average weekly was below the national average of $1,334 and ranked 153rd among the 360 large U.S. counties in the third quarter of 2023. Among the largest U.S. counties, 92 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2023. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,288). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($793).
Average weekly wages in North Dakota’s smaller counties
Among the 52 smaller counties in North Dakota—those with employment below 75,000—Williams ($1,672) reported the highest average weekly wage, while Sheridan County ($641) reported the state’s lowest.
When all 53 counties in North Dakota were considered, 16 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 15 registered wages from $900 to $999, 7 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 15 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)
Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in North Dakota, third quarter 2023
Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update.
Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The County Employment and Wages full data update for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the largest county in North Dakota, third quarter 2023
Footnotes: (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 North Dakota, third quarter 2023
Footnotes: (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, third quarter 2023
Footnotes: (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.
United States Department of Labor
