Employment rose in 3 of the 6 largest counties in Wisconsin 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 Dane County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 2.0 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Wisconsin, September 2023

County	Percent change, September 2023
Dane	2.0
Waukesha	0.8
Outagamie	0.7
Milwaukee	-0.1
Brown	-0.2
Winnebago	-0.4

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).

Among the six largest counties in Wisconsin, employment was highest in Milwaukee County (469,500) in September 2023. Within Milwaukee County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the six largest Wisconsin counties accounted for 48.6 percent of total employment within the state. 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 66 counties in Wisconsin with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of the 66 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Four of the six large Wisconsin counties reported average weekly wage declines from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Waukesha County had the largest loss (–2.4 percent), followed by Brown County (–2.0 percent). Over-the-year wage changes among Wisconsin’s other four large counties ranged from –1.3 percent to +1.4 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Wisconsin, third quarter 2023

County	Percent change, third quarter 2023
Waukesha	-2.4
Brown	-2.0
Winnebago	-1.3
Milwaukee	-1.1
Dane	0.5
Outagamie	1.4

Nationwide, wages increased by 0.1 percent over the year. 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).

Weekly wages in the six largest counties in Wisconsin were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in three of these counties ranked among the top half nationwide: Dane ($1,331, 93^rd), Waukesha ($1,218, 171^st), and Milwaukee ($1,216, 174^th).

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).

Among the 66 smaller counties in Wisconsin—those with employment below 75,000—all reported an average weekly wage below the national average of $1,334. Sheboygan County ($1,115) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, while Florence County ($612) reported the state's lowest average weekly wage.

When all 72 counties in Wisconsin were considered, 15 counties reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 25 counties registered wages from $850 to $949, 16 counties had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 16 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.)