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News Release Information

23-2584-CHI
Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

County Employment and Wages in Iowa — Second Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 3 of the 4 largest counties in Iowa from June 2022 to June 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 Polk County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.0 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 2.4 percent over the year, with 337 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest increase in employment (+7.0 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.7 percent).

Among the four largest counties in Iowa, employment was highest in Polk County (318,600) in June 2023. Within Polk County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Iowa counties accounted for 39.2 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 95 counties in Iowa with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in the 95 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All four large Iowa counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Scott County had the largest gain (+6.4 percent), followed by Johnson County (+2.9 percent), Polk County (+2.0 percent), and Linn County (+0.8 percent).


Nationwide, wages increased by 3.2 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 332 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+17.2 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-13.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the four largest counties in Iowa were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. All four of Iowa’s large counties had average weekly wages greater than $1,000: Polk ($1,262), Linn ($1,197), Johnson ($1,166), and Scott ($1,080).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 88 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2023. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,321). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 272 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($795).

Smaller county average weekly wages

All 95 smaller counties in Iowa—those with employment below 75,000—reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Dallas County ($1,260) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, while Decatur County ($765) reported the lowest.

When all 99 counties in Iowa were considered, 14 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 18 registered wages from $850 to $899, 26 had wages from $900 to $949, 21 had wages from $950 to $999, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Iowa, second quarter 2023

(U.S. average = $1,332)


Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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 third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the four largest counties in Iowa, second quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
June 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2023
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,964.6 154,308.5 2.4 -- $1,332 -- 3.2 --

Iowa

110.5 1,581.8 1.1 -- 1,082 42 2.6 39

Johnson

5.1 83.1 1.9 188 1,166 195 2.9 169

Linn

7.7 129.0 -0.6 343 1,197 177 0.8 312

Polk

20.1 318.6 3.0 93 1,262 135 2.0 249

Scott

6.1 90.0 0.1 332 1,080 275 6.4 12

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 Iowa, second quarter 2023
Area Establishments Employment June 2023 Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,964,606 154,308,523 $1,332

Iowa

110,535 1,581,845 1,082

Adair

336 3,120 923

Adams

158 1,246 886

Allamakee

460 5,054 820

Appanoose

393 4,654 848

Audubon

240 1,849 903

Benton

699 6,073 876

Black Hawk

3,905 72,774 1,044

Boone

751 9,241 980

Bremer

726 10,010 939

Buchanan

629 6,903 885

Buena Vista

621 11,215 956

Butler

435 3,866 933

Calhoun

325 2,883 894

Carroll

979 11,107 893

Cass

563 6,003 867

Cedar

592 5,229 920

Cerro Gordo

1,672 23,647 975

Cherokee

456 4,945 926

Chickasaw

438 5,194 975

Clarke

253 4,720 896

Clay

742 8,810 944

Clayton

621 6,549 944

Clinton

1,467 19,761 953

Crawford

517 6,580 946

Dallas

3,382 53,126 1,260

Davis

251 2,223 936

Decatur

221 2,392 765

Delaware

618 6,697 977

Des Moines

1,383 20,245 960

Dickinson

954 11,739 819

Dubuque

3,681 59,245 1,027

Emmet

326 3,298 892

Fayette

674 7,212 868

Floyd

482 5,917 970

Franklin

381 4,189 946

Fremont

289 2,296 874

Greene

316 3,293 1,001

Grundy

393 4,412 1,063

Guthrie

391 3,261 977

Hamilton

482 5,906 960

Hancock

381 6,185 1,018

Hardin

652 6,732 960

Harrison

467 4,058 900

Henry

636 8,548 951

Howard

325 4,378 906

Humboldt

368 3,925 950

Ida

302 3,764 993

Iowa

698 9,197 909

Jackson

700 6,206 813

Jasper

982 10,485 906

Jefferson

812 7,438 969

Johnson

5,101 83,054 1,166

Jones

655 6,481 892

Keokuk

324 2,347 890

Kossuth

631 6,656 935

Lee

1,056 14,035 1,030

Linn

7,704 128,996 1,197

Louisa

282 4,005 951

Lucas

251 3,497 912

Lyon

537 4,987 849

Madison

559 4,327 879

Mahaska

632 7,972 930

Marion

1,059 19,910 1,087

Marshall

1,061 16,011 995

Mills

436 3,541 991

Mitchell

375 4,260 1,028

Monona

311 2,685 808

Monroe

252 3,945 1,180

Montgomery

393 4,190 906

Muscatine

1,231 22,388 1,142

O'Brien

629 6,736 860

Osceola

269 2,781 893

Page

487 6,571 888

Palo Alto

335 3,698 828

Plymouth

867 12,227 1,096

Pocahontas

267 2,894 944

Polk

20,126 318,648 1,262

Pottawattamie

2,679 40,215 993

Poweshiek

714 9,723 1,057

Ringgold

185 1,368 808

Sac

391 3,151 946

Scott

6,068 89,981 1,080

Shelby

455 5,664 917

Sioux

1,587 22,963 969

Story

3,014 47,439 1,152

Tama

446 5,464 872

Taylor

194 2,040 934

Union

448 5,745 844

Van Buren

217 1,907 846

Wapello

880 15,227 943

Warren

1,362 13,313 936

Washington

842 8,562 845

Wayne

182 2,166 879

Webster

1,185 17,713 1,034

Winnebago

399 4,037 846

Winneshiek

760 10,708 922

Woodbury

3,299 51,264 974

Worth

229 2,346 825

Wright

477 5,991 1,023

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, second quarter 2023
State Establishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
June 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2022–23
Second quarter
2023
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,964.6 154,308.5 2.4 $1,332 -- 3.2 --

Alabama

156.7 2,079.2 2.7 1,107 35 4.0 13

Alaska

25.3 342.4 3.6 1,285 15 3.9 17

Arizona

219.1 3,091.7 3.0 1,265 18 3.9 17

Arkansas

103.2 1,284.8 2.6 1,033 50 3.8 19

California

1,767.7 18,151.1 0.9 1,624 4 3.4 26

Colorado

256.6 2,914.3 2.7 1,426 8 4.8 5

Connecticut

148.0 1,692.0 1.8 1,511 6 3.8 19

Delaware

41.6 476.2 3.0 1,248 19 2.3 44

District of Columbia

51.3 762.6 2.2 2,193 1 3.7 23

Florida

891.8 9,547.7 3.7 1,234 21 4.3 8

Georgia

384.5 4,802.8 2.2 1,247 20 2.6 39

Hawaii

56.5 636.0 3.2 1,198 24 4.0 13

Idaho

94.3 855.8 3.1 1,038 48 3.3 30

Illinois

410.8 6,101.2 1.9 1,357 12 2.6 39

Indiana

191.1 3,164.7 1.5 1,102 37 2.0 47

Iowa

110.5 1,581.8 1.1 1,082 42 2.6 39

Kansas

98.7 1,428.6 3.2 1,081 43 4.0 13

Kentucky

150.1 1,974.5 2.8 1,100 38 3.0 35

Louisiana

153.8 1,887.3 1.7 1,093 40 2.7 38

Maine

65.0 654.1 2.1 1,123 34 3.3 30

Maryland

187.1 2,716.4 2.1 1,402 9 2.2 45

Massachusetts

296.4 3,703.4 1.2 1,670 2 2.0 47

Michigan

318.4 4,463.0 2.5 1,220 23 3.4 26

Minnesota

205.7 2,964.0 2.3 1,315 14 2.2 45

Mississippi

87.7 1,158.0 1.4 924 51 4.3 8

Missouri

246.7 2,908.7 2.0 1,150 32 4.0 13

Montana

65.5 521.0 3.0 1,072 46 4.4 7

Nebraska

76.8 1,022.1 3.0 1,092 41 3.4 26

Nevada

106.7 1,522.8 3.2 1,189 27 2.9 36

New Hampshire

65.3 694.8 2.3 1,387 10 3.2 32

New Jersey

330.2 4,341.4 2.8 1,464 7 1.6 50

New Mexico

66.7 859.1 3.8 1,107 35 6.5 1

New York

699.6 9,623.8 2.4 1,621 5 2.5 42

North Carolina

370.9 4,857.5 3.3 1,198 24 3.4 26

North Dakota

35.4 430.4 2.9 1,184 28 4.9 3

Ohio

341.8 5,521.9 1.7 1,160 31 3.1 34

Oklahoma

129.7 1,669.0 3.1 1,052 47 3.6 25

Oregon

200.8 2,010.7 2.2 1,281 16 2.4 43

Pennsylvania

393.0 6,014.8 1.9 1,277 17 2.0 47

Rhode Island

48.0 498.8 1.3 1,221 22 -0.3 51

South Carolina

175.9 2,248.6 2.8 1,079 44 3.7 23

South Dakota

39.6 466.8 2.7 1,035 49 3.8 19

Tennessee

215.9 3,254.2 3.0 1,195 26 3.8 19

Texas

824.9 13,716.3 3.9 1,322 13 3.2 32

Utah

135.7 1,699.4 2.8 1,183 29 4.2 11

Vermont

31.8 310.3 2.3 1,175 30 4.1 12

Virginia

357.1 4,082.3 2.8 1,371 11 4.3 8

Washington

241.0 3,639.8 2.7 1,649 3 4.9 3

West Virginia

58.8 695.7 2.9 1,075 45 6.1 2

Wisconsin

204.4 2,975.8 1.9 1,126 33 2.9 36

Wyoming

30.5 288.6 2.7 1,096 39 4.6 6

Puerto Rico

52.6 929.7 1.6 622 (3) 4.2 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 36.3 4.7 992 (3) 1.1 (3)

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.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, December 27, 2023