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News Release Information

23-2290-ATL
Monday, December 18, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

County Employment and Wages in Georgia — Second Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 9 of the 11 largest counties in Georgia 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 Victoria G. Lee noted that Clayton County and Hall County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 6.3 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively. (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 11 largest counties in Georgia, employment was highest in Fulton County (941,100) in June 2023. Within Fulton County’s private industry, professional, scientific, and technical services accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 11 largest Georgia counties accounted for 57.8 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 148 counties in Georgia with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 147 of the 148 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Among Georgia’s largest counties, six reported average weekly wage gains above the national average of 3.2 percent from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023. Clayton county had the largest gain (+17.2 percent) and ranked first nationwide. (See chart 2.)


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

Average weekly wages in 4 of the 11 largest counties in Georgia were above the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. Fulton county reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,720, 16th) and ranked among the top 20 counties nationwide. Cobb County ($1,390, 69th), Clayton County ($1,388, 70th), and DeKalb County ($1,373, 75th) also had average weekly wages above the national average.

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

Among the 148 smaller counties in Georgia—those with employment below 75,000—Burke ($1,682) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Taliaferro County ($644) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 159 counties in Georgia were considered, 41 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 57 registered wages from $800 to $899, 33 had wages from $900 to $999, 18 had wages of $1,000 to $1,099, and 10 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Georgia, 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 third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The County Employment and Wages full data update for third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 11 largest counties in Georgia, 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 --

Georgia

384.5 4,802.8 2.2 -- 1,247 20 2.6 39

Fulton

62.5 941.1 1.9 188 1,720 16 0.8 312

Cobb

28.3 383.7 2.1 164 1,390 69 4.9 46

Clayton

5.5 130.6 6.3 3 1,388 70 17.2 1

DeKalb

23.8 312.5 1.8 203 1,373 75 (5) -

Gwinnett

34.0 381.0 2.6 117 1,198 175 3.4 124

Forsyth

8.1 85.0 3.4 67 1,164 198 (5) -

Hall

5.9 100.6 5.5 9 1,115 240 -1.6 348

Chatham

10.7 169.1 2.4 133 1,105 246 4.7 58

Richmond

5.2 103.2 0.7 306 1,060 292 0.3 329

Bibb

4.9 79.2 -1.2 346 996 327 3.4 124

Muscogee

5.5 90.8 -0.1 339 973 338 3.6 112

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.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

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

United States (2)

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

Georgia

384,472 4,802,772 1,247

Appling

515 7,454 1,105

Atkinson

128 2,127 858

Bacon

288 4,012 888

Baker

68 414 796

Baldwin

1,023 15,418 810

Banks

379 4,940 805

Barrow

1,685 22,689 942

Bartow

2,907 44,526 1,027

Ben Hill

385 6,037 784

Berrien

316 3,955 799

Bibb

4,919 79,175 996

Bleckley

230 2,897 795

Brantley

267 2,650 848

Brooks

317 3,542 895

Bryan

1,017 10,782 894

Bulloch

1,918 27,244 823

Burke

508 8,569 1,682

Butts

561 8,273 858

Calhoun

128 1,177 845

Camden

1,202 15,853 1,016

Candler

281 3,687 672

Carroll

2,772 44,032 1,005

Catoosa

1,229 16,156 827

Charlton

200 2,029 906

Chatham

10,652 169,089 1,105

Chattahoochee

140 2,348 930

Chattooga

371 4,854 774

Cherokee

7,653 71,454 977

Clarke

3,982 69,342 1,074

Clay

73 609 672

Clayton

5,493 130,614 1,388

Clinch

192 2,571 838

Cobb

28,278 383,651 1,390

Coffee

1,042 17,965 819

Colquitt

1,202 15,879 798

Columbia

3,456 38,827 908

Cook

406 4,678 775

Coweta

3,673 48,657 956

Crawford

157 1,247 724

Crisp

655 8,686 866

Dade

303 4,276 855

Dawson

987 9,944 768

Decatur

791 8,967 817

De Kalb

23,771 312,474 1,373

Dodge

378 4,902 725

Dooly

234 3,199 829

Dougherty

2,666 45,603 975

Douglas

3,563 49,836 998

Early

283 3,710 1,015

Echols

61 682 852

Effingham

1,101 12,510 969

Elbert

548 6,199 860

Emanuel

472 7,192 808

Evans

288 4,383 756

Fannin

819 7,268 791

Fayette

4,822 49,199 1,058

Floyd

2,437 40,908 942

Forsyth

8,092 84,998 1,164

Franklin

599 7,866 861

Fulton

62,510 941,068 1,720

Gilmer

813 7,647 797

Glascock

46 385 716

Glynn

3,353 41,999 981

Gordon

1,247 24,907 990

Grady

585 6,122 811

Greene

609 7,188 990

Gwinnett

34,030 381,008 1,198

Habersham

1,113 14,379 848

Hall

5,883 100,561 1,115

Hancock

106 1,493 813

Haralson

613 7,449 927

Harris

578 6,234 832

Hart

588 7,786 873

Heard

184 2,093 1,049

Henry

5,575 73,538 943

Houston

3,437 65,333 1,045

Irwin

170 2,137 850

Jackson

2,028 46,620 893

Jasper

265 2,472 742

Jeff Davis

281 4,352 818

Jefferson

395 4,945 925

Jenkins

124 1,469 801

Johnson

148 1,335 766

Jones

432 3,987 840

Lamar

352 4,349 943

Lanier

133 1,499 740

Laurens

1,273 19,534 926

Lee

614 7,333 861

Liberty

1,115 19,842 918

Lincoln

192 1,434 768

Long

139 1,240 733

Lowndes

3,380 49,226 851

Lumpkin

705 8,012 882

McDuffie

500 7,562 811

McIntosh

232 1,739 765

Macon

230 2,776 1,027

Madison

492 3,878 827

Marion

130 1,273 710

Meriwether

422 4,558 876

Miller

179 1,926 931

Mitchell

500 6,614 775

Monroe

667 8,132 947

Montgomery

147 1,408 741

Morgan

650 8,767 900

Murray

547 8,258 822

Muscogee

5,471 90,795 973

Newton

2,210 25,014 990

Oconee

1,531 14,820 904

Oglethorpe

245 2,048 854

Paulding

2,911 29,318 889

Peach

646 10,253 910

Pickens

915 8,577 1,022

Pierce

456 4,639 784

Pike

369 3,330 843

Polk

791 11,446 877

Pulaski

235 2,776 837

Putnam

603 6,478 849

Quitman

45 287 718

Rabun

626 5,877 747

Randolph

184 1,832 761

Richmond

5,214 103,157 1,060

Rockdale

2,757 36,079 1,078

Schley

78 1,099 816

Screven

294 2,840 858

Seminole

232 2,459 745

Spalding

1,535 23,646 898

Stephens

630 8,568 887

Stewart

96 1,705 991

Sumter

764 10,390 848

Talbot

98 796 855

Taliaferro

30 233 644

Tattnall

419 5,734 845

Taylor

188 1,575 937

Telfair

234 2,059 749

Terrell

238 2,219 812

Thomas

1,741 20,966 1,002

Tift

1,252 22,051 875

Toombs

785 12,631 769

Towns

359 3,525 734

Treutlen

111 1,037 785

Troup

1,837 39,698 1,031

Turner

223 2,079 757

Twiggs

125 1,776 761

Union

758 7,755 895

Upson

535 6,796 856

Walker

895 14,494 850

Walton

2,308 26,407 1,025

Ware

1,038 14,920 834

Warren

113 1,555 1,036

Washington

432 6,382 921

Wayne

688 8,747 942

Webster

47 485 1,089

Wheeler

81 1,157 781

White

859 9,870 712

Whitfield

2,742 56,908 966

Wilcox

118 1,113 753

Wilkes

243 2,663 912

Wilkinson

182 2,804 1,063

Worth

372 2,982 754

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: Monday, December 18, 2023