Employment growth and decline by county, March 2007-2008

In March 2008, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the largest counties in the U.S.

[Chart data—TXT]

Orleans, which includes the city of New Orleans, experienced an over-the-year employment gain of 5.0 percent, compared with national job growth of 0.4 percent. Fort Bend, Texas, and Montgomery, Texas, tied for the next largest increase, 4.7 percent, followed by the counties of Williamson, Texas, and Douglas, Colorado, and Potter, Texas.

The largest percentage decline in employment was in Lee, Florida (-8.1 percent). Collier, Florida, had the next largest employment decline, followed by the counties of Genesee, Michigan, Saginaw, Michigan, and Marion, Florida.

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data, which are preliminary and subject to revision. Data presented here are for all workers covered by State and Federal unemployment insurance programs. The largest counties are those with employment levels of 75,000 or more. Find out more in "County Employment and Wages: First Quarter 2008", (PDF) (HTML) news release 08-1459.