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Employment in 10 largest counties

March 29, 2013

Employment in the nation's 10 largest counties ranged from almost 1.0 million in Miami-Dade, Florida, to almost 4.0 million in Los Angeles, California, in September 2012. All of the 10 largest counties had percentage increases in employment from September 2011 to September 2012. Harris, Texas (part of the Houston metropolitan area), had the largest gain (3.8 percent). Within Harris, among private industry groups, professional and business services had the largest over-the-year employment increase; a gain of 19,152 jobs (5.6 percent) resulting in employment of 360,700. Cook, Illinois (part of the Chicago metropolitan area), had the smallest percentage increase in employment (1.0 percent) among the 10 largest counties.

Employment by industry, 10 largest U.S. counties, third quarter 2012(p)
IndustryLos Angeles, CACook, ILNew York, NYHarris, TXMaricopa, AZDallas, TXOrange, CASan Diego, CAKing, WAMiami-Dade, FL

Natural resources and mining

9,60090020089,4006,80010,0003,00010,4003,0007,500

Construction

110,30065,40032,000142,20089,10070,80073,60057,30051,50030,800

Manufacturing

366,300194,30026,600191,100113,600112,400158,20093,900104,30035,600

Trade, transportation, and utilities

754,300441,800250,700442,000339,100295,300246,300206,000215,400254,900

Information

190,40053,700143,50027,90028,00046,80023,90024,60081,00017,200

Financial activities

211,100184,200351,900114,100142,400143,100108,80070,30063,60067,500

Professional and business services

573,700430,700488,700360,700273,000287,500258,400216,700192,600126,900

Education and health services

529,500411,200305,400253,900248,200174,000162,200155,600137,300157,900

Leisure and hospitality

419,100246,400251,600193,600176,100134,200184,200164,700116,600117,900

Other services

274,20096,10092,20063,10046,00040,00051,60063,50053,30034,700

Government

525,900296,500434,700249,300208,000163,700131,000214,800153,200138,400

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.
 

 

Nine of the 10 largest U.S. counties had over-the-year decreases in average weekly wages. Maricopa, Arizona (part of the Phoenix metropolitan area), experienced the largest decline in average weekly wages (−2.1 percent). Education and health services had the largest impact on Maricopa county’s average weekly wage decline. Within this industry, employment grew by 5,374 (2.2 percent) to 248,200, while total wages paid to those workers decreased (−2.1 percent).

King, Washington (part of the Seattle metropolitan area), had the only average weekly wage increase (2.3 percent) among the 10 largest counties.

These data are from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages: Third Quarter 2012" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-13-0542. Data for the most recent quarter are preliminary and subject to revision.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment in 10 largest counties at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130329.htm (visited March 28, 2024).

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