Largest counties accounted for 74 percent of 12-month increase in U.S. employment, September 2014
March 30, 2015
From September 2013 to September 2014, the 339 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more jobs had a net job growth of 2 million. This accounted for 74 percent of the increase in U.S. employment. Among the largest counties, 328 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages.
3.0 percent to 4.4 percent
1.5 percent to 2.9 percent
0.0 percent to 1.4 percent
Hover over a county to see data.
Hover over legend items to see counties in a category.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Percent change in employment, 339 largest counties, September 2013–September 2014
County
Percent change in employment(p)
Ranking
Weld County, CO
8.8%
1
Benton County, AR
7.4
2
Midland County, TX
7.4
2
Lee County, FL
6.1
4
Sarasota County, FL
6.1
4
Adams County, CO
5.7
6
Kings County, NY
5.4
7
Williamson County, TN
5.4
7
Fort Bend County, TX
5.1
9
Montgomery County, TX
5.1
9
San Francisco County, CA
5.1
9
Clark County, WA
5.0
12
Denver County, CO
4.9
13
Utah County, UT
4.8
14
Clark County, NV
4.7
15
Jefferson Parish, LA
4.6
16
Denton County, TX
4.5
17
Tuscaloosa County, AL
4.5
17
Cass County, ND
4.4
19
Chatham County, GA
4.4
19
Riverside County, CA
4.4
19
San Mateo County, CA
4.4
19
Santa Clara County, CA
4.4
19
Charleston County, SC
4.3
24
Collier County, FL
4.3
24
Mecklenburg County, NC
4.2
26
Ottawa County, MI
4.2
26
Pasco County, FL
4.2
26
Clay County, MO
4.1
29
Hamilton County, IN
4.1
29
San Bernardino County, CA
4.1
29
Seminole County, FL
4.1
29
Wyandotte County, KS
4.1
29
Calcasieu Parish, LA
4.0
34
Monterey County, CA
4.0
34
Davis County, UT
3.9
36
Greenville County, SC
3.9
36
Palm Beach County, FL
3.9
36
Queens County, NY
3.9
36
Travis County, TX
3.9
36
York County, SC
3.9
36
Cobb County, GA
3.8
42
Davidson County, TN
3.8
42
Gwinnett County, GA
3.8
42
Larimer County, CO
3.8
42
Placer County, CA
3.8
42
San Luis Obispo County, CA
3.8
42
Douglas County, CO
3.7
48
Elkhart County, IN
3.7
48
Thurston County, WA
3.7
48
Harris County, TX
3.6
51
Orange County, FL
3.6
51
San Joaquin County, CA
3.6
51
Dallas County, TX
3.5
54
Fulton County, GA
3.5
54
Sonoma County, CA
3.5
54
Benton County, WA
3.4
57
DeKalb County, GA
3.4
57
King County, WA
3.4
57
Nueces County, TX
3.4
57
Boone County, KY
3.3
61
Horry County, SC
3.3
61
Sacramento County, CA
3.3
61
Santa Barbara County, CA
3.3
61
Alameda County, CA
3.2
65
Collin County, TX
3.2
65
Jefferson County, CO
3.2
65
Lexington County, SC
3.2
65
Marion County, FL
3.2
65
New Hanover County, NC
3.2
65
Orleans Parish, LA
3.2
65
Rutherford County, TN
3.2
65
Bronx County, NY
3.1
73
Manatee County, FL
3.1
73
Wake County, NC
3.1
73
Yakima County, WA
3.1
73
Gregg County, TX
3.0
77
Kitsap County, WA
3.0
77
Marin County, CA
3.0
77
Miami-Dade County, FL
3.0
77
Osceola County, FL
3.0
77
Richmond County, GA
3.0
77
Hillsborough County, FL
2.9
83
Marion County, OR
2.9
83
Spartanburg County, SC
2.9
83
Arapahoe County, CO
2.8
86
Boulder County, CO
2.8
86
Broward County, FL
2.8
86
Galveston County, TX
2.8
86
Lake County, FL
2.8
86
Leon County, FL
2.8
86
Minnehaha County, SD
2.8
86
Pierce County, WA
2.8
86
Salt Lake County, UT
2.8
86
Tulare County, CA
2.8
86
Kent County, MI
2.7
96
Knox County, TN
2.7
96
Multnomah County, OR
2.7
96
New York County, NY
2.7
96
Shelby County, AL
2.7
96
Washoe County, NV
2.7
96
Bexar County, TX
2.6
102
Brazoria County, TX
2.6
102
Hidalgo County, TX
2.6
102
Tippecanoe County, IN
2.6
102
Volusia County, FL
2.6
102
Alachua County, FL
2.5
107
Franklin County, OH
2.5
107
Gloucester County, NJ
2.5
107
Jefferson County, KY
2.5
107
Rockland County, NY
2.5
107
Stanislaus County, CA
2.5
107
Camden County, NJ
2.4
113
Clayton County, GA
2.4
113
Johnson County, KS
2.4
113
Madison County, IL
2.4
113
Webb County, TX
2.4
113
Williamson County, TX
2.4
113
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
2.3
119
Greene County, MO
2.3
119
Lane County, OR
2.3
119
New Castle County, DE
2.3
119
Orange County, CA
2.3
119
San Diego County, CA
2.3
119
St. Tammany Parish, LA
2.3
119
Washington County, PA
2.3
119
Worcester County, MA
2.3
119
Baltimore City, MD
2.2
128
Butler County, OH
2.2
128
Clackamas County, OR
2.2
128
Contra Costa County, CA
2.2
128
Kern County, CA
2.2
128
Lancaster County, PA
2.2
128
Lubbock County, TX
2.2
128
Snohomish County, WA
2.2
128
Somerset County, NJ
2.2
128
Escambia County, FL
2.1
137
Los Angeles County, CA
2.1
137
Pinellas County, FL
2.1
137
Richland County, SC
2.1
137
Santa Cruz County, CA
2.1
137
Solano County, CA
2.1
137
Spokane County, WA
2.1
137
Suffolk County, MA
2.1
137
Maricopa County, AZ
2.0
145
Vanderburgh County, IN
2.0
145
Anoka County, MN
1.9
147
Buncombe County, NC
1.9
147
Montgomery County, OH
1.9
147
Polk County, FL
1.9
147
Tarrant County, TX
1.9
147
Warren County, OH
1.9
147
Bibb County, GA
1.8
153
El Paso County, CO
1.8
153
Hillsborough County, NH
1.8
153
Middlesex County, MA
1.8
153
Orange County, NY
1.8
153
Philadelphia County, PA
1.8
153
Plymouth County, MA
1.8
153
Providence County, RI
1.8
153
Weber County, UT
1.8
153
Brevard County, FL
1.7
162
Bristol County, MA
1.7
162
McHenry County, IL
1.7
162
Polk County, IA
1.7
162
Smith County, TX
1.7
162
Albany County, NY
1.6
167
Jackson County, OR
1.6
167
Prince George's County, MD
1.6
167
Stark County, OH
1.6
167
Berks County, PA
1.5
171
Boone County, MO
1.5
171
Cumberland County, PA
1.5
171
Durham County, NC
1.5
171
Hennepin County, MN
1.5
171
Mercer County, NJ
1.5
171
Monmouth County, NJ
1.5
171
Ocean County, NJ
1.5
171
Shawnee County, KS
1.5
171
Washington County, AR
1.5
171
Washington County, MN
1.5
171
Washington, DC
1.5
171
Winnebago County, IL
1.5
171
Barnstable County, MA
1.4
184
Essex County, MA
1.4
184
Norfolk County, MA
1.4
184
Oakland County, MI
1.4
184
Oklahoma County, OK
1.4
184
St. Charles County, MO
1.4
184
St. Joseph County, IN
1.4
184
Tulsa County, OK
1.4
184
Allen County, IN
1.3
192
Catawba County, NC
1.3
192
Champaign County, IL
1.3
192
Dakota County, MN
1.3
192
Duval County, FL
1.3
192
Lorain County, OH
1.3
192
Nassau County, NY
1.3
192
Bucks County, PA
1.2
199
Cook County, IL
1.2
199
Douglas County, NE
1.2
199
Genesee County, MI
1.2
199
Hamilton County, OH
1.2
199
Lancaster County, NE
1.2
199
Rockingham County, NH
1.2
199
Sangamon County, IL
1.2
199
Sedgwick County, KS
1.2
199
Ventura County, CA
1.2
199
Westchester County, NY
1.2
199
Will County, IL
1.2
199
Yellowstone County, MT
1.2
199
Ada County, ID
1.1
212
Bernalillo County, NM
1.1
212
Brazos County, TX
1.1
212
Chittenden County, VT
1.1
212
Cleveland County, OK
1.1
212
Dane County, WI
1.1
212
Forsyth County, NC
1.1
212
Henrico County, VA
1.1
212
Lafayette Parish, LA
1.1
212
Lehigh County, PA
1.1
212
Luzerne County, PA
1.1
212
Scott County, IA
1.1
212
St. Louis City, MO
1.1
212
St. Louis County, MO
1.1
212
Virginia Beach City, VA
1.1
212
Whatcom County, WA
1.1
212
Cameron County, TX
1.0
228
Delaware County, PA
1.0
228
Fresno County, CA
1.0
228
Hartford County, CT
1.0
228
Loudoun County, VA
1.0
228
Macomb County, MI
1.0
228
Madison County, AL
1.0
228
Mobile County, AL
1.0
228
Prince William County, VA
1.0
228
Richmond City, VA
1.0
228
Richmond County, NY
1.0
228
Shelby County, TN
1.0
228
Summit County, OH
1.0
228
Anne Arundel County, MD
0.9
241
Chester County, PA
0.9
241
Chesterfield County, VA
0.9
241
DuPage County, IL
0.9
241
Marion County, IN
0.9
241
Middlesex County, NJ
0.9
241
Washtenaw County, MI
0.9
241
Bergen County, NJ
0.8
248
Cumberland County, ME
0.8
248
Fairfield County, CT
0.8
248
Fayette County, KY
0.8
248
Frederick County, MD
0.8
248
Guilford County, NC
0.8
248
Honolulu County, HI
0.8
248
Howard County, MD
0.8
248
Lake County, OH
0.8
248
Montgomery County, PA
0.8
248
Outagamie County, WI
0.8
248
Suffolk County, NY
0.8
248
Wayne County, MI
0.8
248
Westmoreland County, PA
0.8
248
Yolo County, CA
0.8
248
Hampden County, MA
0.7
263
Kane County, IL
0.7
263
Lackawanna County, PA
0.7
263
McLennan County, TX
0.7
263
Monroe County, NY
0.7
263
New Haven County, CT
0.7
263
Northampton County, PA
0.7
263
Stearns County, MN
0.7
263
Dauphin County, PA
0.6
271
Erie County, NY
0.6
271
Hamilton County, TN
0.6
271
Mahoning County, OH
0.6
271
Morris County, NJ
0.6
271
Jefferson County, TX
0.5
276
Linn County, IA
0.5
276
Montgomery County, AL
0.5
276
Muscogee County, GA
0.5
276
Potter County, TX
0.5
276
St. Louis County, MN
0.5
276
El Paso County, TX
0.4
282
Hudson County, NJ
0.4
282
Jefferson County, AL
0.4
282
Johnson County, IA
0.4
282
Milwaukee County, WI
0.4
282
Montgomery County, MD
0.4
282
Saratoga County, NY
0.4
282
Washington County, OR
0.4
282
Ramsey County, MN
0.3
290
Union County, NJ
0.3
290
Waukesha County, WI
0.3
290
Baltimore County, MD
0.2
293
Dutchess County, NY
0.2
293
Hinds County, MS
0.2
293
Kalamazoo County, MI
0.2
293
Pulaski County, AR
0.2
293
York County, PA
0.2
293
Allegheny County, PA
0.1
299
Black Hawk County, IA
0.1
299
Cuyahoga County, OH
0.1
299
Erie County, PA
0.1
299
Harford County, MD
0.1
299
Newport News City, VA
0.1
299
Okaloosa County, FL
0.1
299
Pima County, AZ
0.1
299
Arlington County, VA
0.0
307
Broome County, NY
0.0
307
Butler County, PA
0.0
307
Chesapeake City, VA
0.0
307
Jackson County, MO
0.0
307
Lucas County, OH
0.0
307
Oneida County, NY
0.0
307
Onondaga County, NY
0.0
307
Alexandria City, VA
-0.1
315
Bell County, TX
-0.1
315
Saginaw County, MI
-0.1
315
Anchorage Borough, AK
-0.2
318
Brown County, WI
-0.2
318
Harrison County, MS
-0.2
318
Kanawha County, WV
-0.2
318
Olmsted County, MN
-0.3
322
Caddo Parish, LA
-0.4
323
Essex County, NJ
-0.4
323
Fairfax County, VA
-0.4
323
Ingham County, MI
-0.4
323
Lake County, IL
-0.4
323
Lake County, IN
-0.4
323
Norfolk City, VA
-0.4
323
New London County, CT
-0.6
330
Winnebago County, WI
-0.6
330
Delaware County, OH
-0.7
332
St. Clair County, IL
-0.7
332
Cumberland County, NC
-0.8
334
Burlington County, NJ
-1.1
335
McLean County, IL
-1.2
336
Peoria County, IL
-1.2
336
Passaic County, NJ
-2.2
338
Atlantic County, NJ
-4.0
339
In September 2014, Weld County, Colorado, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment, with a gain of 8.8 percent. Atlantic County, New Jersey, had the largest decrease, with a loss of 4.0 percent. All 10 of the largest counties had over-the-year increases in employment. Among them, Harris County, Texas, had the largest gain (3.6 percent).
Average weekly wages increased over the year in all 10 of the largest U.S. counties in September 2014. King County, Washington, experienced the largest percentage gain in average weekly wages (5.1 percent). The gain was primarily due to a 9.3 percent increase in average weekly wages within the information industry. San Diego, California, had the smallest increase in average weekly wages (0.8 percent).
Percent change in average weekly wages, 10 largest counties, September 2013–September 2014
Industry
Average weekly wage in September 2014 (p)
Percent change from September 2013 to September 2014(p)
Los Angeles, CA
$1,036
3.1%
Private industry
1,000
2.7
Natural resources and mining
1,618
-8.9
Construction
1,062
0.0
Manufacturing
1,136
1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities
857
3.4
Information
1,840
6.6
Financial activities
1,624
7.7
Professional and business services
1,242
0.9
Education and health services
802
2.8
Leisure and hospitality
578
5.1
Other services
688
2.7
Government
1,288
5.5
New York, NY
1,733
3.8
Private industry
1,845
3.4
Natural resources and mining
3,140
48.3
Construction
1,716
2.6
Manufacturing
1,196
6.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities
1,265
4.7
Information
2,360
1.0
Financial activities
3,285
5.1
Professional and business services
2,074
3.2
Education and health services
1,265
0.9
Leisure and hospitality
818
5.5
Other services
1,049
3.8
Government
1,195
4.6
Cook, IL
1,071
2.0
Private industry
1,071
3.3
Natural resources and mining
1,112
7.0
Construction
1,387
3.7
Manufacturing
1,137
4.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities
869
3.7
Information
1,627
3.0
Financial activities
1,848
5.1
Professional and business services
1,345
2.9
Education and health services
919
1.5
Leisure and hospitality
481
1.3
Other services
838
4.9
Government
1,075
-6.0
Harris, TX
1,238
4.0
Private industry
1,254
4.0
Natural resources and mining
3,079
7.5
Construction
1,262
6.4
Manufacturing
1,491
4.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities
1,103
3.7
Information
1,373
4.4
Financial activities
1,490
0.7
Professional and business services
1,513
3.6
Education and health services
972
0.8
Leisure and hospitality
419
3.7
Other services
755
5.4
Government
1,112
4.3
Maricopa, AZ
914
1.8
Private industry
907
1.7
Natural resources and mining
920
0.2
Construction
935
-0.5
Manufacturing
1,313
3.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities
832
0.8
Information
1,213
2.4
Financial activities
1,145
1.2
Professional and business services
996
3.8
Education and health services
935
2.2
Leisure and hospitality
433
1.6
Other services
651
-0.9
Government
972
1.9
Dallas, TX
1,141
2.5
Private industry
1,144
2.4
Natural resources and mining
3,840
18.3
Construction
1,084
5.3
Manufacturing
1,278
-1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities
1,030
2.3
Information
1,722
0.2
Financial activities
1,532
5.1
Professional and business services
1,290
1.7
Education and health services
1,027
0.8
Leisure and hospitality
480
4.8
Other services
751
4.5
Government
1,112
2.9
Orange, CA
1,050
2.6
Private industry
1,037
2.9
Natural resources and mining
822
16.8
Construction
1,174
4.4
Manufacturing
1,387
6.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities
939
1.4
Information
1,600
5.2
Financial activities
1,568
0.3
Professional and business services
1,205
4.4
Education and health services
879
1.2
Leisure and hospitality
457
4.1
Other services
647
1.6
Government
1,196
0.9
San Diego, CA
1,030
0.8
Private industry
987
0.1
Natural resources and mining
610
-3.6
Construction
1,069
1.9
Manufacturing
1,414
3.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities
773
-0.4
Information
1,751
0.7
Financial activities
1,340
2.1
Professional and business services
1,417
-2.1
Education and health services
874
0.8
Leisure and hospitality
457
3.9
Other services
570
1.4
Government
1,262
4.5
King, WA
1,452
5.1
Private industry
1,479
5.3
Natural resources and mining
1,221
1.6
Construction
1,213
4.3
Manufacturing
1,542
1.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities
1,125
4.5
Information
5,134
9.3
Financial activities
1,490
3.3
Professional and business services
1,528
4.9
Education and health services
949
4.3
Leisure and hospitality
510
2.2
Other services
794
2.5
Government
1,262
3.0
Miami-Dade, FL
891
2.2
Private industry
873
2.2
Natural resources and mining
573
4.8
Construction
887
4.5
Manufacturing
850
4.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities
806
1.6
Information
1,402
2.0
Financial activities
1,362
4.0
Professional and business services
1,055
3.5
Education and health services
913
0.6
Leisure and hospitality
521
-0.4
Other services
576
2.7
Government
1,017
2.2
Among the 339 largest counties, Olmstead County, Minnesota, had the largest increase in average weekly wages (11.1 percent) from September 2013 to September 2014. Collier County, Florida, had the largest decrease, with a loss of 3.9 percent.
These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages: Third Quarter 2014" (HTML ) (PDF ). Data for the most recent quarter are preliminary and subject to revision. The 339 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more jobs represent about 11 percent of the total number of counties and county equivalents in the 50 states and District of Columbia.
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