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Employment down in 324 of 343 largest counties from March 2020 to March 2021

August 20, 2021

From March 2020 to March 2021, employment decreased in 324 of the 343 largest U.S. counties. Calcasieu, Louisiana, had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment with a loss of 14.9 percent. Within Calcasieu, the largest employment decrease occurred in construction, which lost 3,520 jobs over the year (−27.6 percent).

Employment and wages in the 343 largest counties, first quarter 2021
CountyEmployment percent change, March 2020 to March 2021Employment, March 2021Average weekly wage, first quarter 2021

Calcasieu, LA

-14.9 82,900 1,038

Orleans, LA

-14.7 167,900 1,187

New York, NY

-14.7 2,125,300 3,967

Midland, TX

-14.2 93,800 1,644

Honolulu, HI

-13.4 405,600 1,147

Atlantic, NJ

-12.2 110,700 1,001

Clark, NV

-12.1 903,800 1,050

San Francisco, CA

-12.0 663,500 3,721

Orange, FL

-11.4 774,200 1,110

Essex, NJ

-9.9 308,500 1,612

Philadelphia, PA

-9.6 635,900 1,411

Marin, CA

-9.3 103,300 1,721

New London, CT

-9.3 107,100 1,320

Queens, NY

-9.2 642,600 1,144

Multnomah, OR

-9.2 471,800 1,353

Washington, DC

-9.0 708,000 2,165

Clayton, GA

-9.0 110,500 1,158

Jefferson, TX

-8.9 111,000 1,134

Suffolk, MA

-8.7 642,600 2,545

Passaic, NJ

-8.5 152,000 1,131

Sonoma, CA

-8.4 192,400 1,298

Arlington, VA

-8.3 170,200 2,077

Ingham, MI

-8.1 140,200 1,137

Snohomish, WA

-8.1 268,600 1,324

Cook, IL

-8.0 2,361,800 1,627

Erie, NY

-8.0 426,800 1,093

Westchester, NY

-8.0 388,400 1,711

Kent, MI

-7.9 376,700 1,055

Washington, PA

-7.9 80,000 1,461

Monterey, CA

-7.7 165,100 1,032

Solano, CA

-7.7 128,900 1,235

Bergen, NJ

-7.7 402,800 1,439

Tuscaloosa, AL

-7.6 89,800 951

Los Angeles, CA

-7.6 4,147,500 1,431

Broome, NY

-7.6 77,300 964

Monroe, NY

-7.6 354,900 1,103

Orange, CA

-7.5 1,516,300 1,446

Saginaw, MI

-7.5 75,400 949

Dutchess, NY

-7.5 103,200 1,140

Norfolk, MA

-7.4 320,500 1,462

Albany, NY

-7.4 215,700 1,315

Oneida, NY

-7.4 96,800 935

Luzerne, PA

-7.4 134,400 933

San Mateo, CA

-7.3 387,700 3,585

Weld, CO

-7.3 104,400 1,083

Whatcom, WA

-7.3 85,000 1,044

Osceola, FL

-7.2 94,800 784

St. Louis, MN

-7.2 88,700 969

Alexandria City, VA

-7.2 82,300 1,575

Washtenaw, MI

-7.1 203,600 1,271

Nassau, NY

-7.1 576,400 1,348

Onondaga, NY

-7.1 226,600 1,105

Erie, PA

-7.1 111,900 870

Prince George's, MD

-7.0 296,300 1,218

Hudson, NJ

-7.0 250,700 1,959

Brazoria, TX

-7.0 109,800 1,150

Butte, CA

-6.9 75,400 923

Oakland, MI

-6.9 679,600 1,334

Hennepin, MN

-6.9 861,900 1,668

Bronx, NY

-6.9 301,200 1,143

Howard, MD

-6.8 160,700 1,559

Richmond City, VA

-6.8 147,000 1,460

Contra Costa, CA

-6.7 343,900 1,605

Baltimore, MD

-6.7 348,300 1,287

Essex, MA

-6.7 299,000 1,350

Allegheny, PA

-6.7 636,100 1,368

Nueces, TX

-6.7 151,400 957

Santa Clara, CA

-6.6 1,046,900 3,505

Kane, IL

-6.6 193,400 1,033

Bristol, MA

-6.6 210,200 1,076

Wayne, MI

-6.6 676,600 1,299

Orange, NY

-6.6 137,800 1,019

Lane, OR

-6.6 147,500 953

Providence, RI

-6.6 267,300 1,210

Worcester, MA

-6.5 327,200 1,235

Butler, PA

-6.5 81,000 1,056

Winnebago, IL

-6.4 114,700 964

Ramsey, MN

-6.4 307,000 1,383

Kings, NY

-6.4 753,800 1,014

Milwaukee, WI

-6.4 448,800 1,171

Denver, CO

-6.3 498,700 1,753

Miami-Dade, FL

-6.3 1,093,800 1,231

Montgomery, MD

-6.3 437,800 1,938

Hampden, MA

-6.3 195,400 1,028

Genesee, MI

-6.3 122,800 939

Kalamazoo, MI

-6.3 114,200 1,122

St. Louis City, MO

-6.3 211,600 1,377

Morris, NJ

-6.3 273,300 2,128

Camden, NJ

-6.2 190,000 1,172

Monmouth, NJ

-6.2 243,900 1,222

Delaware, PA

-6.2 208,700 1,317

Anne Arundel, MD

-6.1 255,400 1,319

Berks, PA

-6.1 161,700 1,049

Anchorage, AK

-6.0 135,800 1,190

Ventura, CA

-6.0 310,600 1,263

Frederick, MD

-6.0 97,500 1,117

Saratoga, NY

-6.0 82,100 1,151

Westmoreland, PA

-6.0 123,500 927

Webb, TX

-6.0 96,900 740

Kitsap, WA

-6.0 86,500 1,118

Hartford, CT

-5.9 477,900 1,528

Sedgwick, KS

-5.9 241,800 978

Barnstable, MA

-5.9 80,700 1,038

Middlesex, MA

-5.9 871,300 2,107

Union, NJ

-5.9 213,600 1,594

Harris, TX

-5.9 2,217,700 1,518

Norfolk City, VA

-5.9 131,900 1,177

King, WA

-5.9 1,347,300 2,152

Plymouth, MA

-5.8 179,200 1,162

Bernalillo, NM

-5.8 314,700 1,013

Lucas, OH

-5.8 192,200 1,047

DuPage, IL

-5.7 570,900 1,414

Wyandotte, KS

-5.7 84,500 1,072

Montgomery, OH

-5.7 237,800 1,010

Kanawha, WV

-5.7 89,500 982

Fairfield, CT

-5.6 382,900 2,220

Macomb, MI

-5.6 309,700 1,187

Somerset, NJ

-5.6 176,300 2,306

Suffolk, NY

-5.6 610,300 1,269

Lackawanna, PA

-5.6 90,200 887

Scott, IA

-5.5 83,700 938

Dakota, MN

-5.5 175,300 1,217

Richmond, NY

-5.5 123,300 1,082

Lake, OH

-5.5 89,500 962

Outagamie, WI

-5.5 101,800 1,006

McLean, IL

-5.4 77,300 1,325

Linn, IA

-5.4 122,500 1,115

St. Louis, MO

-5.4 569,400 1,302

Cuyahoga, OH

-5.4 678,000 1,263

Summit, OH

-5.4 249,900 1,083

Fulton, GA

-5.3 856,800 1,915

St. Joseph, IN

-5.3 114,400 947

Baltimore City, MD

-5.3 326,600 1,405

Mahoning, OH

-5.3 90,300 820

Bucks, PA

-5.3 247,200 1,091

Davidson, TN

-5.3 484,600 1,378

Chittenden, VT

-5.3 94,700 1,192

Loudoun, VA

-5.3 166,800 1,419

San Luis Obispo, CA

-5.2 112,300 1,046

Tulare, CA

-5.2 153,200 860

Hamilton, OH

-5.2 487,000 1,369

Northampton, PA

-5.2 113,300 1,000

Henrico, VA

-5.2 181,000 1,221

Peoria, IL

-5.1 97,500 1,276

Johnson, IA

-5.1 78,600 1,080

Stearns, MN

-5.1 80,700 1,030

Clackamas, OR

-5.1 161,000 1,155

New Castle, DE

-5.0 274,600 1,445

Broward, FL

-5.0 781,800 1,155

Tulsa, OK

-5.0 342,600 1,051

Manatee, FL

-4.9 128,300 897

St. Clair, IL

-4.9 86,200 929

Lake, IN

-4.9 175,700 981

Rockingham, NH

-4.9 142,100 1,226

Buncombe, NC

-4.9 126,500 900

Dauphin, PA

-4.9 173,900 1,190

Sacramento, CA

-4.8 654,900 1,331

Muscogee, GA

-4.8 91,100 998

Lake, IL

-4.8 313,700 1,898

EaSt. Baton Rouge, LA

-4.8 249,300 1,069

Lafayette, LA

-4.8 124,000 909

Cumberland, ME

-4.8 174,300 1,205

Harrison, MS

-4.8 82,800 792

Hillsborough, NH

-4.8 193,900 1,311

Chester, PA

-4.8 234,800 1,651

Montgomery, PA

-4.8 481,700 1,683

Charleston, SC

-4.8 244,700 1,078

Chesapeake City, VA

-4.8 99,600 951

Fresno, CA

-4.7 374,800 938

Jefferson, LA

-4.7 178,700 1,018

Ottawa, MI

-4.7 122,000 973

Spokane, WA

-4.7 219,000 1,063

Palm Beach, FL

-4.6 596,100 1,257

Washington, OR

-4.6 287,100 1,583

Mobile, AL

-4.5 163,700 967

Stanislaus, CA

-4.5 183,700 1,051

New Haven, CT

-4.5 348,200 1,205

Caddo, LA

-4.5 103,800 898

Anoka, MN

-4.5 120,600 1,070

Lorain, OH

-4.5 91,400 892

Virginia Beach City, VA

-4.5 167,600 914

Rockland, NY

-4.4 121,700 1,137

Butler, OH

-4.4 148,300 1,062

Lancaster, PA

-4.4 234,400 974

Pierce, WA

-4.4 306,100 1,113

Jackson, MO

-4.3 356,000 1,212

Washoe, NV

-4.3 215,500 1,091

Mercer, NJ

-4.3 248,000 1,793

York, PA

-4.3 170,700 1,006

Benton, WA

-4.3 87,000 1,172

Dane, WI

-4.3 328,500 1,261

Lancaster, NE

-4.2 164,100 951

Stark, OH

-4.2 149,900 890

Oklahoma, OK

-4.2 442,200 1,075

Waukesha, WI

-4.2 231,900 1,221

Jefferson, AL

-4.1 337,000 1,212

Montgomery, AL

-4.1 124,800 950

DeKalb, GA

-4.1 288,400 1,261

Harford, MD

-4.1 89,400 1,132

Horry, SC

-4.1 124,000 718

Bexar, TX

-4.1 837,100 1,094

Pima, AZ

-4.0 364,900 1,012

Boulder, CO

-4.0 181,000 1,562

Middlesex, NJ

-4.0 406,300 1,452

El Paso, TX

-4.0 302,300 812

Prince William, VA

-4.0 126,500 1,025

Brown, WI

-4.0 149,500 1,044

Kern, CA

-3.9 300,400 1,003

Hinds, MS

-3.9 111,800 949

Galveston, TX

-3.9 108,600 1,030

Newport News City, VA

-3.9 100,500 1,080

Bibb, GA

-3.8 79,800 947

Douglas, NE

-3.8 325,300 1,141

Franklin, OH

-3.8 728,000 1,256

Jackson, OR

-3.8 87,200 948

Cumberland, PA

-3.8 131,200 1,066

Hidalgo, TX

-3.8 261,400 693

Chesterfield, VA

-3.8 131,800 992

Fairfax, VA

-3.8 594,500 1,981

Placer, CA

-3.7 168,800 1,250

Collier, FL

-3.7 152,200 1,063

Tippecanoe, IN

-3.7 82,500 959

Fayette, KY

-3.7 185,500 1,017

Lehigh, PA

-3.7 186,400 1,128

Hamilton, TN

-3.7 199,800 1,067

McHenry, IL

-3.6 90,200 918

Ocean, NJ

-3.6 161,100 947

Thurston, WA

-3.6 114,600 1,161

Yakima, WA

-3.6 107,300 822

Riverside, CA

-3.5 744,200 993

Larimer, CO

-3.5 158,700 1,145

Marion, IN

-3.5 575,000 1,326

Olmsted, MN

-3.5 96,900 1,314

Washington, MN

-3.5 85,400 1,024

Shelby, TN

-3.5 477,300 1,181

Tarrant, TX

-3.5 895,400 1,187

Jefferson, CO

-3.4 231,100 1,284

Escambia, FL

-3.4 136,100 954

Burlington, NJ

-3.4 194,100 1,268

Forsyth, NC

-3.4 184,100 1,141

Montgomery, TX

-3.4 191,800 1,249

Winnebago, WI

-3.3 89,400 1,070

Leon, FL

-3.2 147,700 934

Pulaski, AR

-3.1 240,000 1,060

Chatham, GA

-3.1 156,500 958

Richmond, GA

-3.1 101,800 960

Vanderburgh, IN

-3.1 103,000 942

Arapahoe, CO

-3.0 321,100 1,539

Will, IL

-3.0 240,000 1,032

Jefferson, KY

-3.0 452,000 1,215

Guilford, NC

-3.0 276,600 1,027

Clark, WA

-3.0 160,400 1,214

Cobb, GA

-2.9 360,200 1,335

Polk, IA

-2.9 289,200 1,278

Johnson, KS

-2.9 339,600 1,244

Cumberland, NC

-2.9 117,200 869

Warren, OH

-2.9 94,200 1,148

Deschutes, OR

-2.9 83,300 1,018

Spartanburg, SC

-2.8 146,800 932

Brazos, TX

-2.8 106,800 872

Sangamon, IL

-2.7 123,500 1,140

Gloucester, NJ

-2.7 111,700 954

Mecklenburg, NC

-2.7 703,800 1,631

Richland, SC

-2.7 215,400 1,020

Cameron, TX

-2.7 142,800 685

Hillsborough, FL

-2.6 701,000 1,211

Lee, FL

-2.5 272,100 937

Gwinnett, GA

-2.5 351,200 1,122

Cass, ND

-2.5 116,500 1,080

Delaware, OH

-2.5 85,800 1,306

Marion, OR

-2.5 153,300 1,008

Dallas, TX

-2.5 1,685,900 1,547

Fort Bend, TX

-2.5 194,300 1,032

Champaign, IL

-2.4 89,600 1,061

Greene, MO

-2.4 166,600 916

Catawba, NC

-2.4 85,100 896

Travis, TX

-2.4 776,600 1,595

Shelby, AL

-2.3 81,800 1,172

Maricopa, AZ

-2.2 2,055,500 1,219

Alachua, FL

-2.2 131,700 973

Greenville, SC

-2.2 269,200 1,009

York, SC

-2.2 98,400 1,017

Smith, TX

-2.2 103,000 914

San Bernardino, CA

-2.1 773,100 1,002

Allen, IN

-2.1 183,400 979

Knox, TN

-2.1 235,700 1,049

McLennan, TX

-2.1 111,500 943

Sussex, DE

-2.0 78,100 856

Seminole, FL

-2.0 196,400 1,050

St. Charles, MO

-2.0 151,800 1,017

Pinellas, FL

-1.9 433,500 1,026

New Hanover, NC

-1.9 115,800 1,042

Minnehaha, SD

-1.9 125,100 1,044

Bell, TX

-1.9 119,500 963

Washington, AR

-1.8 109,200 913

El Paso, CO

-1.8 279,300 1,087

Madison, AL

-1.7 205,900 1,256

Shawnee, KS

-1.7 94,000 968

Clay, MO

-1.7 103,600 972

San Joaquin, CA

-1.6 255,100 999

Benton, AR

-1.5 125,200 1,631

Madison, IL

-1.5 101,100 904

Lexington, SC

-1.5 119,600 888

Adams, CO

-1.4 223,500 1,140

Lake, FL

-1.4 102,000 792

Wake, NC

-1.4 564,600 1,319

Hamilton, IN

-1.3 142,300 1,210

Williamson, TX

-1.3 186,000 1,476

Duval, FL

-1.2 519,100 1,191

Marion, FL

-1.2 107,200 789

Durham, NC

-1.2 217,600 1,627

St. Tammany, LA

-1.1 88,100 958

Collin, TX

-1.1 444,800 1,522

Sarasota, FL

-1.0 172,200 993

Hall, GA

-1.0 90,000 982

Yellowstone, MT

-1.0 80,900 984

Lubbock, TX

-0.9 140,200 866

Brevard, FL

-0.8 222,500 1,046

Boone, MO

-0.6 93,900 1,005

Boone, KY

-0.3 96,000 936

Rutherford, TN

-0.3 133,500 968

Williamson, TN

-0.3 139,700 1,562

Douglas, CO

-0.1 130,800 1,465

St. Lucie, FL

-0.1 81,500 851

St. Johns, FL

0.0 82,700 981

Salt Lake, UT

0.0 723,500 1,234

Okaloosa, FL

0.2 86,600 979

Ada, ID

0.2 257,400 1,068

Denton, TX

0.6 269,800 1,069

Pasco, FL

0.8 125,200 816

Cleveland, OK

1.3 86,100 797

Weber, UT

1.6 110,100 869

Davis, UT

2.0 134,800 959

Elkhart, IN

4.3 136,000 1,118

Utah, UT

6.1 263,200 1,062

Alameda, CA

Not available 745,800 1,754

Merced, CA

Not available 76,300 892

San Diego, CA

Not available 1,389,300 1,430

Santa Barbara, CA

Not available 203,300 1,136

Santa Cruz, CA

Not available 96,500 1,140

Yolo, CA

Not available 109,900 1,177

Polk, FL

Not available 243,700 882

Volusia, FL

Not available 176,400 878

Note: Percent change data with "Not available" do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

Utah County, Utah, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment with a gain of 6.1 percent. Within Utah County, trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest employment increase with a gain of 4,523 jobs (+10.6 percent).

Among the 343 largest counties, 312 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the first quarter of 2021, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,289, a 5.6-percent increase over the year. San Francisco County, California, had the largest over-the-year wage gain at 33.9 percent.

Clayton County, Georgia, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in average weekly wages with a loss of 14.2 percent. Within Clayton County, trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest impact, with an average weekly wage decrease of $420 (−22.9 percent) from March 2020 to March 2021.

These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program and are preliminary. Large counties are defined as having employment of at least 75,000. Nationally, across most industries, increases in average weekly wages reflected substantial employment declines combined with wage increases. The lowest paying industry, leisure and hospitality, had the largest employment loss, which resulted in higher average weekly wages for the industry and the nation. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages – First Quarter 2021." You can view employment data for the nation, states, counties, and metropolitan areas through the data viewer tool.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment down in 324 of 343 largest counties from March 2020 to March 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/employment-down-in-324-of-343-largest-counties-from-march-2020-to-march-2021.htm (visited March 29, 2024).

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