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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
County
Employment percent change, March 2020 to March 2021
Employment, March 2021
Average 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.
United States Department of Labor
