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News Release Information

22-572-PHI
Monday, March 28, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

County Employment and Wages in Pennsylvania — Third Quarter 2021

Employment rose in all 19 large counties in Pennsylvania from September 2020 to September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that both Lehigh County and Philadelphia County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 4.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 4.4 percent over the year, with 332 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Honolulu, HI, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Jefferson, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 3.2 percent.

Among the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania, employment was highest in Philadelphia County (658,800) in September 2021. Within Philadelphia County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 19 largest Pennsylvania counties accounted for 76.4 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.3 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 48 counties in Pennsylvania with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 47 of the 48 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,251 in the third quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All 19 large Pennsylvania counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2020 to the third quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Four counties had rates of wage gains that were at or above the national rate of 6.7 percent: York County (+7.2 percent), Butler and Luzerne Counties (+6.8 percent each), and Lancaster County (+6.7 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Pennsylvania’s other 15 large counties ranged from 6.4 percent to 1.1 percent.

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 333 had over-the-year wage increases. San Mateo, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+27.2 percent). Union, NJ, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-1.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 4 of the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania were above the national average of $1,251 in the third quarter of 2021. Montgomery County had the highest average weekly wage at $1,489 followed by Chester County ($1,443), Philadelphia County ($1,409) and Allegheny County($1,307).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2021. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,710. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 258 counties. At $756 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Pennsylvania’s smaller counties

Among the 48 smaller counties in Pennsylvania—those with employment below 75,000—Montour ($1,384) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Perry County ($707) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 67 counties in Pennsylvania were considered, 10 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 26 registered wages from $850 to $949, 11 had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See chart 3.)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

The County Employment and Wages release for fourth quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The County Employment and Wages full data update for fourth quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.


Technical Note

Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/cew. However, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s web site.

QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.

The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania, third quarter 2021
AreaEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
September 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Third quarter
2021
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
third quarter
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,021.4144,863.94.4--$1,251--6.7--

Pennsylvania

375.45,685.43.2--1,205165.828

Allegheny

36.5652.11.82781,307685.8156

Berks

8.9163.82.02631,1001884.6229

Bucks

20.7254.33.91381,1231704.5237

Butler

5.282.60.33261,1091816.891

Chester

16.1240.22.52271,443356.3124

Cumberland

6.8132.81.42991,1121795.1201

Dauphin

7.6178.32.12561,1511542.8307

Delaware

14.3212.83.01961,230963.7278

Erie

6.9115.30.83199093283.9266

Lackawanna

5.691.82.12569373194.6229

Lancaster

14.2240.53.01961,0332466.797

Lehigh

8.9191.64.21121,2001146.4120

Luzerne

7.5138.81.92679703056.891

Montgomery

28.5489.42.72161,489296.1138

Northampton

6.9116.24.01291,0462366.2130

Philadelphia

35.2658.84.21121,409411.1328

Washington

5.682.62.32441,1571493.3292

Westmoreland

9.2128.12.52279772955.7164

York

9.3173.32.22521,0592257.265

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Pennsylvania, third quarter 2021
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment September 2021Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,021,414144,863,915$1,251

Pennsylvania

375,3785,685,4291,205

Adams

2,16533,906928

Allegheny

36,530652,0941,307

Armstrong

1,49015,716875

Beaver

3,70152,2481,162

Bedford

1,21915,778820

Berks

8,870163,8421,100

Blair

3,50356,782892

Bradford

1,60021,4131,051

Bucks

20,668254,3281,123

Butler

5,19982,6451,109

Cambria

3,36147,249839

Cameron

1601,734917

Carbon

1,28814,829832

Centre

3,65964,3311,126

Chester

16,113240,1541,443

Clarion

1,09312,407786

Clearfield

2,12628,908867

Clinton

92012,269864

Columbia

1,58423,686876

Crawford

2,15728,406871

Cumberland

6,810132,7971,112

Dauphin

7,604178,3421,151

Delaware

14,344212,8181,230

Elk

98513,270892

Erie

6,887115,257909

Fayette

2,82637,190864

Forest

1581,876987

Franklin

3,40858,322950

Fulton

3194,7001,126

Greene

80111,3961,150

Huntingdon

1,01412,262838

Indiana

1,96627,1181,022

Jefferson

1,20914,671853

Juniata

5576,673775

Lackawanna

5,57391,756937

Lancaster

14,188240,5461,033

Lawrence

2,01826,977899

Lebanon

2,88850,060996

Lehigh

8,947191,5501,200

Luzerne

7,494138,766970

Lycoming

3,12747,710956

Mckean

1,12913,749861

Mercer

2,90642,337916

Mifflin

1,08315,395873

Monroe

3,61253,631969

Montgomery

28,499489,3611,489

Montour

49015,9381,384

Northampton

6,938116,1921,046

Northumberland

1,87726,469875

Perry

9077,816707

Philadelphia

35,165658,8371,409

Pike

1,11011,170734

Potter

4635,015914

Schuylkill

3,05447,622948

Snyder

97515,315796

Somerset

1,85123,013856

Sullivan

1951,363758

Susquehanna

9878,699890

Tioga

1,03812,444911

Union

1,02616,947988

Venango

1,25316,570860

Warren

1,00913,067867

Washington

5,59982,6441,157

Wayne

1,41514,638890

Westmoreland

9,206128,145977

Wyoming

7148,9361,057

York

9,311173,3431,059

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, third quarter 2021
StateEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
September 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2020–21
Third quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
third quarter
2020–21
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,021.4144,863.94.4$1,251--6.7--

Alabama

139.81,955.32.61,030365.337

Alaska

24.0316.94.61,205163.450

Arizona

184.52,926.34.61,167197.013

Arkansas

97.41,212.92.9963477.86

California

1,679.617,208.76.61,57647.78

Colorado

231.82,723.44.81,32297.013

Connecticut

132.01,605.12.91,40165.731

Delaware

35.9439.72.11,198184.445

District of Columbia

45.4736.13.12,04214.146

Florida

808.48,910.97.01,120258.73

Georgia

343.94,491.44.91,158206.817

Hawaii

49.2592.816.61,150223.351

Idaho

79.2804.05.3953507.86

Illinois

398.45,751.23.31,274116.322

Indiana

178.93,020.62.61,032347.410

Iowa

106.81,509.62.21,015394.943

Kansas

92.11,349.31.7997404.744

Kentucky

134.31,869.03.4989435.828

Louisiana

144.21,772.71.71,021375.436

Maine

58.5619.93.61,031356.718

Maryland

178.12,604.63.91,314103.549

Massachusetts

281.43,501.05.51,59327.013

Michigan

271.34,181.43.61,154215.337

Minnesota

186.92,780.52.71,249136.124

Mississippi

77.31,122.22.6859516.322

Missouri

223.92,760.32.91,055316.026

Montana

57.0487.54.4963476.521

Nebraska

75.6964.61.41,017385.535

Nevada

96.01,389.510.81,135238.35

New Hampshire

60.0654.63.31,349815.01

New Jersey

304.13,977.25.11,38474.146

New Mexico

64.8806.24.2997405.632

New York

671.28,922.44.41,53456.124

North Carolina

318.44,516.44.51,112267.111

North Dakota

33.0407.22.21,076305.140

Ohio

315.75,248.02.21,098285.632

Oklahoma

116.41,576.61.8966455.632

Oregon

171.21,909.53.71,220159.62

Pennsylvania

375.45,685.43.21,205165.828

Rhode Island

43.2474.14.81,131243.648

South Carolina

152.92,086.02.8988446.916

South Dakota

37.0435.63.1965465.140

Tennessee

187.73,044.14.21,111278.73

Texas

770.012,613.15.61,227146.718

Utah

123.11,594.75.01,087297.111

Vermont

28.1293.52.71,055315.828

Virginia

299.23,845.32.91,264125.337

Washington

266.63,415.24.41,57836.620

West Virginia

53.6664.22.7960495.042

Wisconsin

189.52,815.92.31,049337.59

Wyoming

28.7271.12.5995426.026

Puerto Rico

47.9887.96.5568(3)4.0(3)

Virgin Islands

3.634.51.9956(3)-5.4(3)

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Monday, March 28, 2022