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

Area	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average 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)	11,021.4	144,863.9	4.4	--	$1,251	--	6.7	--
Pennsylvania	375.4	5,685.4	3.2	--	1,205	16	5.8	28
Allegheny	36.5	652.1	1.8	278	1,307	68	5.8	156
Berks	8.9	163.8	2.0	263	1,100	188	4.6	229
Bucks	20.7	254.3	3.9	138	1,123	170	4.5	237
Butler	5.2	82.6	0.3	326	1,109	181	6.8	91
Chester	16.1	240.2	2.5	227	1,443	35	6.3	124
Cumberland	6.8	132.8	1.4	299	1,112	179	5.1	201
Dauphin	7.6	178.3	2.1	256	1,151	154	2.8	307
Delaware	14.3	212.8	3.0	196	1,230	96	3.7	278
Erie	6.9	115.3	0.8	319	909	328	3.9	266
Lackawanna	5.6	91.8	2.1	256	937	319	4.6	229
Lancaster	14.2	240.5	3.0	196	1,033	246	6.7	97
Lehigh	8.9	191.6	4.2	112	1,200	114	6.4	120
Luzerne	7.5	138.8	1.9	267	970	305	6.8	91
Montgomery	28.5	489.4	2.7	216	1,489	29	6.1	138
Northampton	6.9	116.2	4.0	129	1,046	236	6.2	130
Philadelphia	35.2	658.8	4.2	112	1,409	41	1.1	328
Washington	5.6	82.6	2.3	244	1,157	149	3.3	292
Westmoreland	9.2	128.1	2.5	227	977	295	5.7	164
York	9.3	173.3	2.2	252	1,059	225	7.2	65
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

Area	Establishments	Employment September 2021	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,021,414	144,863,915	$1,251
Pennsylvania	375,378	5,685,429	1,205
Adams	2,165	33,906	928
Allegheny	36,530	652,094	1,307
Armstrong	1,490	15,716	875
Beaver	3,701	52,248	1,162
Bedford	1,219	15,778	820
Berks	8,870	163,842	1,100
Blair	3,503	56,782	892
Bradford	1,600	21,413	1,051
Bucks	20,668	254,328	1,123
Butler	5,199	82,645	1,109
Cambria	3,361	47,249	839
Cameron	160	1,734	917
Carbon	1,288	14,829	832
Centre	3,659	64,331	1,126
Chester	16,113	240,154	1,443
Clarion	1,093	12,407	786
Clearfield	2,126	28,908	867
Clinton	920	12,269	864
Columbia	1,584	23,686	876
Crawford	2,157	28,406	871
Cumberland	6,810	132,797	1,112
Dauphin	7,604	178,342	1,151
Delaware	14,344	212,818	1,230
Elk	985	13,270	892
Erie	6,887	115,257	909
Fayette	2,826	37,190	864
Forest	158	1,876	987
Franklin	3,408	58,322	950
Fulton	319	4,700	1,126
Greene	801	11,396	1,150
Huntingdon	1,014	12,262	838
Indiana	1,966	27,118	1,022
Jefferson	1,209	14,671	853
Juniata	557	6,673	775
Lackawanna	5,573	91,756	937
Lancaster	14,188	240,546	1,033
Lawrence	2,018	26,977	899
Lebanon	2,888	50,060	996
Lehigh	8,947	191,550	1,200
Luzerne	7,494	138,766	970
Lycoming	3,127	47,710	956
Mckean	1,129	13,749	861
Mercer	2,906	42,337	916
Mifflin	1,083	15,395	873
Monroe	3,612	53,631	969
Montgomery	28,499	489,361	1,489
Montour	490	15,938	1,384
Northampton	6,938	116,192	1,046
Northumberland	1,877	26,469	875
Perry	907	7,816	707
Philadelphia	35,165	658,837	1,409
Pike	1,110	11,170	734
Potter	463	5,015	914
Schuylkill	3,054	47,622	948
Snyder	975	15,315	796
Somerset	1,851	23,013	856
Sullivan	195	1,363	758
Susquehanna	987	8,699	890
Tioga	1,038	12,444	911
Union	1,026	16,947	988
Venango	1,253	16,570	860
Warren	1,009	13,067	867
Washington	5,599	82,644	1,157
Wayne	1,415	14,638	890
Westmoreland	9,206	128,145	977
Wyoming	714	8,936	1,057
York	9,311	173,343	1,059
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

State	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average 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)	11,021.4	144,863.9	4.4	$1,251	--	6.7	--
Alabama	139.8	1,955.3	2.6	1,030	36	5.3	37
Alaska	24.0	316.9	4.6	1,205	16	3.4	50
Arizona	184.5	2,926.3	4.6	1,167	19	7.0	13
Arkansas	97.4	1,212.9	2.9	963	47	7.8	6
California	1,679.6	17,208.7	6.6	1,576	4	7.7	8
Colorado	231.8	2,723.4	4.8	1,322	9	7.0	13
Connecticut	132.0	1,605.1	2.9	1,401	6	5.7	31
Delaware	35.9	439.7	2.1	1,198	18	4.4	45
District of Columbia	45.4	736.1	3.1	2,042	1	4.1	46
Florida	808.4	8,910.9	7.0	1,120	25	8.7	3
Georgia	343.9	4,491.4	4.9	1,158	20	6.8	17
Hawaii	49.2	592.8	16.6	1,150	22	3.3	51
Idaho	79.2	804.0	5.3	953	50	7.8	6
Illinois	398.4	5,751.2	3.3	1,274	11	6.3	22
Indiana	178.9	3,020.6	2.6	1,032	34	7.4	10
Iowa	106.8	1,509.6	2.2	1,015	39	4.9	43
Kansas	92.1	1,349.3	1.7	997	40	4.7	44
Kentucky	134.3	1,869.0	3.4	989	43	5.8	28
Louisiana	144.2	1,772.7	1.7	1,021	37	5.4	36
Maine	58.5	619.9	3.6	1,031	35	6.7	18
Maryland	178.1	2,604.6	3.9	1,314	10	3.5	49
Massachusetts	281.4	3,501.0	5.5	1,593	2	7.0	13
Michigan	271.3	4,181.4	3.6	1,154	21	5.3	37
Minnesota	186.9	2,780.5	2.7	1,249	13	6.1	24
Mississippi	77.3	1,122.2	2.6	859	51	6.3	22
Missouri	223.9	2,760.3	2.9	1,055	31	6.0	26
Montana	57.0	487.5	4.4	963	47	6.5	21
Nebraska	75.6	964.6	1.4	1,017	38	5.5	35
Nevada	96.0	1,389.5	10.8	1,135	23	8.3	5
New Hampshire	60.0	654.6	3.3	1,349	8	15.0	1
New Jersey	304.1	3,977.2	5.1	1,384	7	4.1	46
New Mexico	64.8	806.2	4.2	997	40	5.6	32
New York	671.2	8,922.4	4.4	1,534	5	6.1	24
North Carolina	318.4	4,516.4	4.5	1,112	26	7.1	11
North Dakota	33.0	407.2	2.2	1,076	30	5.1	40
Ohio	315.7	5,248.0	2.2	1,098	28	5.6	32
Oklahoma	116.4	1,576.6	1.8	966	45	5.6	32
Oregon	171.2	1,909.5	3.7	1,220	15	9.6	2
Pennsylvania	375.4	5,685.4	3.2	1,205	16	5.8	28
Rhode Island	43.2	474.1	4.8	1,131	24	3.6	48
South Carolina	152.9	2,086.0	2.8	988	44	6.9	16
South Dakota	37.0	435.6	3.1	965	46	5.1	40
Tennessee	187.7	3,044.1	4.2	1,111	27	8.7	3
Texas	770.0	12,613.1	5.6	1,227	14	6.7	18
Utah	123.1	1,594.7	5.0	1,087	29	7.1	11
Vermont	28.1	293.5	2.7	1,055	31	5.8	28
Virginia	299.2	3,845.3	2.9	1,264	12	5.3	37
Washington	266.6	3,415.2	4.4	1,578	3	6.6	20
West Virginia	53.6	664.2	2.7	960	49	5.0	42
Wisconsin	189.5	2,815.9	2.3	1,049	33	7.5	9
Wyoming	28.7	271.1	2.5	995	42	6.0	26
Puerto Rico	47.9	887.9	6.5	568	(3)	4.0	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.6	34.5	1.9	956	(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.