Employment rose in all 19 large counties in Pennsylvania from September 2021 to September 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2021.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall-Bovee noted that Philadelphia County and Lackawanna County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 5.2 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 4.3 percent over the year, with 346 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Orleans, LA, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 10.7 percent. Deschutes, OR, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.4 percent.

Among the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania, employment was highest in Philadelphia County (692,300) in September 2022. Within Philadelphia County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 19 largest Pennsylvania counties accounted for 75.9 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 72.8 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 $1,334 in the third quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All 19 large Pennsylvania counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022. (See chart 2.) Fourteen counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 6.7 percent. Dauphin County had the largest gain (+10.4 percent), followed by York County (+9.6 percent) and Chester County (+9.2 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Pennsylvania’s other 5 large counties ranged from 6.3 percent to 3.5 percent.

Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 345 had over-the-year wage increases. Midland, TX, had the largest percentage wage increase (+13.9 percent). San Mateo, CA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-19.6 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 4 of the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania were above the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2022. Average weekly wages in three of these counties ranked among the top 50 nationwide: Chester ($1,572, 31^st), Montgomery ($1,540, 35^th), and Philadelphia ($1,525, 38^th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 91 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2022. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,061. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 264 counties. At $812 a week, Hidalgo, 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 ($1,624) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Perry County ($792) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 67 counties in Pennsylvania were considered, 18 reported average weekly wages of less than $950, 24 registered wages from $950 to $1,049, 8 had wages from $1,050 to $1,149, and 17 had average weekly wages of $1,150 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 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The County Employment and Wages full data update for fourth quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

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 2022

Area	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		September 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Third quarter 2022	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, third quarter 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	11,608.9	151,239.6	4.3	--	$1,334	--	6.7	--
Pennsylvania	390.7	5,913.7	3.8	--	1,296	17	7.6	37
Allegheny	36.9	663.3	2.2	272	1,395	70	7.2	196
Berks	9.0	170.6	3.9	127	1,162	206	5.4	292
Bucks	21.2	265.1	3.3	165	1,198	183	6.9	219
Butler	5.3	85.1	2.0	289	1,206	180	8.0	148
Chester	16.5	247.5	2.6	238	1,572	31	9.2	85
Cumberland	7.0	136.0	2.9	213	1,201	182	8.4	122
Dauphin	7.7	184.7	3.9	127	1,269	126	10.4	36
Delaware	14.5	218.6	2.9	213	1,312	105	6.9	219
Erie	6.9	117.7	1.9	294	989	335	8.8	101
Lackawanna	5.6	96.1	4.7	75	1,014	321	7.9	156
Lancaster	14.5	249.0	3.8	136	1,109	249	7.5	178
Lehigh	9.1	199.2	3.8	136	1,251	144	4.8	308
Luzerne	7.6	144.8	4.6	80	1,038	314	6.8	226
Montgomery	29.1	504.4	3.1	194	1,540	35	3.5	327
Northampton	7.1	118.8	2.7	226	1,103	260	5.8	273
Philadelphia	35.4	692.3	5.2	54	1,525	38	8.3	127
Washington	5.7	86.0	3.9	127	1,235	156	7.0	210
Westmoreland	9.3	130.2	1.8	298	1,037	315	6.3	248
York	9.5	180.4	3.8	136	1,158	210	9.6	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 2022

Area	Establishments	Employment September 2022	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,608,876	151,239,638	$1,334
Pennsylvania	390,734	5,913,732	1,296
Adams	2,198	34,218	1,021
Allegheny	36,869	663,256	1,395
Armstrong	1,520	15,715	938
Beaver	3,728	48,799	1,114
Bedford	1,230	16,565	889
Berks	9,019	170,648	1,162
Blair	3,538	57,324	994
Bradford	1,589	22,160	1,139
Bucks	21,245	265,144	1,198
Butler	5,277	85,108	1,206
Cambria	3,399	47,715	912
Cameron	157	1,727	973
Carbon	1,309	15,075	886
Centre	3,682	66,615	1,181
Chester	16,501	247,503	1,572
Clarion	1,091	12,115	879
Clearfield	2,138	29,012	961
Clinton	926	12,284	973
Columbia	1,591	24,138	945
Crawford	2,170	29,241	924
Cumberland	7,002	136,031	1,201
Dauphin	7,702	184,732	1,269
Delaware	14,529	218,563	1,312
Elk	1,004	13,359	976
Erie	6,935	117,679	989
Fayette	2,863	37,577	958
Forest	155	1,825	1,151
Franklin	3,438	60,064	1,021
Fulton	317	5,136	1,046
Greene	826	11,529	1,262
Huntingdon	1,028	12,389	921
Indiana	2,020	27,343	1,062
Jefferson	1,230	14,867	924
Juniata	570	6,470	857
Lackawanna	5,603	96,062	1,014
Lancaster	14,543	248,984	1,109
Lawrence	2,055	27,405	979
Lebanon	2,953	51,469	1,046
Lehigh	9,097	199,184	1,251
Luzerne	7,563	144,750	1,038
Lycoming	3,113	49,281	1,054
Mckean	1,119	14,071	907
Mercer	2,872	43,042	997
Mifflin	1,101	16,094	974
Monroe	3,692	55,252	988
Montgomery	29,114	504,403	1,540
Montour	502	16,342	1,624
Northampton	7,092	118,834	1,103
Northumberland	1,857	27,328	962
Perry	923	7,906	792
Philadelphia	35,350	692,283	1,525
Pike	1,139	11,915	802
Potter	470	4,943	960
Schuylkill	3,062	49,369	1,009
Snyder	995	15,709	863
Somerset	1,862	23,104	949
Sullivan	193	1,414	810
Susquehanna	1,007	8,944	1,104
Tioga	1,027	12,687	994
Union	1,050	17,212	1,049
Venango	1,273	16,741	950
Warren	996	13,187	927
Washington	5,745	86,033	1,235
Wayne	1,462	14,948	942
Westmoreland	9,287	130,244	1,037
Wyoming	720	9,367	1,135
York	9,495	180,391	1,158
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 2022

State	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		September 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2021–22	Third quarter 2022	National ranking by level	Percent change, third quarter 2021–22	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	11,608.9	151,239.6	4.3	$1,334	--	6.7	--
Alabama	150.1	2,031.6	3.2	1,120	35	9.1	9
Alaska	24.9	325.2	2.5	1,304	15	8.2	29
Arizona	205.4	3,080.6	3.9	1,251	20	7.7	36
Arkansas	100.1	1,262.1	4.4	1,036	50	7.5	38
California	1,741.3	18,051.1	4.9	1,601	5	1.5	50
Colorado	247.1	2,813.9	3.3	1,432	8	8.5	22
Connecticut	140.6	1,652.8	2.8	1,491	6	6.5	42
Delaware	39.7	465.7	5.1	1,292	18	8.4	25
District of Columbia	49.0	756.6	2.7	2,134	1	4.5	48
Florida	860.6	9,417.2	5.6	1,220	23	9.0	11
Georgia	378.4	4,726.4	5.1	1,255	19	8.5	22
Hawaii	52.8	623.2	4.5	1,208	24	5.1	46
Idaho	86.7	834.7	3.8	1,063	45	11.5	1
Illinois	410.9	5,982.2	3.9	1,361	12	6.9	40
Indiana	188.3	3,140.6	3.9	1,123	34	8.6	19
Iowa	111.1	1,541.1	1.9	1,118	36	10.1	3
Kansas	95.6	1,401.3	3.7	1,085	41	8.8	15
Kentucky	142.9	1,941.5	3.8	1,082	43	9.4	6
Louisiana	150.7	1,866.3	4.5	1,103	39	8.2	29
Maine	62.2	637.7	2.5	1,117	37	8.4	25
Maryland	188.3	2,669.1	2.5	1,418	9	7.9	32
Massachusetts	292.6	3,628.8	3.6	1,651	3	3.6	49
Michigan	296.0	4,334.0	3.5	1,236	21	7.2	39
Minnesota	201.6	2,880.9	3.4	1,346	13	7.9	32
Mississippi	81.5	1,151.8	2.4	933	51	8.7	17
Missouri	236.9	2,849.2	3.2	1,149	31	8.9	14
Montana	61.2	505.5	3.9	1,059	46	10.0	4
Nebraska	80.5	989.2	2.4	1,117	37	9.9	5
Nevada	107.0	1,496.1	7.5	1,205	26	6.2	43
New Hampshire	63.8	677.3	3.4	1,365	11	1.2	51
New Jersey	320.9	4,176.5	5.0	1,461	7	5.6	44
New Mexico	70.9	838.1	3.5	1,087	40	9.1	9
New York	683.2	9,355.0	4.8	1,608	4	4.8	47
North Carolina	348.9	4,737.5	4.9	1,207	25	8.5	22
North Dakota	34.5	419.8	2.9	1,190	28	10.7	2
Ohio	328.9	5,402.7	2.9	1,187	29	8.1	31
Oklahoma	123.9	1,646.6	3.8	1,047	48	8.6	19
Oregon	179.5	1,932.6	1.1	1,301	16	6.6	41
Pennsylvania	390.7	5,913.7	3.8	1,296	17	7.6	37
Rhode Island	46.5	487.3	3.1	1,225	22	8.3	27
South Carolina	166.6	2,200.9	4.7	1,079	44	9.4	6
South Dakota	39.1	448.5	2.9	1,052	47	9.0	11
Tennessee	204.0	3,202.4	5.1	1,198	27	7.9	32
Texas	805.5	13,371.1	5.9	1,333	14	8.6	19
Utah	134.1	1,663.9	4.4	1,186	30	9.0	11
Vermont	30.8	300.6	2.4	1,142	32	7.9	32
Virginia	330.1	3,979.4	3.4	1,380	10	9.3	8
Washington	235.3	3,572.9	4.4	1,657	2	5.2	45
West Virginia	56.8	678.8	1.9	1,042	49	8.3	27
Wisconsin	200.7	2,899.1	2.8	1,140	33	8.7	17
Wyoming	29.9	278.2	2.3	1,083	42	8.8	15
Puerto Rico	50.0	924.6	3.9	616	(3)	8.5	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.7	34.3	-1.0	1,030	(3)	9.2	(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.