Employment declined in 10 of the 15 largest counties in New Jersey from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. New Jersey employment was essentially unchanged over the year at 4,247,800 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that Somerset County (-2.5 percent) had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in New Jersey, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Somerset	-2.5
Hudson	-1.2
Atlantic	-1.1
Mercer	-1.1
Passaic	-0.8
Morris	-0.6
Bergen	-0.5
Middlesex	-0.5
Gloucester	-0.4
Monmouth	-0.4
Union	0.0
Camden	0.2
Burlington	1.1
Ocean	1.2
Essex	1.5

Bergen County (431,900) had the highest employment level in New Jersey in March 2026. Together, the 15 largest counties accounted for 88.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

Average weekly wage changes in 8 of the 14 large counties in New Jersey with published data were below the national average of 3.9 percent. (See chart 2.) Somerset had the largest gain (+5.6 percent). Over-the-year wage changes among the other 13 large New Jersey counties ranged from 5.4 percent to -4.2 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in New Jersey, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Somerset	5.6
Morris	5.4
Mercer	5.0
Hudson	4.7
Union	4.4
Middlesex	4.2
Camden	3.6
Passaic	3.1
Burlington	2.3
Essex	2.2
Gloucester	1.9
Bergen	0.6
Atlantic	0.2
Monmouth	-4.2

Weekly wages in 8 of the 15 largest counties in New Jersey were above the national average of $1,654. Average weekly wages ranged from $2,849 in Somerset to $1,150 in Ocean.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 3.3 percent over the year to $1,879. New Jersey ranked 7th in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 34th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the six smaller counties in New Jersey, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 5 of the 6 smaller counties were below the national average. Hunterdon reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,662) among small counties. Cape May reported the lowest average weekly wage ($1,028) in the state.

Among all 21 New Jersey counties, 6 reported average weekly wages less than $1,225, 6 had wages from $1,225 to $1,549, 3 had wages from $1,550 to $1,874, and 6 had average weekly wages of $1,875 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)