Employment declined 0.5 percent in West Virginia’s only large county, Kanawha, from December 2024 to December 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the rate of employment growth in Kanawha ranked 236^th among the 366 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)

Employment in Kanawha stood at 95,700 in December 2025, accounting for 13.7 percent of total employment in West Virginia. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 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.)

The average weekly wage in Kanawha increased 2.0 percent over the year to $1,281. The national average was $1,569, up 4.2 percent over the year. Kanawha’s weekly wage ranked 259^th nationally, and the percent change ranked 322^nd among the largest U.S. counties.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 54 small counties in West Virginia, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels for all 54 smaller counties were below the national average. Doddridge and Mason had the highest average weekly wages ($1,425 each) in the state. Pocahontas reported the lowest average weekly wage ($792).

Among all 55 West Virginia counties, 13 reported average weekly wages of less than $975, 7 registered wages from $975 to $1,049, 11 had wages from $1,050 to $1,124, 13 had wages from$1,125 to $1,199, and 11 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)