Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

22-1180-CHI
Thursday, July 07, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

County Employment and Wages in Nebraska — Fourth Quarter 2021

Employment rose in the two largest counties in Nebraska from December 2020 to December 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 Jason Palmer noted that Lancaster County and Douglas County had over-the-year increases in employment of 2.6 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 5.2 percent over the year, with 334 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Clark, NV, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Hinds, MS, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.9 percent.

In Nebraska, employment was highest in Douglas County (335,500) in December 2021. Within Douglas County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the two largest Nebraska counties accounted for 51.7 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.4 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 91 counties in Nebraska with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 90 of the 91 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Both of Nebraska’s large counties reported average weekly wage gains from the fourth quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Wages increased 6.0 percent in Lancaster County and 5.9 percent in Douglas County, compared to the national rate of 5.9 percent.


Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 334 had over-the-year wage increases. Palm Beach, FL, had the largest percentage wage increase (+15.6 percent). Kitsap, WA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-5.5 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the two largest counties in Nebraska were below the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Douglas County had an average weekly wage of $1,296, ranking 147th nationally. Lancaster County had an average weekly wage of $1,121, ranking 267th nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 84 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2021. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $4,005. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 259 counties. At $826 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Nebraska’s smaller counties

Among the 91 smaller counties in Nebraska—those with employment below 75,000—Stanton County ($1,508) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Loup County ($576) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 93 counties in Nebraska were considered, 19 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 31 registered wages from $800 to $899, 23 had wages from $900 to $999, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,000 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 first quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for first quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 7, 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 two largest counties in Nebraska, fourth quarter 2021
AreaEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2021
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,194.1148,293.65.2--$1,418--5.9--

Nebraska

77.5978.51.5--1,144386.119

Douglas

20.0335.50.73271,2961475.9109

Lancaster

10.7170.02.62701,1212676.0102

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 Nebraska, fourth quarter 2021
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment December 2021Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,194,120148,293,597$1,418

Nebraska

77,467978,5401,144

Adams

1,13715,775918

Antelope

3152,196891

Arthur

36226681

Banner

16126809

Blaine

28125840

Boone

2782,320914

Box Butte

4303,567860

Boyd

104543712

Brown

1871,368809

Buffalo

1,97326,974969

Burt

2691,769910

Butler

2982,489970

Cass

7375,789916

Cedar

3632,703903

Chase

2481,776895

Cherry

3422,120800

Cheyenne

3973,856859

Clay

3062,2641,082

Colfax

3465,0241,123

Cuming

4433,789953

Custer

5164,392957

Dakota

53713,1441,177

Dawes

3463,121751

Dawson

83411,394963

Deuel

90543712

Dixon

1641,795912

Dodge

1,19718,0441,004

Douglas

20,045335,4771,296

Dundy

92555921

Fillmore

3202,314961

Franklin

157786793

Frontier

94840763

Furnas

2381,859868

Gage

8078,666896

Garden

92526719

Garfield

125772724

Gosper

91476871

Grant

75297703

Greeley

126616825

Hall

2,08134,3701,026

Hamilton

3903,6011,131

Harlan

139849765

Hayes

51203810

Hitchcock

103713801

Holt

5414,127897

Hooker

49286643

Howard

2191,612835

Jefferson

2943,246895

Johnson

1501,355983

Kearney

2222,110875

Keith

4213,278837

Keya Paha

39137651

Kimball

1641,379885

Knox

3442,829793

Lancaster

10,697170,0081,121

Lincoln

1,25514,240958

Logan

52205808

Loup

27150576

McPherson

1367838

Madison

1,46421,6391,025

Merrick

2952,170927

Morrill

1961,482937

Nance

133912813

Nemaha

2373,0231,091

Nuckolls

2031,554756

Otoe

5416,282946

Pawnee

97776892

Perkins

1691,166944

Phelps

4414,5311,099

Pierce

2521,899937

Platte

1,20319,4231,016

Polk

1821,482883

Red Willow

4644,907876

Richardson

3252,378810

Rock

60459842

Saline

4166,6121,046

Sarpy

4,54873,0111,158

Saunders

6655,530908

Scotts Bluff

1,40315,826902

Seward

5495,7081,000

Sheridan

2581,681780

Sherman

116746676

Sioux

27171765

Stanton

1091,3881,508

Thayer

2762,2441,039

Thomas

43269927

Thurston

1773,1041,063

Valley

2501,770818

Washington

6997,5641,188

Wayne

2914,167810

Webster

1371,026770

Wheeler

44305832

York

6457,3571,044

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, fourth quarter 2021
StateEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2020–21
Fourth quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2020–21
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,194.1148,293.65.2$1,418--5.9--

Alabama

141.22,007.03.11,153364.934

Alaska

24.1299.43.11,311194.143

Arizona

190.23,057.85.11,281235.527

Arkansas

97.01,236.13.41,064496.414

California

1,701.917,622.27.41,80444.837

Colorado

232.92,776.46.21,484107.83

Connecticut

134.01,639.93.91,61163.945

Delaware

37.0452.04.51,337165.923

District of Columbia

46.1749.45.12,32011.050

Florida

834.79,241.16.71,297209.72

Georgia

351.24,629.85.01,292217.09

Hawaii

50.4613.89.21,229280.851

Idaho

81.8802.35.11,111427.46

Illinois

400.55,877.35.41,473116.911

Indiana

179.43,089.33.41,153367.09

Iowa

107.31,527.42.21,157355.330

Kansas

92.51,381.02.41,132415.824

Kentucky

136.51,919.84.51,110435.033

Louisiana

146.11,853.92.91,142406.021

Maine

59.7613.73.31,163346.414

Maryland

178.12,648.43.91,49993.846

Massachusetts

281.83,556.95.51,83223.747

Michigan

274.94,250.86.31,291222.749

Minnesota

191.02,823.75.21,378134.044

Mississippi

78.51,147.32.4944514.837

Missouri

226.12,804.82.91,179334.540

Montana

56.7489.04.61,108447.18

Nebraska

77.5978.51.51,144386.119

Nevada

98.31,432.611.51,246255.824

New Hampshire

61.2662.23.91,580712.31

New Jersey

315.64,123.76.81,56383.048

New Mexico

66.5819.16.51,097474.441

New York

674.49,195.85.81,82936.813

North Carolina

324.74,646.64.71,241267.83

North Dakota

33.3407.93.41,192314.934

Ohio

318.85,352.62.91,221295.231

Oklahoma

117.81,604.52.11,080486.911

Oregon

173.41,915.04.81,332176.119

Pennsylvania

379.75,807.94.51,352155.132

Rhode Island

44.1475.55.71,315184.441

South Carolina

155.82,147.93.51,101466.414

South Dakota

37.6435.52.71,108445.726

Tennessee

191.73,123.33.91,258247.37

Texas

779.413,012.76.11,376146.317

Utah

126.91,624.14.31,231276.218

Vermont

28.7298.74.31,189324.934

Virginia

303.43,918.03.11,424124.837

Washington

276.13,427.06.31,68356.021

West Virginia

54.7674.43.11,053505.527

Wisconsin

194.02,832.62.41,202305.429

Wyoming

28.8267.22.71,143397.75

Puerto Rico

48.2935.36.8645(3)3.9(3)

Virgin Islands

3.435.0-0.41,090(3)3.0(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: Thursday, July 07, 2022