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News Release Information

22-511-CHI
Friday, April 08, 2022

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

County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — Third Quarter 2021

Employment rose 3.8 percent in North Dakota’s only large county, Cass, 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 Jason Palmer noted that in September 2021, Cass County’s employment level was 121,500. (See 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.

Cass County’s employment accounted for 29.8 percent of total employment within the state in September 2021. Within the county’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. 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 52 counties in North Dakota with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 44 of the 52 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,251 in the third quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Cass County’s 4.8-percent wage growth from the third quarter of 2020 to the third quarter of 2021 was lower than the national rate of 6.7 percent and ranked 216th nationally. 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

Cass County’s $1,109 average weekly was below the national average of $1,251 and ranked 181st among the 343 large U.S. counties in the third quarter of 2021. Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second 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 North Dakota’s smaller counties

Among the 52 smaller counties in North Dakota—those with employment below 75,000—eight counties reported average weekly wages above the national average of $1,251. Oliver County ($1,517) reported the highest average weekly wage among North Dakota’s small counties, while Sheridan County ($547) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 53 counties in North Dakota were considered, 14 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 15 registered wages from $800 to $899, 9 had wages from $900 to $999, and 15 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See chart 1.) The higher-paying counties were concentrated in and around the Bakken Shale field in the western portion of the state and the Bismarck and Fargo metropolitan areas.

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 largest county in North Dakota, third quarter 2021
AreaEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage 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)

11,021.4144,863.94.4--$1,251--6.7--

North Dakota

33.0407.22.2--1,076305.140

Cass

8.0121.53.81411,1091814.8216

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 North Dakota, third quarter 2021
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment September 2021Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,021,414144,863,915$1,251

North Dakota

33,001407,2471,076

Adams

119820864

Barnes

4344,444834

Benson

1451,983888

Billings

52747776

Bottineau

3242,390849

Bowman

1931,390802

Burke

1226491,143

Burleigh

3,97456,7101,064

Cass

7,977121,4661,109

Cavalier

1631,286884

Dickey

2551,741762

Divide

123705949

Dunn

2092,0531,344

Eddy

101741682

Emmons

158952764

Foster

1651,532888

Golden Valley

94596744

Grand Forks

2,40338,676974

Grant

96603735

Griggs

103817807

Hettinger

137741891

Kidder

111818759

LaMoure

2201,286778

Logan

108602607

McHenry

2101,392894

McIntosh

138981761

McKenzie

7939,3831,507

McLean

3703,2931,271

Mercer

3084,1041,293

Morton

1,10211,771952

Mountrail

5255,1371,309

Nelson

161995707

Oliver

667521,517

Pembina

3773,411976

Pierce

1941,529833

Ramsey

5015,626855

Ransom

2532,000761

Renville

142705822

Richland

6407,643918

Rolette

2694,421880

Sargent

1692,9681,110

Sheridan

48227547

Sioux

651,425966

Slope

16991,285

Stark

1,47417,5251,179

Steele

815491,021

Stutsman

82510,403934

Towner

99692833

Traill

3923,373934

Walsh

5145,113908

Ward

2,44230,3581,025

Wells

1981,412781

Williams

2,09823,0171,423

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
StateEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage 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)

11,021.4144,863.94.4$1,251--6.7--

Alabama

139.81,955.32.61,030365.337

Alaska

24.0316.94.61,205163.450

Arizona

184.52,926.34.61,167197.013

Arkansas

97.41,212.92.9963477.86

California

1,679.617,208.76.61,57647.78

Colorado

231.82,723.44.81,32297.013

Connecticut

132.01,605.12.91,40165.731

Delaware

35.9439.72.11,198184.445

District of Columbia

45.4736.13.12,04214.146

Florida

808.48,910.97.01,120258.73

Georgia

343.94,491.44.91,158206.817

Hawaii

49.2592.816.61,150223.351

Idaho

79.2804.05.3953507.86

Illinois

398.45,751.23.31,274116.322

Indiana

178.93,020.62.61,032347.410

Iowa

106.81,509.62.21,015394.943

Kansas

92.11,349.31.7997404.744

Kentucky

134.31,869.03.4989435.828

Louisiana

144.21,772.71.71,021375.436

Maine

58.5619.93.61,031356.718

Maryland

178.12,604.63.91,314103.549

Massachusetts

281.43,501.05.51,59327.013

Michigan

271.34,181.43.61,154215.337

Minnesota

186.92,780.52.71,249136.124

Mississippi

77.31,122.22.6859516.322

Missouri

223.92,760.32.91,055316.026

Montana

57.0487.54.4963476.521

Nebraska

75.6964.61.41,017385.535

Nevada

96.01,389.510.81,135238.35

New Hampshire

60.0654.63.31,349815.01

New Jersey

304.13,977.25.11,38474.146

New Mexico

64.8806.24.2997405.632

New York

671.28,922.44.41,53456.124

North Carolina

318.44,516.44.51,112267.111

North Dakota

33.0407.22.21,076305.140

Ohio

315.75,248.02.21,098285.632

Oklahoma

116.41,576.61.8966455.632

Oregon

171.21,909.53.71,220159.62

Pennsylvania

375.45,685.43.21,205165.828

Rhode Island

43.2474.14.81,131243.648

South Carolina

152.92,086.02.8988446.916

South Dakota

37.0435.63.1965465.140

Tennessee

187.73,044.14.21,111278.73

Texas

770.012,613.15.61,227146.718

Utah

123.11,594.75.01,087297.111

Vermont

28.1293.52.71,055315.828

Virginia

299.23,845.32.91,264125.337

Washington

266.63,415.24.41,57836.620

West Virginia

53.6664.22.7960495.042

Wisconsin

189.52,815.92.31,049337.59

Wyoming

28.7271.12.5995426.026

Puerto Rico

47.9887.96.5568(3)4.0(3)

Virgin Islands

3.634.51.9956(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.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, April 08, 2022