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Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Employment rose in all eight large counties in Minnesota 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 Jason Palmer noted that Washington and Anoka County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.5 percent and 3.4 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 eight largest counties in Minnesota, employment was highest in Hennepin County (904,200) in September 2022. Within Hennepin County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the eight largest Minnesota counties accounted for 66.4 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 79 counties in Minnesota with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 79 small counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)
Large county wage changesAll eight large Minnesota counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022. (See chart 2.) Six counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 6.7 percent. Dakota County had the largest gain (+11.6 percent), followed by both St. Louis and Washington Counties (+10.5 percent each). Over-the-year wage gains among Minnesota’s other five large counties ranged from 9.1 percent to 2.8 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 wagesWeekly wages in 4 of the 8 largest counties in Minnesota were above the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2022. All four counties ranked among the top 100 nationwide: Hennepin ($1,631, 26th), Ramsey ($1,400, 69th), Olmsted ($1,347, 87th), and Dakota ($1,335, 90th).
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 Minnesota’s smaller countiesAmong the 79 smaller counties in Minnesota—those with employment below 75,000—Dodge County ($1,267) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state and Cass County ($787) reported the lowest.
When all 87 counties in Minnesota were considered, 18 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 28 registered wages from $900 to $999, 29 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 12 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See chart 3.)
Additional statistics and other informationQCEW 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.
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.
For more information see the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release.
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.
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 | -- |
Minnesota |
201.6 | 2,880.9 | 3.4 | -- | 1,346 | 13 | 7.9 | 32 |
Anoka |
8.5 | 130.0 | 3.4 | 158 | 1,252 | 142 | 2.8 | 334 |
Dakota |
11.5 | 186.3 | 3.1 | 194 | 1,335 | 90 | 11.6 | 8 |
Hennepin |
43.8 | 904.2 | 2.7 | 226 | 1,631 | 26 | 7.4 | 185 |
Olmsted |
4.0 | 100.9 | 1.4 | 314 | 1,347 | 87 | 5.2 | 297 |
Ramsey |
15.1 | 320.5 | 2.5 | 252 | 1,400 | 69 | 6.9 | 219 |
St. Louis |
5.5 | 94.1 | 1.5 | 311 | 1,149 | 225 | 10.5 | 32 |
Stearns |
4.6 | 85.0 | 2.8 | 220 | 1,158 | 210 | 9.1 | 90 |
Washington |
6.7 | 92.4 | 3.5 | 150 | 1,120 | 243 | 10.5 | 32 |
Footnotes: |
||||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Area | Establishments | Employment September 2022 | Average weekly wage (1) |
---|---|---|---|
United States (2) |
11,608,876 | 151,239,638 | $1,334 |
Minnesota |
201,645 | 2,880,943 | 1,346 |
Aitkin |
477 | 4,286 | 887 |
Anoka |
8,464 | 129,979 | 1,252 |
Becker |
1,127 | 15,082 | 937 |
Beltrami |
1,308 | 20,466 | 993 |
Benton |
1,043 | 18,106 | 1,060 |
Big Stone |
214 | 1,664 | 965 |
Blue Earth |
2,125 | 38,898 | 1,045 |
Brown |
886 | 12,945 | 1,028 |
Carlton |
783 | 13,208 | 1,086 |
Carver |
2,773 | 40,652 | 1,253 |
Cass |
959 | 10,972 | 787 |
Chippewa |
425 | 5,257 | 954 |
Chisago |
1,335 | 16,069 | 1,061 |
Clay |
1,486 | 20,053 | 991 |
Clearwater |
236 | 2,703 | 927 |
Cook |
334 | 2,700 | 809 |
Cottonwood |
440 | 5,932 | 884 |
Crow Wing |
2,340 | 30,774 | 969 |
Dakota |
11,475 | 186,307 | 1,335 |
Dodge |
482 | 5,755 | 1,267 |
Douglas |
1,463 | 19,357 | 1,046 |
Faribault |
495 | 4,742 | 1,032 |
Fillmore |
775 | 6,188 | 788 |
Freeborn |
836 | 11,701 | 980 |
Goodhue |
1,346 | 20,829 | 1,096 |
Grant |
262 | 1,900 | 904 |
Hennepin |
43,842 | 904,156 | 1,631 |
Houston |
452 | 5,028 | 834 |
Hubbard |
655 | 6,518 | 928 |
Isanti |
941 | 11,330 | 955 |
Itasca |
1,304 | 15,900 | 1,023 |
Jackson |
359 | 4,807 | 939 |
Kanabec |
347 | 4,055 | 977 |
Kandiyohi |
1,450 | 22,673 | 972 |
Kittson |
190 | 1,412 | 879 |
Koochiching |
424 | 4,429 | 1,061 |
Lac qui Parle |
241 | 2,174 | 872 |
Lake |
358 | 3,804 | 985 |
Lake of the Woods |
180 | 1,601 | 864 |
Le Sueur |
774 | 8,718 | 1,031 |
Lincoln |
228 | 1,551 | 804 |
Lyon |
849 | 13,792 | 1,026 |
McLeod |
1,011 | 15,501 | 1,057 |
Mahnomen |
118 | 1,794 | 1,001 |
Marshall |
344 | 2,429 | 1,048 |
Martin |
696 | 8,093 | 1,008 |
Meeker |
649 | 7,785 | 981 |
Mille Lacs |
758 | 9,171 | 875 |
Morrison |
1,082 | 10,534 | 885 |
Mower |
887 | 16,269 | 1,091 |
Murray |
330 | 2,852 | 888 |
Nicollet |
826 | 15,969 | 1,050 |
Nobles |
633 | 10,264 | 1,067 |
Norman |
251 | 1,643 | 881 |
Olmsted |
3,963 | 100,876 | 1,347 |
Otter Tail |
1,898 | 22,850 | 932 |
Pennington |
425 | 10,149 | 1,080 |
Pine |
709 | 7,561 | 830 |
Pipestone |
379 | 4,404 | 940 |
Polk |
1,035 | 11,641 | 989 |
Pope |
379 | 4,390 | 1,036 |
Ramsey |
15,115 | 320,494 | 1,400 |
Red Lake |
128 | 982 | 813 |
Redwood |
579 | 6,043 | 963 |
Renville |
587 | 5,629 | 982 |
Rice |
1,742 | 25,079 | 1,059 |
Rock |
322 | 3,613 | 959 |
Roseau |
468 | 7,766 | 1,050 |
St. Louis |
5,534 | 94,091 | 1,149 |
Scott |
3,864 | 60,122 | 1,144 |
Sherburne |
2,395 | 27,227 | 1,081 |
Sibley |
420 | 4,410 | 971 |
Stearns |
4,604 | 85,023 | 1,158 |
Steele |
1,112 | 19,158 | 1,047 |
Stevens |
379 | 5,535 | 1,112 |
Swift |
349 | 3,540 | 1,005 |
Todd |
628 | 6,583 | 992 |
Traverse |
157 | 1,104 | 855 |
Wabasha |
590 | 6,641 | 856 |
Wadena |
460 | 5,666 | 921 |
Waseca |
564 | 5,729 | 982 |
Washington |
6,657 | 92,432 | 1,120 |
Watonwan |
341 | 4,365 | 912 |
Wilkin |
203 | 1,702 | 1,061 |
Winona |
1,228 | 23,777 | 1,007 |
Wright |
3,754 | 46,835 | 1,046 |
Yellow Medicine |
377 | 3,674 | 934 |
Footnotes: |
|||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
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: |
|||||||
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: Wednesday, March 29, 2023