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News Release Information

23-1355-CHI
Friday, July 14, 2023

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

County Employment and Wages in Nebraska — Fourth Quarter 2022

Employment rose in the two largest counties in Nebraska from December 2021 to December 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 Douglas County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 1.3 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 2.6 percent over the year, with 325 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 7.9 percent. Elkhart, IN, and Hendricks, IN, both experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 1.7 percent each.

Among the two largest counties in Nebraska, employment was highest in Douglas County (341,500) in December 2022. Within Douglas County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the two largest Nebraska counties accounted for 51.5 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 72.9 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 $1,385 in the fourth quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Douglas County, Nebraska, reported an average weekly wage gain (+1.0 percent) from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the fourth quarter of 2022, while Lancaster County had a wage decline (-0.1 percent). (See chart 2.) Douglas County’s wage gain ranked 47th nationally, while Lancaster County’s decline ranked 112th.


Nationwide, wages decreased by 2.3 percent over the year. Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 240 had over-the-year wage decreases. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage decrease (-22.6 percent). Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase (+6.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in both of Nebraska’s large counties were below the national average of $1,385 in the fourth quarter of 2022. Douglas County had an average weekly wage of $1,303, ranking 129th nationally. Lancaster County had an average weekly wage of $1,120, ranking 266th nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 86 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2022. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,329. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 269 counties. At $827 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 ($1,499) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Hooker County ($561) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 93 counties in Nebraska were considered, 17 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 23 registered wages from $800 to $899, 26 had wages from $900 to $999, and 27 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 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for first quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.


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.

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.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the two largest counties in Nebraska, fourth quarter 2022
AreaEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2022
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,785.7152,317.92.6--$1,385---2.3--

Nebraska

79.1995.51.7--1,154361.24

Douglas

20.0341.51.32251,3031291.047

Lancaster

10.7170.90.33071,120266-0.1112

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 2022
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment December 2022Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,785,706152,317,914$1,385

Nebraska

79,080995,5471,154

Adams

1,14515,483992

Antelope

2932,215969

Arthur

17100566

Banner

12113886

Blaine

25130897

Boone

2682,407911

Box Butte

4083,518916

Boyd

100532723

Brown

1801,356869

Buffalo

1,96427,452973

Burt

2631,763916

Butler

2852,6001,018

Cass

7335,678958

Cedar

3542,693903

Chase

2331,7821,018

Cherry

3182,219744

Cheyenne

3893,862885

Clay

2822,0191,111

Colfax

3285,0221,069

Cuming

4223,7301,013

Custer

4984,462953

Dakota

53113,5961,171

Dawes

3343,115753

Dawson

82011,815966

Deuel

88573736

Dixon

1531,8401,045

Dodge

1,15018,7471,012

Douglas

20,000341,4991,303

Dundy

89582910

Fillmore

2942,3101,042

Franklin

134845816

Frontier

100817743

Furnas

2311,782917

Gage

7828,471950

Garden

83518772

Garfield

117742866

Gosper

82497923

Grant

55268749

Greeley

126633816

Hall

2,08434,9971,000

Hamilton

3703,6341,133

Harlan

128838820

Hayes

37178757

Hitchcock

99663876

Holt

5404,149917

Hooker

41253561

Howard

2121,733825

Jefferson

2803,378889

Johnson

1401,4391,078

Kearney

2152,049972

Keith

4173,193870

Keya Paha

37119624

Kimball

1611,361890

Knox

3352,852831

Lancaster

10,686170,9181,120

Lincoln

1,21014,433955

Logan

39193798

Loup

21119592

McPherson

1167794

Madison

1,41722,0411,014

Merrick

2902,219958

Morrill

1931,495966

Nance

122912842

Nemaha

2313,0061,298

Nuckolls

1991,565822

Otoe

5276,208985

Pawnee

96751924

Perkins

1561,1241,074

Phelps

4344,7921,133

Pierce

2451,973949

Platte

1,19919,8921,024

Polk

1801,452940

Red Willow

4634,996881

Richardson

3262,342819

Rock

61453874

Saline

4096,6841,040

Sarpy

4,63574,4961,105

Saunders

6605,617958

Scotts Bluff

1,38215,800924

Seward

5365,9381,055

Sheridan

2461,686759

Sherman

113696724

Sioux

30186762

Stanton

1031,3441,499

Thayer

2702,2201,083

Thomas

42257934

Thurston

1693,2361,092

Valley

2491,778896

Washington

7047,8091,165

Wayne

2854,230810

Webster

1361,012811

Wheeler

39286802

York

6557,5341,094

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 2022
StateEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2021–22
Fourth quarter
2022
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2021–22
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,785.7152,317.92.6$1,385---2.3--

Alabama

152.62,057.52.21,158350.48

Alaska

24.9303.91.51,29918-0.826

Arizona

211.73,157.83.11,27222-0.826

Arkansas

101.01,272.92.91,06550-0.113

California

1,768.818,051.32.31,6794-6.951

Colorado

254.32,857.02.91,4729-0.931

Connecticut

142.81,667.91.61,5936-0.931

Delaware

40.5464.62.41,346150.48

District of Columbia

49.7757.70.92,2911-1.135

Florida

882.69,616.33.91,28420-0.826

Georgia

397.54,794.53.71,28919-0.318

Hawaii

54.0638.13.71,22728-0.216

Idaho

89.5827.03.11,114440.310

Illinois

409.85,997.32.01,43211-2.846

Indiana

189.53,154.42.11,13140-1.940

Iowa

110.81,543.90.91,15337-0.318

Kansas

96.41,416.22.61,12541-0.725

Kentucky

146.01,967.42.51,09946-0.931

Louisiana

151.51,880.41.11,13439-0.826

Maine

63.1626.72.01,165340.012

Maryland

190.02,668.50.31,46210-2.443

Massachusetts

293.63,620.21.81,7902-2.545

Michigan

302.64,350.02.31,27421-1.237

Minnesota

205.62,870.01.61,35714-1.538

Mississippi

83.31,161.61.2947510.211

Missouri

239.92,860.42.01,17233-0.621

Montana

62.6500.62.41,118420.95

Nebraska

79.1995.51.71,154361.24

Nevada

105.31,503.34.71,24425-0.113

New Hampshire

64.7678.92.41,4848-6.150

New Jersey

331.24,235.52.71,5347-1.940

New Mexico

67.5844.12.71,115431.61

New York

683.59,449.32.71,7363-5.149

North Carolina

354.84,771.42.71,23526-0.621

North Dakota

34.8416.02.01,204300.95

Ohio

333.85,439.41.61,20331-1.639

Oklahoma

125.91,662.23.01,07348-0.621

Oregon

188.01,960.12.11,30217-2.242

Pennsylvania

391.95,944.52.11,32016-2.443

Rhode Island

47.0485.82.21,26123-4.348

South Carolina

171.02,218.63.21,111450.95

South Dakota

39.7444.62.11,09647-1.034

Tennessee

207.83,221.93.81,25424-0.826

Texas

811.613,576.64.21,37213-0.216

Utah

137.31,675.63.21,23027-0.113

Vermont

31.6304.61.71,207291.43

Virginia

337.44,010.62.21,41612-0.621

Washington

236.83,540.63.21,6315-3.047

West Virginia

56.6682.61.11,067491.52

Wisconsin

204.02,899.12.11,18832-1.135

Wyoming

30.1272.71.91,13738-0.520

Puerto Rico

50.8976.74.3665(3)2.9(3)

Virgin Islands

3.735.71.61,021(3)3.8(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.

Chart 3. Average weekly wages by county in Nebraska, fourth quarter 2022

(U.S. average = $1,385)

 

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, July 14, 2023