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News Release Information

23-1966-CHI
Tuesday, September 19, 2023

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

County Employment and Wages in Ohio — First Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 13 of the 14 largest counties in Ohio from March 2022 to March 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Delaware County and Greene County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.8 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 2.5 percent over the year, with 325 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 8.5 percent. Elkhart, IN, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 4.6 percent.

Among the 14 largest counties in Ohio, employment was highest in Franklin (759,300) in March 2023. Within Franklin County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 14 largest Ohio counties accounted for 65.4 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 73.0 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 74 counties in Ohio with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 74 of the smaller counties were below the national average of $1,465 in the first quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All 14 large Ohio counties reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Stark County had the largest gain (+12.7 percent), followed by Greene County (+11.7 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Ohio’s other 12 large counties ranged from 10.4 percent to 3.6 percent.


Nationwide, wages increased by 6.6 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 353 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (24.3 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.3 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the 2 of the 14 largest counties in Ohio were above the national average of $1,465 in the first quarter of 2023: Hamilton ($1,516) and Delaware ($1,479). However, neither of these counties ranked among the top 50 nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2023. New York, NY, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,922. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 273 counties. At $782 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Ohio’s smaller counties

All 74 smaller counties in Ohio—those with employment below 75,000— reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Meigs County ($767) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 88 counties in Ohio were considered, 7 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 24 registered wages from $850 to $949, 27 had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 30 had average weekly wages of $1,050 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 second quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. The County Employment and Wages full data update for the second quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

County Changes for the 2023 County Employment and Wages News Releases

Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2022 are included in this release and will be included in future 2023 releases. Five counties have been added to the publication tables: Napa, CA; York, ME; Gaston, NC; Orange, NC; and Merrimack, NH. No counties were dropped from the publication tables.


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.

Chart 3. Average weekly wages by county in Ohio, first quarter 2023

(U.S. average = $1,465)

 
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 14 largest counties in Ohio, first quarter 2023
AreaEstablishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
March 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
First quarter
2023
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
first quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,883.2151,418.12.5--$1,465--6.6--

Ohio

338.05,392.91.7--1,265257.330

Butler

9.0158.02.21421,2222017.8167

Cuyahoga

39.6692.11.02651,450936.6237

Delaware

6.992.73.8411,479837.9161

Franklin

39.6759.31.91741,4091036.4251

Greene

4.178.33.4561,35712611.717

Hamilton

27.2510.82.11531,516723.6337

Lake

6.895.71.22491,10329110.051

Lorain

6.995.91.32391,04732110.436

Lucas

11.0195.41.22491,2261998.2143

Mahoning

6.392.5-0.53349603478.8108

Montgomery

13.2245.20.92741,1792359.862

Stark

9.4152.10.72891,05032012.710

Summit

15.8258.32.01651,2281973.8333

Warren

6.398.41.81891,2731754.9303

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 Ohio, first quarter 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment March 2023Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,883,196151,418,052$1,465

Ohio

337,9535,392,9101,265

Adams

6866,217930

Allen

2,58849,2391,098

Ashland

1,21418,404898

Ashtabula

2,23629,300882

Athens

1,36720,671894

Auglaize

1,12321,5691,063

Belmont

1,68120,712920

Brown

7347,707775

Butler

9,006157,9691,222

Carroll

5685,930875

Champaign

72710,302978

Clark

2,62046,762983

Clermont

5,00860,8051,135

Clinton

96018,5951,239

Columbiana

2,26427,989888

Coshocton

7369,676953

Crawford

94812,428912

Cuyahoga

39,562692,0521,450

Darke

1,36018,281940

Defiance

92214,8511,041

Delaware

6,91792,6551,479

Erie

2,08733,027985

Fairfield

3,46245,004938

Fayette

67310,557910

Franklin

39,580759,3361,409

Fulton

1,13317,5991,014

Gallia

76511,345899

Geauga

3,18034,7271,053

Greene

4,10678,2631,357

Guernsey

97514,269963

Hamilton

27,161510,7561,516

Hancock

1,96443,9241,397

Hardin

5467,357932

Harrison

3443,5221,168

Henry

68910,505965

Highland

84810,948808

Hocking

5906,669793

Holmes

1,54920,810958

Huron

1,41321,219954

Jackson

75010,141820

Jefferson

1,43320,513925

Knox

1,30819,9221,009

Lake

6,80595,7371,103

Lawrence

1,01513,396869

Licking

3,90768,3451,068

Logan

1,03218,925961

Lorain

6,87995,9481,047

Lucas

10,999195,4441,226

Madison

1,02322,300970

Mahoning

6,27492,535960

Marion

1,24823,0231,001

Medina

5,15560,0261,099

Meigs

3683,471767

Mercer

1,22119,788938

Miami

2,57941,4001,018

Monroe

3872,905862

Montgomery

13,192245,2031,179

Morgan

2312,886903

Morrow

5675,114833

Muskingum

1,97534,446993

Noble

2942,945986

Ottawa

1,22912,6361,085

Paulding

4244,845975

Perry

6076,106904

Pickaway

1,06816,3641,095

Pike

58610,4081,155

Portage

3,75255,4151,073

Preble

79811,4591,045

Putnam

86312,053998

Richland

2,94047,769937

Ross

1,50729,8121,084

Sandusky

1,46724,9651,004

Scioto

1,50024,349930

Seneca

1,22619,007904

Shelby

1,12526,8681,072

Stark

9,375152,1071,050

Summit

15,792258,3241,228

Trumbull

4,47363,042952

Tuscarawas

2,42436,444941

Union

1,54233,6301,240

Van Wert

65411,390944

Vinton

2142,180840

Warren

6,33798,4041,273

Washington

1,66424,7511,116

Wayne

2,99547,6081,037

Williams

91616,519995

Wood

3,38873,3871,125

Wyandot

58610,2271,020

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, first quarter 2023
StateEstablishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
March 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2022–23
First quarter
2023
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,883.2151,418.12.5$1,465--6.6--

Alabama

153.82,055.32.61,164388.912

Alaska

25.1311.32.41,3012410.31

Arizona

214.73,143.12.71,330217.527

Arkansas

102.21,272.53.11,127446.441

California

1,790.317,842.70.91,73555.546

Colorado

261.72,838.62.51,55997.133

Connecticut

145.61,641.71.41,81745.944

Delaware

41.0462.33.01,431154.850

District of Columbia

49.5754.01.12,34115.148

Florida

883.19,640.24.11,330219.36

Georgia

376.44,775.63.01,376176.143

Hawaii

55.1634.33.31,218307.231

Idaho

91.8818.11.61,0844710.12

Illinois

409.85,936.42.11,56785.546

Indiana

191.03,124.31.81,203336.242

Iowa

110.71,526.10.91,176368.315

Kansas

97.71,405.62.61,155397.624

Kentucky

148.01,956.22.91,138439.36

Louisiana

152.71,882.21.91,150409.19

Maine

63.9616.71.71,188347.722

Maryland

189.12,647.52.01,541109.010

Massachusetts

294.53,583.51.81,91735.049

Michigan

311.04,305.82.01,308236.835

Minnesota

207.82,836.91.91,461146.540

Mississippi

84.71,153.81.6944517.231

Missouri

243.52,854.32.41,224298.514

Montana

64.3498.12.61,079499.36

Nebraska

75.9990.72.51,165378.018

Nevada

106.31,497.23.81,246277.428

New Hampshire

64.2671.91.81,462137.428

New Jersey

329.74,169.32.31,69975.745

New Mexico

69.4844.12.81,105468.912

New York

693.29,368.72.92,01522.151

North Carolina

366.34,782.73.11,348186.835

North Dakota

34.9413.02.91,216319.83

Ohio

338.05,392.91.71,265257.330

Oklahoma

128.21,660.13.61,109459.010

Oregon

193.81,959.81.41,339196.737

Pennsylvania

391.25,898.82.01,408167.624

Rhode Island

47.7478.42.11,334206.639

South Carolina

173.42,221.13.41,139429.55

South Dakota

39.3440.82.01,084477.034

Tennessee

210.73,201.72.91,264267.820

Texas

820.513,568.74.31,480118.117

Utah

134.71,666.92.41,245287.919

Vermont

31.5304.62.31,188347.624

Virginia

347.74,002.12.61,477128.216

Washington

238.73,540.12.51,72167.722

West Virginia

56.8682.41.81,062509.64

Wisconsin

202.02,874.31.91,211326.737

Wyoming

30.2270.62.41,145417.820

Puerto Rico

51.7936.11.8640(3)10.2(3)

Virgin Islands

3.836.12.2971(3)3.6(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: Tuesday, September 19, 2023