Employment rose in 7 of the 9 largest counties in Indiana from March 2023 to March 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Hamilton County and Marion County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 2.0 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Indiana, March 2024

County	Percent change, March 2024
Hamilton	2.0
Marion	1.4
Lake	0.8
Allen	0.5
Hendricks	0.5
Vanderburgh	0.4
St. Joseph	0.3
Tippecanoe	-0.2
Elkhart	-4.9

National employment increased 1.3 percent over the year, with 300 of the 369 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Monterey, CA, and St. Johns, FL, had the largest over-the-year increases in employment, with gains of 4.8 percent each. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-4.9 percent).

Among the nine largest counties in Indiana, employment was highest in Marion (619,400) in March 2024. Within Marion County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the nine largest Indiana counties accounted for 53.8 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties made up 73.3 percent of total covered U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 83 counties in Indiana with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 81 of the 83 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

All nine large Indiana counties reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Marion County had the largest gain (+8.8 percent), followed by Tippecanoe County (+6.8 percent) and Lake County (+5.6 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Indiana’s other six large counties ranged from 4.3 percent to 1.8 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Indiana, first quarter 2024

County	Percent change, first quarter 2024
Marion	8.8
Tippecanoe	6.8
Lake	5.6
Allen	4.3
Hamilton	3.2
St. Joseph	2.4
Elkhart	2.3
Hendricks	2.2
Vanderburgh	1.8

Nationwide, wages increased by 4.2 percent over the year. Among the 369 largest counties in the United States, 357 had over-the-year wage increases. Santa Clara, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+14.6 percent). Saginaw, MI, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-3.4 percent).

The average weekly wage in Marion County was above the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. Average weekly wages in 2 of the 9 large counties ranked among the top third nationwide: Marion ($1,642, 58^th) and Hamilton ($1,438, 111^th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2024. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($4,385). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 284 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($807).

Among the 83 smaller counties in Indiana—those with employment below 75,000—Bartholomew County ($1,727) and Martin County ($1,712) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Brown County ($686) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 92 counties in Indiana were considered, 14 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 34 registered wages from $900 to $999, 18 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 26 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)