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News Release Information

24-2527-CHI
Thursday, December 19, 2024

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

County Employment and Wages in Iowa — Second Quarter 2024

Employment rose in 3 of the 4 largest counties in Iowa from June 2023 to June 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are the 369 U.S. counties or county equivalents with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Polk County and Scott County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 0.7 percent each. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 0.8 percent over the year, with 259 of the 355 largest U.S. counties with published data reporting gains. Kings, NY, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 4.0 percent. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-3.0 percent).

Among the four largest counties in Iowa, employment was highest in Polk (322,000) in June 2024. Within Polk County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Iowa counties accounted for 39.4 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprised 73.1 percent of total covered employment in the United States.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 95 counties in Iowa with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in the 95 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All four large Iowa counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Scott County had the largest gain (+4.9 percent), followed by Linn County (+4.1 percent). Over-the-year wage gains for Johnson County and Polk County were 2.8 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.


Nationwide, wages increased by 4.4 percent over the year. Among the 351 largest counties in the United States with published data, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Hamilton, IN, had the largest percentage wage increase (+33.4 percent). Essex, MA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-2.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the four largest counties in Iowa were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. Average weekly wages in these counties ranged from $1,298 in Polk County to $1,128 in Scott County.

Among the 360 largest U.S. counties with published data, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2024. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,632). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 273 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($820).

Smaller county average weekly wages

All 95 smaller counties in Iowa—those with employment below 75,000— reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Dallas County ($1,312) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, while Decatur County ($787) reported the lowest.

When all 99 counties in Iowa were considered, 18 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 21 registered wages from $900 to $949, 27 had average weekly wages from $950 to $999, 14 had wages of $1,000 to $1,049, and 19 registered average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Iowa, second quarter 2024

(U.S. average = $1,390)

 

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 for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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.

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.

The County Employment and Wages release for the third quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the third quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the four largest counties in Iowa, second quarter 2024
AreaEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,238.2155,710.20.8--1,390--4.4--

Iowa

111.31,588.00.2--1,118453.345

Johnson

5.183.70.32221,1982032.8286

Linn

7.7127.6-1.43511,2471674.1157

Polk

20.4322.00.71651,2981392.5302

Scott

6.291.70.71651,1282714.983

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 Iowa, second quarter 2024
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment June 2024Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,238,175155,710,2391,390

Iowa

111,2741,588,0101,118

Adair

3273,162959

Adams

1521,227897

Allamakee

4764,972841

Appanoose

4094,790858

Audubon

2391,866959

Benton

7126,2451,095

Black Hawk

3,91771,8621,061

Boone

7509,2531,010

Bremer

7409,804954

Buchanan

6376,891910

Buena Vista

61210,782988

Butler

4183,840978

Calhoun

3262,912908

Carroll

97111,207927

Cass

5396,030886

Cedar

5875,386939

Cerro Gordo

1,67323,7181,015

Cherokee

4504,987959

Chickasaw

4315,269980

Clarke

2494,755941

Clay

7478,794970

Clayton

6066,5061,004

Clinton

1,48619,642996

Crawford

5186,708963

Dallas

3,54856,6711,312

Davis

2602,209926

Decatur

2242,208787

Delaware

6086,901998

Des Moines

1,40220,0221,006

Dickinson

95811,314840

Dubuque

3,70459,3871,065

Emmet

3293,363909

Fayette

6757,122918

Floyd

4785,8541,018

Franklin

3634,194961

Fremont

2822,186884

Greene

3123,2451,036

Grundy

3874,3541,051

Guthrie

3953,4191,004

Hamilton

4875,894965

Hancock

3826,1651,112

Hardin

6506,659985

Harrison

4674,113928

Henry

6408,184977

Howard

3404,479913

Humboldt

3673,985988

Ida

2973,7091,063

Iowa

6989,236901

Jackson

6716,108827

Jasper

98711,019920

Jefferson

7997,230988

Johnson

5,09483,6681,198

Jones

6656,533919

Keokuk

3142,329911

Kossuth

6466,697967

Lee

1,07013,9191,083

Linn

7,711127,5801,247

Louisa

2813,954971

Lucas

2523,405946

Lyon

5505,070857

Madison

5694,435907

Mahaska

6287,865983

Marion

1,05720,4541,134

Marshall

1,01715,9691,015

Mills

4533,6271,029

Mitchell

3734,0141,007

Monona

2982,642833

Monroe

2543,7881,234

Montgomery

3834,154954

Muscatine

1,22421,8191,161

O'Brien

6286,814876

Osceola

2722,758906

Page

4876,517913

Palo Alto

3363,754856

Plymouth

87212,1521,124

Pocahontas

2672,698979

Polk

20,433322,0471,298

Pottawattamie

2,71941,4431,036

Poweshiek

7059,8501,056

Ringgold

1841,442874

Sac

3913,019947

Scott

6,19791,7481,128

Shelby

4475,585930

Sioux

1,57923,4761,009

Story

3,04547,1301,156

Tama

4415,544894

Taylor

1902,052956

Union

4566,110931

Van Buren

2231,956839

Wapello

88615,577973

Warren

1,40113,441964

Washington

8518,769851

Wayne

1832,140951

Webster

1,20117,7211,045

Winnebago

3943,906866

Winneshiek

76310,885956

Woodbury

3,30451,3361,014

Worth

2272,390850

Wright

4666,2951,093

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, second quarter 2024
StateEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2023–24
Second quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2023–24
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,238.2155,710.20.81,390--4.4--

Alabama

162.92,111.11.21,150363.935

Alaska

25.4345.90.81,345154.517

Arizona

221.33,137.31.11,324184.616

Arkansas

101.71,299.91.01,074494.130

California

1,878.618,193.50.41,69744.420

Colorado

268.92,909.4-0.21,48784.225

Connecticut

151.41,702.20.41,56963.837

Delaware

43.8481.00.91,322195.46

District of Columbia

52.3764.00.12,28314.225

Florida

903.59,700.11.41,278213.643

Georgia

392.24,867.71.21,297204.225

Hawaii

59.6640.90.81,273225.83

Idaho

101.0867.31.21,096485.64

Illinois

410.26,115.50.01,401123.444

Indiana

192.53,187.30.41,171336.42

Iowa

111.31,588.00.21,118453.345

Kansas

100.91,435.80.51,124434.031

Kentucky

157.11,995.91.01,146384.323

Louisiana

155.91,904.30.61,144404.712

Maine

65.7666.11.11,167354.225

Maryland

210.52,778.51.51,45493.837

Massachusetts

287.63,708.10.21,75835.08

Michigan

345.14,480.50.41,266233.935

Minnesota

212.22,985.50.51,359143.345

Mississippi

89.81,163.80.1960514.031

Missouri

245.32,927.10.61,186323.148

Montana

63.3528.81.51,113463.837

Nebraska

77.11,030.90.71,122442.751

Nevada

108.61,548.91.61,243284.517

New Hampshire

66.7699.60.51,443104.031

New Jersey

338.54,361.10.91,51673.345

New Mexico

68.4871.91.21,150364.420

New York

712.79,762.41.31,68754.031

North Carolina

379.64,902.00.91,256254.89

North Dakota

36.5437.41.51,221303.148

Ohio

341.25,558.10.41,214314.712

Oklahoma

129.31,684.70.81,101474.712

Oregon

196.12,019.2-0.11,338164.89

Pennsylvania

393.66,067.50.81,325173.837

Rhode Island

48.8504.71.11,257242.950

South Carolina

188.42,290.11.81,134415.17

South Dakota

40.2470.30.71,074493.837

Tennessee

234.93,287.41.31,248274.225

Texas

840.913,905.71.21,381134.517

Utah

138.21,715.20.81,249265.64

Vermont

32.8310.80.01,227294.323

Virginia

319.94,140.81.41,436114.89

Washington

234.73,674.31.01,77627.41

West Virginia

61.7700.10.61,127424.712

Wisconsin

208.52,990.80.41,168343.742

Wyoming

31.0290.90.51,145394.420

Puerto Rico

54.5944.01.3651(3)4.7(3)

Virgin Islands

3.936.4-0.11,010(3)1.5(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: Thursday, December 19, 2024