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.)

  

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

County	Percent change, June 2024
Polk	0.7
Scott	0.7
Johnson	0.3
Linn	-1.4

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.)

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.

  

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

County	Percent change, second quarter 2024
Scott	4.9
Linn	4.1
Johnson	2.8
Polk	2.5

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).

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).

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.)