Employment decreased in 5 of the 8 largest counties in Minnesota from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that Dakota County had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment, with a loss of 1.1 percent. (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 Minnesota, March 2025

County	Percent change, March 2025
Dakota	-1.1
Stearns	-0.9
St. Louis	-0.8
Anoka	-0.3
Hennepin	-0.3
Olmsted	0.2
Washington	0.5
Ramsey	1.1

Among the eight largest counties in Minnesota, employment was highest in Hennepin (902,700) in March 2025. Together, the eight largest counties accounted for 66.7 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

All eight large Minnesota counties reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) Stearns had the largest increase (+5.5 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Minnesota's other large counties ranged from 5.3 percent to 0.7 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Minnesota, first quarter 2025

County	Percent change, first quarter 2025
Stearns	5.5
Ramsey	5.3
Olmsted	4.7
St. Louis	4.4
Washington	3.9
Hennepin	2.8
Anoka	1.7
Dakota	0.7

Weekly wages in 2 of the 8 largest counties in Minnesota were above the national average of $1,589. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,983 in Hennepin to $1,221 in St. Louis.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 79 small counties in Minnesota, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 78 of the 79 smaller counties were below the national average. Carver reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,883). Red Lake reported the lowest average weekly wage ($843) in the state.

Among all 87 Minnesota counties, 21 reported average weekly wages of less than $975, 23 had wages from $975 to $1,049, 19 had wages from $1,050 to $1,124, and 24 had average weekly wages of $1,125 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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 second quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.