County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — First Quarter 2025

Employment rose 0.8 percent in North Dakota’s only large county, Cass, from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that the rate of employment growth in Cass ranked 105^th among the 364 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)

Employment in Cass stood at 127,500 in March 2025, accounting for 30.2 percent of total employment in North Dakota. 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.)

Large county average weekly wages in the first quarter 2025

The average weekly wage in Cass increased 2.5 percent over the year to $1,332. The national average was $1,589, up 4.1 percent over the year. Cass County’s weekly wage ranked 193^rd nationally, and the percent change ranked 251^st among the largest U.S. counties.

Smaller county average weekly wages in the first quarter of 2025

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 52 small counties in North Dakota, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 48 of the 52 smaller counties were below the national average. Oliver reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,928). Sheridan reported the lowest average weekly wage ($690) in the state.

Among all 53 North Dakota counties, 10 reported average weekly wages of less than $950, 18 had wages from $950 to $1,074, 12 had wages from $1,075 to $1,199, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in North Dakota, first quarter 2025

(U.S. average = $1,589)

Additional statistics and other information

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.

County Changes for the 2025 County Employment and Wages News Releases

Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2024 are included in this release and will be included in future 2025 releases. Four counties have been added to the nationwide publication tables: Pinal, AZ; Henry, GA; Wood, OH; and Comal, TX. One county has been dropped from the publication tables: Gregg, TX.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the largest county in North Dakota, first quarter 2025
Area	Establishments, first quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
Area	Establishments, first quarter (thousands)	March 2025 (thousands)	Percent change, March 2024–25 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	First quarter 2025 ($)	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, first quarter 2024–25 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	12,249.3	154,523.8	0.4	--	1,589	--	4.1	--
North Dakota	36.4	422.8	0.6	--	1,302	33	3.3	34
Cass	9.5	127.5	0.8	105	1,332	193	2.5	251
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. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include 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 North Dakota, first quarter 2025
Area	Establishments	Employment March 2025	Average weekly wage ($) (1)
United States (2)	12,249,320	154,523,785	1,589
North Dakota	36,390	422,813	1,302
Adams	120	861	964
Barnes	453	4,455	984
Benson	148	1,972	1,030
Billings	62	471	1,101
Bottineau	340	2,469	992
Bowman	197	1,339	1,034
Burke	126	656	1,406
Burleigh	4,365	57,544	1,289
Cass	9,451	127,502	1,332
Cavalier	176	1,216	1,015
Dickey	278	2,254	1,213
Divide	125	676	1,130
Dunn	216	1,954	1,812
Eddy	104	733	755
Emmons	168	910	950
Foster	170	1,461	1,082
Golden Valley	90	622	952
Grand Forks	2,776	40,295	1,187
Grant	108	620	944
Griggs	113	750	907
Hettinger	146	655	898
Kidder	130	664	952
LaMoure	237	1,423	933
Logan	114	618	820
McHenry	243	1,293	1,064
McIntosh	136	988	903
McKenzie	839	11,691	1,805
McLean	396	3,411	1,320
Mercer	332	4,265	1,576
Morton	1,227	12,037	1,113
Mountrail	523	5,255	1,552
Nelson	174	1,004	933
Oliver	72	644	1,928
Pembina	401	3,151	1,123
Pierce	198	1,593	1,019
Ramsey	533	5,456	986
Ransom	263	1,977	961
Renville	143	681	975
Richland	707	7,726	1,065
Rolette	284	4,640	991
Sargent	181	2,620	1,276
Sheridan	51	213	690
Sioux	79	1,538	1,096
Slope	15	93	1,165
Stark	1,549	19,074	1,405
Steele	86	522	1,182
Stutsman	875	11,033	1,129
Towner	95	636	980
Traill	403	3,505	1,182
Walsh	526	4,521	1,065
Ward	2,701	30,757	1,196
Wells	208	1,424	922
Williams	2,188	26,442	1,793
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. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include 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 2025
State	Establishments, first quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
State	Establishments, first quarter (thousands)	March 2025 (thousands)	Percent change, March 2024–25	First quarter 2025 ($)	National ranking by level	Percent change, first quarter 2024–25	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	12,249.3	154,523.8	0.4	1,589	--	4.1	--
Alabama	163.3	2,102.3	0.3	1,245	39	3.8	23
Alaska	25.3	323.5	1.3	1,452	20	5.8	4
Arizona	226.1	3,259.3	0.3	1,431	21	3.8	23
Arkansas	107.6	1,304.4	0.7	1,236	40	5.6	6
California	1,945.4	18,066.2	0.1	1,905	6	4.2	13
Colorado	242.4	2,862.7	0.1	1,681	8	4.2	13
Connecticut	148.5	1,671.7	0.5	1,980	4	3.8	23
Delaware	45.4	474.3	0.8	1,535	15	3.4	30
District of Columbia	51.5	748.9	-1.4	2,606	1	7.2	1
Florida	886.5	9,958.4	0.9	1,456	19	5.1	8
Georgia	394.8	4,860.7	0.4	1,491	17	3.4	30
Hawaii	60.3	644.8	0.6	1,363	27	6.7	2
Idaho	102.7	848.2	1.2	1,178	48	4.2	13
Illinois	407.1	5,988.9	0.2	1,662	9	3.2	38
Indiana	194.8	3,161.4	0.3	1,323	30	4.2	13
Iowa	111.3	1,537.7	-0.5	1,253	36	3.2	38
Kansas	104.3	1,428.0	0.8	1,246	38	4.0	19
Kentucky	159.6	1,986.3	0.0	1,213	44	2.4	51
Louisiana	157.0	1,921.2	0.5	1,227	42	2.8	49
Maine	66.6	629.6	0.1	1,283	34	2.7	50
Maryland	197.7	2,739.0	-0.2	1,634	10	3.2	38
Massachusetts	289.8	3,575.8	-0.7	2,107	3	4.6	11
Michigan	307.3	4,337.3	-0.3	1,391	24	2.9	48
Minnesota	211.8	2,878.6	-0.1	1,570	14	3.7	27
Mississippi	91.3	1,160.4	-0.4	1,018	51	4.1	17
Missouri	252.4	2,886.9	0.1	1,310	31	3.2	38
Montana	67.1	505.8	0.6	1,189	46	5.6	6
Nebraska	78.6	1,008.4	-0.1	1,231	41	3.1	42
Nevada	106.1	1,541.2	0.2	1,359	29	4.1	17
New Hampshire	66.3	681.0	0.1	1,606	11	4.8	9
New Jersey	338.9	4,259.0	1.1	1,815	7	3.0	44
New Mexico	66.8	868.2	0.3	1,203	45	3.9	22
New York	716.1	9,757.0	1.4	2,213	2	6.2	3
North Carolina	373.2	4,888.5	0.2	1,467	18	4.8	9
North Dakota	36.4	422.8	0.6	1,302	33	3.3	34
Ohio	344.2	5,466.8	0.2	1,361	28	3.5	28
Oklahoma	130.9	1,700.2	0.5	1,186	47	3.0	44
Oregon	186.2	1,965.7	-0.8	1,420	23	3.3	34
Pennsylvania	394.5	6,003.5	0.6	1,500	16	3.5	28
Rhode Island	49.0	489.3	1.0	1,429	22	3.0	44
South Carolina	198.7	2,304.9	1.7	1,247	37	4.4	12
South Dakota	40.5	450.5	0.2	1,163	49	3.0	44
Tennessee	221.0	3,251.5	-0.4	1,364	26	4.0	19
Texas	847.6	14,015.9	1.2	1,587	13	3.1	42
Utah	138.1	1,720.5	1.1	1,365	25	4.0	19
Vermont	33.5	306.8	-0.4	1,280	35	3.8	23
Virginia	321.9	4,108.8	0.8	1,605	12	3.4	30
Washington	240.9	3,583.7	0.9	1,935	5	5.8	4
West Virginia	61.9	694.6	0.0	1,149	50	3.3	34
Wisconsin	208.9	2,898.4	-0.2	1,305	32	3.4	30
Wyoming	31.0	274.6	0.0	1,216	43	3.3	34
Puerto Rico	52.0	946.1	-0.7	699	(3)	3.2	(3)
Virgin Islands	2.9	33.8	-7.5	1,034	(3)	2.7	(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. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Midwest Information Office

County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — First Quarter 2025

(U.S. average = $1,589)