Employment rose in 5 of the 7 largest counties in Wisconsin from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that Waukesha County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 1.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

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

County	Percent change, December 2024
Waukesha	1.2
Dane	0.9
Brown	0.7
Outagamie	0.2
Winnebago	0.1
Racine	-0.1
Milwaukee	-0.3

Among the seven largest counties in Wisconsin, employment was highest in Milwaukee (470,300) in December 2024. Together, the seven largest counties accounted for 51.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 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 2023.)

All seven large Wisconsin counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Racine had the largest gain (+4.8 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Wisconsin’s other six large counties ranged from 4.5 percent to 2.9 percent.

  

View Chart Data

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

County	Percent change, fourth quarter 2024
Racine	4.8
Waukesha	4.5
Milwaukee	4.4
Outagamie	3.4
Dane	3.3
Brown	3.2
Winnebago	2.9

Weekly wages in all large counties in Wisconsin were below the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,487 in Dane to $1,257 in Outagamie.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 65 small counties in Wisconsin, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 65 smaller counties were below the national average. Sheboygan reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,246). Florence reported the lowest average weekly wage ($716) in the state.

Among all 72 Wisconsin counties, 24 reported average weekly wages of less than $975, 17 registered wages from $975 to $1,049, 13 had wages from $1,050 to $1,124, and 18 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 first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.