Employment rose in 5 of the 9 largest counties in Indiana from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Hamilton County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 1.0 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 Indiana, September 2025

County	Percent change, September 2025
Hamilton	1.0
Elkhart	0.7
St. Joseph	0.4
Vanderburgh	0.2
Lake	0.1
Allen	-0.2
Marion	-0.2
Hendricks	-0.6
Tippecanoe	-0.8

Among the nine largest counties in Indiana, employment was highest in Marion (624,300) in September 2025. Together, the nine largest counties accounted for 53.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.2 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 nine large Indiana counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Elkhart had the largest gain (+7.2 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Indiana’s other eight large counties ranged from 5.5 percent to 3.2 percent.

  

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

County	Percent change, third quarter 2025
Elkhart	7.2
Lake	5.5
Tippecanoe	5.2
Marion	4.6
St. Joseph	4.3
Allen	4.1
Hendricks	4.0
Vanderburgh	3.8
Hamilton	3.2

Weekly wages in all large counties in Indiana were below the national average of $1,459. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,445 in Marion to $1,061 in Hendricks.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 83 small counties in Indiana, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 82 of the 83 smaller counties were below the national average. Martin reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,695). Brown reported the lowest average weekly wage ($742) in the state.

Among all 92 Indiana counties, 16 reported average weekly wages of less than $925, 20 registered wages from $925 to $999, 25 had wages from $1,000 to $1,074, 12 reported wages from $1,075 to $1,149, and 19 had average weekly wages of $1,150 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)