Employment declined in 3 of the 9 largest counties in Indiana from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Indiana employment decreased 0.1 percent over the year to 3,160,700 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Marion and Vanderburgh Counties (-0.5 percent each) had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Indiana, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Marion	-0.5
Vanderburgh	-0.5
Tippecanoe	-0.3
Lake	0.0
St. Joseph	0.2
Allen	0.4
Hendricks	1.0
Elkhart	1.2
Hamilton	1.8

Marion County (610,000) had the highest employment level in Indiana in March 2026. Together, the nine largest counties accounted for 53.8 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 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 2025.)

Average weekly wage gains in 5 of the 9 large counties in Indiana were below the national average of 3.9 percent. (See chart 2.) Tippecanoe had the largest gain (+5.9 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other eight large Indiana counties ranged from 5.4 percent to 1.2 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Indiana, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Tippecanoe	5.9
Hamilton	5.4
Lake	4.1
St. Joseph	3.9
Hendricks	3.4
Vanderburgh	2.9
Allen	2.3
Marion	1.5
Elkhart	1.2

Marion ($1,789) had a weekly wage above the national average of $1,654. Average weekly wages among the other eight large counties ranged from $1,560 in Hamilton to $1,115 in Hendricks.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 2.7 percent over the year to $1,356. Indiana ranked 30th in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 44th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 83 smaller counties in Indiana, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.)  Wage levels in 81 of the 83 smaller counties were below the national average. Martin reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,889) in the state. Ohio reported the lowest average weekly wage ($780).

Among all 92 Indiana counties, 10 reported average weekly wages less than $925, 29 had wages from $925 to $1,024, 22 had wages from $1,025 to $1,124, 10 had wages from $1,125 to $1,224, and 21 had average weekly wages of $1,225 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)