County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — Third Quarter 2025

Employment decreased 1.0 percent in North Dakota’s only large county, Cass, from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the rate of employment change in Cass ranked 299^th among the 364 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)

Employment in Cass stood at 129,500 in September 2025, accounting for 29.9 percent of total employment in North Dakota. 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.)

Large county average weekly wages in the third quarter 2025

The average weekly wage in Cass increased 3.1 percent over the year to $1,328. The national average was $1,459, up 4.7 percent over the year. Cass’ weekly wage ranked 161^st nationally, and the percent change ranked 278^th among the largest U.S. counties.

Smaller county average weekly wages in the third 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 46 of the 52 smaller counties were below the national average. Oliver reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,799). Sheridan reported the lowest average weekly wage ($701) in the state.

Among all 53 North Dakota counties, 12 reported average weekly wages of less than $975, 20 had wages from $975 to $1,124, 8 had wages from $1,125 to $1,274, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,275 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

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

(U.S. average = $1,459)

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.

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The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the largest county in North Dakota, third quarter 2025
Area	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
Area	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	September 2025 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2024–25 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Third quarter 2025 ($)	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, third quarter 2024–25 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	12,353.8	155,767.7	0.1	--	1,459	--	4.7	--
North Dakota	36.7	433.8	-0.5	--	1,291	29	2.8	50
Cass	9.5	129.5	-1.0	299	1,328	161	3.1	278
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, third quarter 2025
Area	Establishments	Employment September 2025	Average weekly wage ($) (1)
United States (2)	12,353,804	155,767,691	1,459
North Dakota	36,656	433,751	1,291
Adams	122	865	1,025
Barnes	449	4,424	998
Benson	147	2,099	1,021
Billings	80	927	1,088
Bottineau	335	2,514	1,046
Bowman	206	1,603	1,320
Burke	122	653	1,344
Burleigh	4,439	58,464	1,259
Cass	9,508	129,499	1,328
Cavalier	175	1,317	1,044
Dickey	304	2,655	1,337
Divide	124	680	1,132
Dunn	223	2,057	1,553
Eddy	97	745	833
Emmons	170	931	1,032
Foster	176	1,522	1,045
Golden Valley	90	637	951
Grand Forks	2,813	41,260	1,187
Grant	111	655	952
Griggs	111	770	931
Hettinger	150	759	948
Kidder	126	783	866
LaMoure	242	1,406	948
Logan	117	641	765
McHenry	243	1,385	1,056
McIntosh	141	1,027	977
McKenzie	841	11,866	1,706
McLean	421	3,546	1,306
Mercer	329	4,424	1,606
Morton	1,253	12,561	1,113
Mountrail	516	5,476	1,465
Nelson	177	1,024	956
Oliver	73	804	1,799
Pembina	400	3,493	1,154
Pierce	199	1,633	981
Ramsey	519	5,538	1,006
Ransom	262	1,969	942
Renville	142	697	984
Richland	697	7,952	1,069
Rolette	286	4,758	992
Sargent	184	2,575	1,086
Sheridan	50	212	701
Sioux	82	1,512	1,146
Slope	16	116	1,294
Stark	1,589	19,922	1,405
Steele	86	538	1,263
Stutsman	867	11,129	1,117
Towner	98	639	1,014
Traill	398	3,583	1,217
Walsh	524	5,045	1,059
Ward	2,688	31,205	1,220
Wells	205	1,522	886
Williams	2,186	26,717	1,737
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, third quarter 2025
State	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
State	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	September 2025 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2024–25	Third quarter 2025 ($)	National ranking by level	Percent change, third quarter 2024–25	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	12,353.8	155,767.7	0.1	1,459	--	4.7	--
Alabama	165.7	2,119.0	0.6	1,212	36	3.6	38
Alaska	25.3	342.4	-0.1	1,455	13	5.3	7
Arizona	228.4	3,215.4	-0.2	1,360	19	4.0	31
Arkansas	111.2	1,310.5	0.5	1,135	49	3.8	33
California	1,986.7	18,281.7	0.3	1,815	4	7.2	2
Colorado	252.9	2,886.4	-0.6	1,570	7	5.7	3
Connecticut	149.6	1,693.8	0.1	1,604	6	3.8	33
Delaware	46.7	480.8	0.0	1,394	17	4.8	13
District of Columbia	51.5	737.4	-3.1	2,393	1	5.7	3
Florida	892.1	9,818.1	-0.2	1,342	21	5.1	8
Georgia	397.2	4,874.5	0.4	1,349	20	3.5	43
Hawaii	62.1	640.1	0.1	1,342	21	3.1	48
Idaho	103.7	879.8	1.3	1,180	44	4.9	11
Illinois	386.5	6,086.3	-0.1	1,457	12	4.3	23
Indiana	197.1	3,198.4	0.1	1,214	35	4.3	23
Iowa	109.6	1,549.3	-0.9	1,194	39	3.6	38
Kansas	102.2	1,431.7	0.1	1,179	45	3.8	33
Kentucky	160.7	1,995.4	-0.4	1,176	46	4.3	23
Louisiana	158.7	1,913.1	-0.1	1,187	42	3.3	46
Maine	67.4	659.2	-0.2	1,231	33	5.0	10
Maryland	199.5	2,739.5	-1.3	1,526	9	3.8	33
Massachusetts	293.2	3,625.0	-0.9	1,818	3	4.8	13
Michigan	316.0	4,423.8	-0.4	1,323	25	4.5	18
Minnesota	214.3	2,958.6	0.2	1,438	15	3.6	38
Mississippi	91.3	1,172.6	0.0	1,005	51	4.7	15
Missouri	256.0	2,903.7	-0.4	1,249	31	4.4	21
Montana	64.6	518.3	-0.4	1,182	43	5.1	8
Nebraska	78.6	1,021.8	-0.1	1,190	40	3.1	48
Nevada	109.5	1,581.0	1.4	1,314	27	4.3	23
New Hampshire	67.3	687.8	-0.6	1,481	11	5.5	6
New Jersey	334.9	4,301.0	0.4	1,558	8	3.6	38
New Mexico	69.0	876.4	0.3	1,190	40	3.2	47
New York	720.8	9,808.4	0.4	1,757	5	4.7	15
North Carolina	386.3	4,939.4	0.5	1,328	23	4.2	27
North Dakota	36.7	433.8	-0.5	1,291	29	2.8	50
Ohio	346.6	5,537.8	0.1	1,279	30	3.4	44
Oklahoma	128.8	1,697.9	-0.3	1,143	48	4.5	18
Oregon	180.5	1,994.7	-1.3	1,409	16	4.2	27
Pennsylvania	397.2	6,066.3	0.2	1,383	18	4.1	30
Rhode Island	48.8	503.3	0.2	1,322	26	4.7	15
South Carolina	190.8	2,312.3	0.7	1,198	38	4.9	11
South Dakota	40.9	462.9	0.1	1,146	47	4.0	31
Tennessee	224.2	3,255.5	-1.2	1,327	24	5.7	3
Texas	854.9	14,062.3	0.7	1,444	14	3.6	38
Utah	142.4	1,745.9	1.2	1,297	28	3.8	33
Vermont	34.1	307.2	-0.7	1,243	32	4.4	21
Virginia	324.0	4,142.4	0.7	1,504	10	4.2	27
Washington	242.3	3,639.4	-0.1	1,923	2	7.7	1
West Virginia	62.1	701.1	-0.1	1,121	50	3.4	44
Wisconsin	211.6	2,949.1	-0.4	1,228	34	4.5	18
Wyoming	31.7	285.6	-1.1	1,201	37	2.0	51
Puerto Rico	52.8	945.5	-0.6	687	(3)	2.7	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.0	33.2	-5.4	1,025	(3)	4.7	(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: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Midwest Information Office

County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — Third Quarter 2025

(U.S. average = $1,459)