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News Release Information

24-2527-CHI
Thursday, December 19, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

County Employment and Wages in Iowa — Second Quarter 2024

Employment rose in 3 of the 4 largest counties in Iowa from June 2023 to June 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are the 369 U.S. counties or county equivalents with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Polk County and Scott County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 0.7 percent each. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 0.8 percent over the year, with 259 of the 355 largest U.S. counties with published data reporting gains. Kings, NY, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 4.0 percent. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-3.0 percent).

Among the four largest counties in Iowa, employment was highest in Polk (322,000) in June 2024. Within Polk County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Iowa counties accounted for 39.4 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprised 73.1 percent of total covered employment in the United States.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 95 counties in Iowa with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in the 95 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All four large Iowa counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Scott County had the largest gain (+4.9 percent), followed by Linn County (+4.1 percent). Over-the-year wage gains for Johnson County and Polk County were 2.8 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.


Nationwide, wages increased by 4.4 percent over the year. Among the 351 largest counties in the United States with published data, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Hamilton, IN, had the largest percentage wage increase (+33.4 percent). Essex, MA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-2.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the four largest counties in Iowa were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. Average weekly wages in these counties ranged from $1,298 in Polk County to $1,128 in Scott County.

Among the 360 largest U.S. counties with published data, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2024. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,632). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 273 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($820).

Smaller county average weekly wages

All 95 smaller counties in Iowa—those with employment below 75,000— reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Dallas County ($1,312) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, while Decatur County ($787) reported the lowest.

When all 99 counties in Iowa were considered, 18 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 21 registered wages from $900 to $949, 27 had average weekly wages from $950 to $999, 14 had wages of $1,000 to $1,049, and 19 registered average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Iowa, second quarter 2024

(U.S. average = $1,390)


Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update.

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 third quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the third quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the four largest counties in Iowa, second quarter 2024
Area Establishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
June 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,238.2 155,710.2 0.8 -- 1,390 -- 4.4 --

Iowa

111.3 1,588.0 0.2 -- 1,118 45 3.3 45

Johnson

5.1 83.7 0.3 222 1,198 203 2.8 286

Linn

7.7 127.6 -1.4 351 1,247 167 4.1 157

Polk

20.4 322.0 0.7 165 1,298 139 2.5 302

Scott

6.2 91.7 0.7 165 1,128 271 4.9 83

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. Covered employment and wages includes 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 Iowa, second quarter 2024
Area Establishments Employment June 2024 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,238,175 155,710,239 1,390

Iowa

111,274 1,588,010 1,118

Adair

327 3,162 959

Adams

152 1,227 897

Allamakee

476 4,972 841

Appanoose

409 4,790 858

Audubon

239 1,866 959

Benton

712 6,245 1,095

Black Hawk

3,917 71,862 1,061

Boone

750 9,253 1,010

Bremer

740 9,804 954

Buchanan

637 6,891 910

Buena Vista

612 10,782 988

Butler

418 3,840 978

Calhoun

326 2,912 908

Carroll

971 11,207 927

Cass

539 6,030 886

Cedar

587 5,386 939

Cerro Gordo

1,673 23,718 1,015

Cherokee

450 4,987 959

Chickasaw

431 5,269 980

Clarke

249 4,755 941

Clay

747 8,794 970

Clayton

606 6,506 1,004

Clinton

1,486 19,642 996

Crawford

518 6,708 963

Dallas

3,548 56,671 1,312

Davis

260 2,209 926

Decatur

224 2,208 787

Delaware

608 6,901 998

Des Moines

1,402 20,022 1,006

Dickinson

958 11,314 840

Dubuque

3,704 59,387 1,065

Emmet

329 3,363 909

Fayette

675 7,122 918

Floyd

478 5,854 1,018

Franklin

363 4,194 961

Fremont

282 2,186 884

Greene

312 3,245 1,036

Grundy

387 4,354 1,051

Guthrie

395 3,419 1,004

Hamilton

487 5,894 965

Hancock

382 6,165 1,112

Hardin

650 6,659 985

Harrison

467 4,113 928

Henry

640 8,184 977

Howard

340 4,479 913

Humboldt

367 3,985 988

Ida

297 3,709 1,063

Iowa

698 9,236 901

Jackson

671 6,108 827

Jasper

987 11,019 920

Jefferson

799 7,230 988

Johnson

5,094 83,668 1,198

Jones

665 6,533 919

Keokuk

314 2,329 911

Kossuth

646 6,697 967

Lee

1,070 13,919 1,083

Linn

7,711 127,580 1,247

Louisa

281 3,954 971

Lucas

252 3,405 946

Lyon

550 5,070 857

Madison

569 4,435 907

Mahaska

628 7,865 983

Marion

1,057 20,454 1,134

Marshall

1,017 15,969 1,015

Mills

453 3,627 1,029

Mitchell

373 4,014 1,007

Monona

298 2,642 833

Monroe

254 3,788 1,234

Montgomery

383 4,154 954

Muscatine

1,224 21,819 1,161

O'Brien

628 6,814 876

Osceola

272 2,758 906

Page

487 6,517 913

Palo Alto

336 3,754 856

Plymouth

872 12,152 1,124

Pocahontas

267 2,698 979

Polk

20,433 322,047 1,298

Pottawattamie

2,719 41,443 1,036

Poweshiek

705 9,850 1,056

Ringgold

184 1,442 874

Sac

391 3,019 947

Scott

6,197 91,748 1,128

Shelby

447 5,585 930

Sioux

1,579 23,476 1,009

Story

3,045 47,130 1,156

Tama

441 5,544 894

Taylor

190 2,052 956

Union

456 6,110 931

Van Buren

223 1,956 839

Wapello

886 15,577 973

Warren

1,401 13,441 964

Washington

851 8,769 851

Wayne

183 2,140 951

Webster

1,201 17,721 1,045

Winnebago

394 3,906 866

Winneshiek

763 10,885 956

Woodbury

3,304 51,336 1,014

Worth

227 2,390 850

Wright

466 6,295 1,093

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. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, second quarter 2024
State Establishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
June 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2023–24
Second quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2023–24
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,238.2 155,710.2 0.8 1,390 -- 4.4 --

Alabama

162.9 2,111.1 1.2 1,150 36 3.9 35

Alaska

25.4 345.9 0.8 1,345 15 4.5 17

Arizona

221.3 3,137.3 1.1 1,324 18 4.6 16

Arkansas

101.7 1,299.9 1.0 1,074 49 4.1 30

California

1,878.6 18,193.5 0.4 1,697 4 4.4 20

Colorado

268.9 2,909.4 -0.2 1,487 8 4.2 25

Connecticut

151.4 1,702.2 0.4 1,569 6 3.8 37

Delaware

43.8 481.0 0.9 1,322 19 5.4 6

District of Columbia

52.3 764.0 0.1 2,283 1 4.2 25

Florida

903.5 9,700.1 1.4 1,278 21 3.6 43

Georgia

392.2 4,867.7 1.2 1,297 20 4.2 25

Hawaii

59.6 640.9 0.8 1,273 22 5.8 3

Idaho

101.0 867.3 1.2 1,096 48 5.6 4

Illinois

410.2 6,115.5 0.0 1,401 12 3.4 44

Indiana

192.5 3,187.3 0.4 1,171 33 6.4 2

Iowa

111.3 1,588.0 0.2 1,118 45 3.3 45

Kansas

100.9 1,435.8 0.5 1,124 43 4.0 31

Kentucky

157.1 1,995.9 1.0 1,146 38 4.3 23

Louisiana

155.9 1,904.3 0.6 1,144 40 4.7 12

Maine

65.7 666.1 1.1 1,167 35 4.2 25

Maryland

210.5 2,778.5 1.5 1,454 9 3.8 37

Massachusetts

287.6 3,708.1 0.2 1,758 3 5.0 8

Michigan

345.1 4,480.5 0.4 1,266 23 3.9 35

Minnesota

212.2 2,985.5 0.5 1,359 14 3.3 45

Mississippi

89.8 1,163.8 0.1 960 51 4.0 31

Missouri

245.3 2,927.1 0.6 1,186 32 3.1 48

Montana

63.3 528.8 1.5 1,113 46 3.8 37

Nebraska

77.1 1,030.9 0.7 1,122 44 2.7 51

Nevada

108.6 1,548.9 1.6 1,243 28 4.5 17

New Hampshire

66.7 699.6 0.5 1,443 10 4.0 31

New Jersey

338.5 4,361.1 0.9 1,516 7 3.3 45

New Mexico

68.4 871.9 1.2 1,150 36 4.4 20

New York

712.7 9,762.4 1.3 1,687 5 4.0 31

North Carolina

379.6 4,902.0 0.9 1,256 25 4.8 9

North Dakota

36.5 437.4 1.5 1,221 30 3.1 48

Ohio

341.2 5,558.1 0.4 1,214 31 4.7 12

Oklahoma

129.3 1,684.7 0.8 1,101 47 4.7 12

Oregon

196.1 2,019.2 -0.1 1,338 16 4.8 9

Pennsylvania

393.6 6,067.5 0.8 1,325 17 3.8 37

Rhode Island

48.8 504.7 1.1 1,257 24 2.9 50

South Carolina

188.4 2,290.1 1.8 1,134 41 5.1 7

South Dakota

40.2 470.3 0.7 1,074 49 3.8 37

Tennessee

234.9 3,287.4 1.3 1,248 27 4.2 25

Texas

840.9 13,905.7 1.2 1,381 13 4.5 17

Utah

138.2 1,715.2 0.8 1,249 26 5.6 4

Vermont

32.8 310.8 0.0 1,227 29 4.3 23

Virginia

319.9 4,140.8 1.4 1,436 11 4.8 9

Washington

234.7 3,674.3 1.0 1,776 2 7.4 1

West Virginia

61.7 700.1 0.6 1,127 42 4.7 12

Wisconsin

208.5 2,990.8 0.4 1,168 34 3.7 42

Wyoming

31.0 290.9 0.5 1,145 39 4.4 20

Puerto Rico

54.5 944.0 1.3 651 (3) 4.7 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.9 36.4 -0.1 1,010 (3) 1.5 (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. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, December 19, 2024