Employment decreased in 8 of the 10 largest counties in Michigan from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that Macomb County had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment, with a loss of 2.3 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 Michigan, March 2025

County	Percent change, March 2025
Macomb	-2.3
Ottawa	-1.4
Oakland	-0.6
Wayne	-0.5
Genesee	-0.3
Ingham	-0.3
Kent	-0.3
Kalamazoo	-0.1
Saginaw	0.0
Washtenaw	0.0

Among the 10 largest counties in Michigan, employment was highest in Wayne (713,900) in March 2025. Together, the 10 largest counties accounted for 69.2 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 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 10 large Michigan counties reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) Washtenaw had the largest increase (+4.3 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Michigan's other large counties ranged from 4.0 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 Michigan, first quarter 2025

County	Percent change, first quarter 2025
Washtenaw	4.3
Saginaw	4.0
Ottawa	3.5
Kalamazoo	3.4
Ingham	3.2
Wayne	3.2
Kent	2.4
Macomb	2.4
Genesee	2.0
Oakland	1.2

The weekly wage in 1 of the 10 largest counties in Michigan was above the national average of $1,589. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,597 in Wayne to $1,105 in Genesee.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 73 small counties in Michigan, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 73 smaller counties were below the national average. Midland reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,402). Keweenaw reported the lowest average weekly wage ($702) in the state.

Among all 83 Michigan counties, 22 reported average weekly wages of less than $950, 16 registered wages from $950 to $1,024, 17 had wages from $1,025 to $1,099, 12 reported wages from $1,100 to $1,174, and 16 had average weekly wages of $1,175 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 second quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.