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News Release Information

25-953-CHI
Friday, June 13, 2025

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

County Employment and Wages in Michigan — Fourth Quarter 2024

Employment fell in 6 of the 10 largest counties in Michigan from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that Macomb, Ottawa, and Saginaw Counties had the largest over-the-year decreases in employment (-1.2 percent each). (See chart 1 and table 1.)


Among the 10 largest counties in Michigan, employment was highest in Wayne (732,000) in December 2024. Together, the 10 largest counties accounted for 69.3 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 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 2023.)

Large county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter 2024

All nine large Michigan counties with published data reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Washtenaw had the largest gain (+6.2 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Michigan’s other eight large counties with published data ranged from 3.7 percent to 1.8 percent.


Weekly wages in 9 of the 10 largest counties in Michigan were below the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,581 in Oakland to $1,127 in Genesee.

Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024

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 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 73 smaller counties were below the national average. Midland reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,438). Keweenaw reported the lowest average weekly wage ($690) in the state.

Among all 83 Michigan counties, 11 reported average weekly wages of less than $925, 22 registered wages from $925 to $1,024, 24 had wages from $1,025 to $1,124, 13 reported wages from $1,125 to $1,224, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,225 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Michigan, fourth quarter 2024

(U.S. average = $1,507)


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.

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 first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

QCEW Moves to One Data Release Beginning with Fourth Quarter 2024 Publication

The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) is streamlining its release process. Beginning with the fourth quarter 2024 national release on June 4, QCEW will publish the national County Employment and Wages news release on the same date as the QCEW full data update. Revised news release dates are available online.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 10 largest counties in Michigan, fourth quarter 2024
Area Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,265.4 156,202.9 0.8 -- 1,507 -- 5.0 --

Michigan

303.4 4,406.8 -0.1 -- 1,370 23 4.1 32

Genesee

7.3 135.5 0.9 120 1,127 331 1.8 346

Ingham

6.9 156.3 0.5 193 1,356 168 3.1 291

Kalamazoo

6.0 121.0 -0.3 301 1,296 205 2.3 329

Kent

17.9 420.4 -0.1 280 1,233 260 3.4 256

Macomb

19.8 335.1 -1.2 348 1,455 111 (5) -

Oakland

43.3 723.3 -0.8 334 1,581 66 3.3 269

Ottawa

7.0 130.4 -1.2 348 1,234 259 2.7 318

Saginaw

4.0 79.8 -1.2 348 1,169 311 3.7 233

Washtenaw

9.7 218.2 0.0 257 1,497 91 6.2 46

Wayne

37.0 732.0 0.0 257 1,507 86 3.2 276

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.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

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 Michigan, fourth quarter 2024
Area Establishments Employment December 2024 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,265,395 156,202,874 1,507

Michigan

303,407 4,406,829 1,370

Alcona

212 1,430 995

Alger

261 2,416 1,004

Allegan

2,705 40,500 1,207

Alpena

903 12,094 1,111

Antrim

611 4,695 890

Arenac

355 3,860 989

Baraga

212 2,906 1,003

Barry

1,066 13,231 1,044

Bay

2,127 34,027 1,109

Benzie

491 4,784 914

Berrien

4,141 58,589 1,105

Branch

869 15,181 1,078

Calhoun

2,650 54,590 1,244

Cass

936 9,472 1,054

Charlevoix

904 10,440 1,188

Cheboygan

828 5,463 991

Chippewa

846 12,498 1,068

Clare

623 7,272 1,005

Clinton

1,470 18,381 1,148

Crawford

276 3,940 1,070

Delta

1,050 13,748 951

Dickinson

842 13,757 1,145

Eaton

2,109 45,370 1,253

Emmet

1,572 17,162 1,149

Genesee

7,316 135,455 1,127

Gladwin

461 4,526 1,003

Gogebic

418 5,169 955

Grand Traverse

3,801 51,004 1,214

Gratiot

796 12,245 1,142

Hillsdale

885 12,559 1,039

Houghton

957 12,249 1,137

Huron

1,003 11,008 1,049

Ingham

6,916 156,263 1,356

Ionia

1,102 19,297 942

Iosco

621 7,497 1,254

Iron

393 3,381 896

Isabella

1,407 26,697 1,030

Jackson

3,110 55,578 1,216

Kalamazoo

6,009 120,979 1,296

Kalkaska

384 4,788 1,266

Kent

17,866 420,422 1,233

Keweenaw

85 385 690

Lake

184 1,643 808

Lapeer

1,724 21,831 1,050

Leelanau

844 6,009 1,028

Lenawee

1,961 26,013 1,040

Livingston

4,820 63,374 1,206

Luce

182 1,746 963

Mackinac

503 3,800 1,049

Macomb

19,774 335,141 1,455

Manistee

605 7,045 1,013

Marquette

1,784 26,583 1,106

Mason

725 9,955 966

Mecosta

697 12,453 914

Menominee

495 7,036 957

Midland

3,973 38,052 1,438

Missaukee

388 4,274 970

Monroe

2,530 40,660 1,156

Montcalm

1,090 16,206 965

Montmorency

228 1,986 843

Muskegon

3,182 62,604 1,095

Newaygo

853 11,750 975

Oakland

43,331 723,294 1,581

Oceana

572 6,035 968

Ogemaw

617 5,872 869

Ontonagon

193 1,339 702

Osceola

481 7,750 1,080

Oscoda

202 1,239 850

Otsego

811 10,415 1,065

Ottawa

6,975 130,419 1,234

Presque Isle

347 2,439 954

Roscommon

581 6,164 789

Saginaw

3,971 79,818 1,169

St. Clair

3,284 41,927 1,111

St. Joseph

2,289 20,871 1,085

Sanilac

879 10,354 1,001

Schoolcraft

235 3,171 971

Shiawassee

1,189 15,585 1,016

Tuscola

924 12,065 1,055

Van Buren

1,656 20,443 1,032

Washtenaw

9,684 218,219 1,497

Wayne

36,981 732,037 1,507

Wexford

893 13,050 1,030

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, fourth quarter 2024
State Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2023–24
Fourth quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2023–24
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,265.4 156,202.9 0.8 1,507 -- 5.0 --

Alabama

162.3 2,122.2 0.9 1,255 36 4.1 32

Alaska

25.3 317.4 1.7 1,430 16 4.2 30

Arizona

225.5 3,272.3 1.2 1,406 19 6.4 6

Arkansas

106.1 1,312.6 1.1 1,153 50 5.9 10

California

1,903.9 18,230.8 0.5 1,872 5 6.5 5

Colorado

236.6 2,911.3 -0.3 1,594 8 5.1 16

Connecticut

150.7 1,700.7 0.5 1,716 6 5.2 15

Delaware

45.2 480.6 1.5 1,437 15 4.5 24

District of Columbia

52.4 757.2 -0.5 2,495 1 4.7 21

Florida

914.8 9,978.9 0.9 1,405 20 5.7 13

Georgia

396.6 4,916.6 0.8 1,391 21 4.7 21

Hawaii

61.4 651.3 1.1 1,345 27 4.3 26

Idaho

103.9 859.1 0.5 1,232 39 8.3 3

Illinois

411.2 6,089.1 0.5 1,538 12 4.1 32

Indiana

194.6 3,201.9 0.4 1,222 44 4.4 25

Iowa

112.5 1,559.3 -0.6 1,237 38 3.2 50

Kansas

103.5 1,445.6 0.9 1,218 45 4.3 26

Kentucky

159.0 2,008.4 0.2 1,189 46 3.8 39

Louisiana

156.8 1,936.3 1.1 1,228 40 2.8 51

Maine

66.2 643.9 0.9 1,278 33 5.9 10

Maryland

197.0 2,779.9 1.6 1,570 10 4.2 30

Massachusetts

288.5 3,646.1 -0.4 1,890 3 4.7 21

Michigan

303.4 4,406.8 -0.1 1,370 23 4.1 32

Minnesota

215.1 2,945.4 1.1 1,452 14 3.7 42

Mississippi

90.9 1,174.3 0.2 1,023 51 4.1 32

Missouri

251.5 2,922.2 0.5 1,268 35 3.8 39

Montana

65.8 512.8 0.5 1,254 37 6.4 6

Nebraska

78.0 1,024.8 0.5 1,227 41 3.5 45

Nevada

108.1 1,561.5 0.4 1,350 25 6.1 9

New Hampshire

68.7 692.4 0.4 1,577 9 3.3 49

New Jersey

339.1 4,332.2 0.9 1,629 7 3.4 47

New Mexico

68.9 873.8 0.3 1,223 42 5.0 17

New York

711.5 9,777.3 1.5 1,881 4 5.4 14

North Carolina

384.0 4,941.9 0.5 1,358 24 5.8 12

North Dakota

36.9 431.1 0.9 1,315 30 3.8 39

Ohio

346.3 5,551.7 0.6 1,305 32 4.8 20

Oklahoma

129.7 1,713.2 0.8 1,168 48 4.1 32

Oregon

190.9 1,989.6 0.0 1,424 17 6.6 4

Pennsylvania

395.1 6,076.5 0.8 1,414 18 4.0 37

Rhode Island

48.9 500.8 1.6 1,348 26 3.5 45

South Carolina

195.3 2,310.1 1.4 1,223 42 6.2 8

South Dakota

40.6 459.7 0.9 1,181 47 3.9 38

Tennessee

232.2 3,320.3 0.9 1,372 22 5.0 17

Texas

846.0 14,129.7 1.5 1,488 13 4.3 26

Utah

142.6 1,735.8 1.3 1,333 29 3.7 42

Vermont

33.7 311.2 0.0 1,311 31 4.9 19

Virginia

320.9 4,142.6 1.2 1,546 11 4.3 26

Washington

241.5 3,612.0 0.8 1,897 2 8.7 2

West Virginia

62.7 701.4 0.2 1,159 49 3.4 47

Wisconsin

212.2 2,950.8 0.4 1,278 33 3.6 44

Wyoming

31.1 279.4 0.5 1,340 28 12.4 1

Puerto Rico

51.6 975.4 -0.2 718 (3) 4.5 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.0 33.1 -8.6 1,046 (3) 1.8 (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: Friday, June 13, 2025