The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information,
make sure you're on a federal government site.
The site is secure. The
https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any
information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
County Employment and Wages in North Dakota — First Quarter 2025
Employment rose 0.8 percent in North Dakota’s only large county, Cass, from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that the rate of employment growth in Cass ranked 105th among the 364 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)
Employment in Cass stood at 127,500 in March 2025, accounting for 30.2 percent of total employment in North Dakota. 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.)
Large county average weekly wages in the first quarter 2025
The average weekly wage in Cass increased 2.5 percent over the year to $1,332. The national average was $1,589, up 4.1 percent over the year. Cass County’s weekly wage ranked 193rd nationally, and the percent change ranked 251st among the largest U.S. counties.
Smaller county average weekly wages in the first 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 48 of the 52 smaller counties were below the national average. Oliver reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,928). Sheridan reported the lowest average weekly wage ($690) in the state.
Among all 53 North Dakota counties, 10 reported average weekly wages of less than $950, 18 had wages from $950 to $1,074, 12 had wages from $1,075 to $1,199, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)
Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in North Dakota, first quarter 2025
(U.S. average = $1,589)
Additional statistics and other information
QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.
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.
County Changes for the 2025 County Employment and Wages News Releases
Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2024 are included in this release and will be included in future 2025 releases. Four counties have been added to the nationwide publication tables: Pinal, AZ; Henry, GA; Wood, OH; and Comal, TX. One county has been dropped from the publication tables: Gregg, TX.
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the largest county in North Dakota, first quarter 2025
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, first quarter 2025
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, first quarter 2025
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.
United States Department of Labor
