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Thursday, June 12, 2025
Employment rose 1.1 percent in North Dakota’s only large county, Cass, from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that the rate of employment growth in Cass ranked 91st among the 363 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)
Employment in Cass stood at 129,300 in December 2024, accounting for 30 percent of total employment in North Dakota. 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 2024The average weekly wage in Cass increased 3.0 percent over the year to $1,322. The national average was $1,507, up 5.0 percent over the year. Cass County’s weekly wage ranked 187th nationally, and the percent change ranked 299th among the largest U.S. counties.
Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024Employment 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 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels for 46 of the 52 smaller counties were below the national average. Williams reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,873). Sheridan reported the lowest average weekly wage ($723) in the state.
Among all 53 North Dakota counties, 11 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,025, 18 registered wages from $1,025 to $1,149, 10 had wages from $1,150 to $1,274, and 14 had average weekly wages of $1,275 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)
QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.
Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.
Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
The County Employment and Wages release for the first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) is streamlining its release process. Beginning with the fourth quarter 2024 national release on June 4, QCEW will publish the national County Employment and Wages news release on the same date as the QCEW full data update. Revised news release dates are available online.
Area | Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands) |
Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 2024 (thousands) |
Percent change, December 2023–24 (2) |
National ranking by percent change (3) |
Fourth quarter 2024 ($) |
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 | -- |
North Dakota |
36.9 | 431.1 | 0.9 | -- | 1,315 | 30 | 3.8 | 39 |
Cass |
9.6 | 129.3 | 1.1 | 91 | 1,322 | 187 | 3.0 | 299 |
Footnotes: |
||||||||
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. |
Area | Establishments | Employment December 2024 | Average weekly wage ($) (1) |
---|---|---|---|
United States (2) |
12,265,395 | 156,202,874 | 1,507 |
North Dakota |
36,902 | 431,087 | 1,315 |
Adams |
120 | 846 | 965 |
Barnes |
458 | 4,424 | 1,080 |
Benson |
149 | 2,034 | 1,110 |
Billings |
66 | 533 | 1,393 |
Bottineau |
338 | 2,511 | 1,067 |
Bowman |
199 | 1,360 | 1,147 |
Burke |
125 | 674 | 1,342 |
Burleigh |
4,419 | 58,292 | 1,265 |
Cass |
9,598 | 129,311 | 1,322 |
Cavalier |
175 | 1,211 | 1,297 |
Dickey |
281 | 2,223 | 1,149 |
Divide |
125 | 703 | 1,171 |
Dunn |
221 | 2,136 | 1,706 |
Eddy |
104 | 743 | 836 |
Emmons |
166 | 916 | 1,092 |
Foster |
176 | 1,554 | 1,168 |
Golden Valley |
90 | 631 | 1,045 |
Grand Forks |
2,793 | 41,058 | 1,197 |
Grant |
110 | 677 | 989 |
Griggs |
109 | 790 | 1,064 |
Hettinger |
146 | 678 | 963 |
Kidder |
132 | 691 | 976 |
LaMoure |
242 | 1,416 | 1,052 |
Logan |
116 | 657 | 819 |
McHenry |
247 | 1,349 | 1,051 |
McIntosh |
139 | 992 | 951 |
McKenzie |
836 | 11,649 | 1,814 |
McLean |
397 | 3,391 | 1,411 |
Mercer |
328 | 4,433 | 1,619 |
Morton |
1,257 | 12,227 | 1,172 |
Mountrail |
525 | 5,286 | 1,549 |
Nelson |
178 | 1,030 | 972 |
Oliver |
76 | 697 | 1,770 |
Pembina |
410 | 3,265 | 1,205 |
Pierce |
200 | 1,598 | 977 |
Ramsey |
528 | 5,593 | 1,044 |
Ransom |
261 | 2,011 | 979 |
Renville |
142 | 695 | 1,029 |
Richland |
712 | 7,928 | 1,090 |
Rolette |
287 | 4,554 | 1,059 |
Sargent |
191 | 2,706 | 1,285 |
Sheridan |
52 | 230 | 723 |
Sioux |
79 | 1,539 | 1,081 |
Slope |
15 | 111 | 1,386 |
Stark |
1,577 | 19,666 | 1,447 |
Steele |
85 | 535 | 1,249 |
Stutsman |
897 | 11,194 | 1,117 |
Towner |
97 | 667 | 1,079 |
Traill |
413 | 3,602 | 1,190 |
Walsh |
524 | 4,809 | 1,170 |
Ward |
2,739 | 31,305 | 1,204 |
Wells |
209 | 1,476 | 1,084 |
Williams |
2,252 | 27,227 | 1,873 |
Footnotes: |
|||
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. |
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: |
|||||||
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: Thursday, June 12, 2025