Employment rose in Colorado’s nine large counties from December 2020 to December 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that Denver County (+10.2 percent) had the largest over-the-year increase in employment among the nine largest counties in the state. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 5.2 percent over the year, with 334 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Clark, NV, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Hinds, MS, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.9 percent.

Among the nine largest counties in Colorado, employment was highest in Denver County (538,600) in December 2021. Within Denver County’s private industry, professional and technical services accounted for the largest employment. Together, the nine largest Colorado counties accounted for 81.1 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.4 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 55 counties in Colorado with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 52 of the 55 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All nine large Colorado counties reported average weekly wage gains from the fourth quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Six counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 5.9 percent. Adams County had the largest gain (+11.9 percent), followed by Douglas County (+9.1 percent) and Boulder County (+8.9 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Colorado’s other six large counties ranged from 8.4 percent to 5.2 percent.

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 334 had over-the-year wage increases. Palm Beach, FL, had the largest percentage wage increase (+15.6 percent). Kitsap, WA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-5.5 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 5 of the 9 largest counties in Colorado were above the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Average weekly wages in four of these counties ranked among the top 50 nationwide: Denver ($1,814, 20^th), Boulder ($1,799, 22^nd), Douglas ($1,637, 37^th), and Arapahoe ($1,609, 44^th). Weld ($1,203, 204^th) had the lowest average weekly wage among the largest Colorado counties.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 84 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2021. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $4,005. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 259 counties. At $826 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Colorado’s smaller counties

Among the 55 smaller counties in Colorado—those with employment below 75,000—3 reported average weekly wages above the national average of $1,418: Broomfield ($2,231), Pitkin ($1,544), and Rio Blanco ($1,442). San Juan County ($663) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 64 counties in Colorado were considered, 14 reported average weekly wages of less than $849, 21 registered wages from $850 to $999, 11 had wages from $1,000 to $1,149, 8 had wages from $1,150 to $1,299, and 10 had average weekly wages of $1,300 or more. (See chart 3.) Many of the higher-paying counties were located in and around the Denver metropolitan area. The lowest-paying counties, those with weekly wages under $849, were primarily concentrated in the southern portion of the state.

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 or visit www.bls.gov/cew.

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. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

Technical Note

Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/cew. However, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s web site.

QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.

The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.

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.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the nine largest counties in Colorado, fourth quarter 2021

Area	Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		December 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, December 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Fourth quarter 2021	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, fourth quarter 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	11,194.1	148,293.6	5.2	--	$1,418	--	5.9	--
Colorado	232.9	2,776.4	6.2	--	1,484	10	7.8	3
Adams	13.1	236.2	3.9	194	1,373	101	11.9	5
Arapahoe	25.1	333.6	3.9	194	1,609	44	5.2	157
Boulder	18.0	191.3	6.6	48	1,799	22	8.9	21
Denver	40.0	538.6	10.2	5	1,814	20	7.2	65
Douglas	14.6	139.5	6.1	58	1,637	37	9.1	19
El Paso	23.6	294.1	6.1	58	1,251	171	5.7	120
Jefferson	23.4	240.0	3.9	194	1,479	66	7.7	49
Larimer	14.1	168.9	7.5	20	1,294	149	5.5	133
Weld	8.7	109.2	4.7	148	1,203	204	8.4	29
(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 Colorado, fourth quarter 2021

Area	Establishments	Employment December 2021	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,194,120	148,293,597	$1,418
Colorado	232,927	2,776,384	1,484
Adams	13,120	236,241	1,373
Alamosa	614	8,360	929
Arapahoe	25,071	333,623	1,609
Archuleta	656	4,442	845
Baca	120	1,164	769
Bent	99	1,081	890
Boulder	17,989	191,254	1,799
Broomfield	3,305	40,592	2,231
Chaffee	1,161	8,381	951
Cheyenne	106	715	1,017
Clear Creek	399	3,368	1,033
Conejos	198	1,542	796
Costilla	114	909	721
Crowley	77	1,144	996
Custer	185	952	813
Delta	978	8,162	862
Denver	40,040	538,576	1,814
Dolores	97	585	769
Douglas	14,581	139,480	1,637
Eagle	3,844	34,757	1,241
Elbert	791	4,204	1,126
El Paso	23,563	294,148	1,251
Fremont	1,070	13,700	973
Garfield	2,918	25,372	1,197
Gilpin	210	4,236	1,325
Grand	959	7,940	992
Gunnison	1,300	9,111	977
Hinsdale	82	255	744
Huerfano	206	1,736	853
Jackson	95	588	862
Jefferson	23,361	240,016	1,479
Kiowa	52	473	914
Kit Carson	310	2,894	865
Lake	273	2,583	1,028
La Plata	2,933	25,683	1,193
Larimer	14,136	168,850	1,294
Las Animas	584	4,891	891
Lincoln	174	2,125	906
Logan	660	7,584	951
Mesa	5,435	63,818	1,050
Mineral	79	559	788
Moffat	494	4,482	1,020
Montezuma	993	9,191	1,018
Montrose	1,591	15,737	944
Morgan	842	12,314	1,107
Otero	510	6,057	844
Ouray	370	2,198	1,043
Park	634	2,746	994
Phillips	184	1,650	913
Pitkin	2,081	17,806	1,544
Prowers	392	4,655	813
Pueblo	3,810	62,834	1,049
Rio Blanco	278	2,845	1,442
Rio Grande	472	4,014	939
Routt	2,013	15,984	1,154
Saguache	222	1,470	800
San Juan	90	339	663
San Miguel	784	5,997	1,151
Sedgwick	93	771	820
Summit	2,516	23,308	1,078
Teller	1,024	7,756	940
Washington	150	1,141	766
Weld	8,679	109,216	1,203
Yuma	420	3,909	915
(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, fourth quarter 2021

State	Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		December 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, December 2020–21	Fourth quarter 2021	National ranking by level	Percent change, fourth quarter 2020–21	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	11,194.1	148,293.6	5.2	$1,418	--	5.9	--
Alabama	141.2	2,007.0	3.1	1,153	36	4.9	34
Alaska	24.1	299.4	3.1	1,311	19	4.1	43
Arizona	190.2	3,057.8	5.1	1,281	23	5.5	27
Arkansas	97.0	1,236.1	3.4	1,064	49	6.4	14
California	1,701.9	17,622.2	7.4	1,804	4	4.8	37
Colorado	232.9	2,776.4	6.2	1,484	10	7.8	3
Connecticut	134.0	1,639.9	3.9	1,611	6	3.9	45
Delaware	37.0	452.0	4.5	1,337	16	5.9	23
District of Columbia	46.1	749.4	5.1	2,320	1	1.0	50
Florida	834.7	9,241.1	6.7	1,297	20	9.7	2
Georgia	351.2	4,629.8	5.0	1,292	21	7.0	9
Hawaii	50.4	613.8	9.2	1,229	28	0.8	51
Idaho	81.8	802.3	5.1	1,111	42	7.4	6
Illinois	400.5	5,877.3	5.4	1,473	11	6.9	11
Indiana	179.4	3,089.3	3.4	1,153	36	7.0	9
Iowa	107.3	1,527.4	2.2	1,157	35	5.3	30
Kansas	92.5	1,381.0	2.4	1,132	41	5.8	24
Kentucky	136.5	1,919.8	4.5	1,110	43	5.0	33
Louisiana	146.1	1,853.9	2.9	1,142	40	6.0	21
Maine	59.7	613.7	3.3	1,163	34	6.4	14
Maryland	178.1	2,648.4	3.9	1,499	9	3.8	46
Massachusetts	281.8	3,556.9	5.5	1,832	2	3.7	47
Michigan	274.9	4,250.8	6.3	1,291	22	2.7	49
Minnesota	191.0	2,823.7	5.2	1,378	13	4.0	44
Mississippi	78.5	1,147.3	2.4	944	51	4.8	37
Missouri	226.1	2,804.8	2.9	1,179	33	4.5	40
Montana	56.7	489.0	4.6	1,108	44	7.1	8
Nebraska	77.5	978.5	1.5	1,144	38	6.1	19
Nevada	98.3	1,432.6	11.5	1,246	25	5.8	24
New Hampshire	61.2	662.2	3.9	1,580	7	12.3	1
New Jersey	315.6	4,123.7	6.8	1,563	8	3.0	48
New Mexico	66.5	819.1	6.5	1,097	47	4.4	41
New York	674.4	9,195.8	5.8	1,829	3	6.8	13
North Carolina	324.7	4,646.6	4.7	1,241	26	7.8	3
North Dakota	33.3	407.9	3.4	1,192	31	4.9	34
Ohio	318.8	5,352.6	2.9	1,221	29	5.2	31
Oklahoma	117.8	1,604.5	2.1	1,080	48	6.9	11
Oregon	173.4	1,915.0	4.8	1,332	17	6.1	19
Pennsylvania	379.7	5,807.9	4.5	1,352	15	5.1	32
Rhode Island	44.1	475.5	5.7	1,315	18	4.4	41
South Carolina	155.8	2,147.9	3.5	1,101	46	6.4	14
South Dakota	37.6	435.5	2.7	1,108	44	5.7	26
Tennessee	191.7	3,123.3	3.9	1,258	24	7.3	7
Texas	779.4	13,012.7	6.1	1,376	14	6.3	17
Utah	126.9	1,624.1	4.3	1,231	27	6.2	18
Vermont	28.7	298.7	4.3	1,189	32	4.9	34
Virginia	303.4	3,918.0	3.1	1,424	12	4.8	37
Washington	276.1	3,427.0	6.3	1,683	5	6.0	21
West Virginia	54.7	674.4	3.1	1,053	50	5.5	27
Wisconsin	194.0	2,832.6	2.4	1,202	30	5.4	29
Wyoming	28.8	267.2	2.7	1,143	39	7.7	5
Puerto Rico	48.2	935.3	6.8	645	(3)	3.9	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.4	35.0	-0.4	1,090	(3)	3.0	(3)
(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.