Employment rose in all nine of Colorado’s largest counties from December 2021 to December 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2021.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Denver County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, at 4.1 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 2.6 percent over the year, with 325 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 7.9 percent. Elkhart, IN, and Hendricks, IN, both experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 1.7 percent each.

Among the nine largest counties in Colorado, employment was highest in Denver County (563,600) in December 2022. Within Denver County’s private industry, professional, scientific, and technical services accounted for the largest employment. Together, the nine largest Colorado counties accounted for 80.9 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 72.9 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 53 of the 55 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,385 in the fourth quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Six of the nine large Colorado counties reported average weekly wage losses from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the fourth quarter of 2022. (See chart 2.) Boulder County had the largest percentage wage decrease (-5.0 percent). Over-the-year wage changes among Colorado’s other eight large counties ranged from -1.5 percent to 1.1 percent.

Nationwide, wages decreased by 2.3 percent over the year. Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 240 had over-the-year wage decreases. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage decrease (-22.6 percent). Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase (+6.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 5 of the 9 largest counties in Colorado were above the national average of $1,385 in the fourth quarter of 2022. Average weekly wages in four of these counties ranked among the top 50 nationwide: Denver ($1,794, 15^th), Boulder ($1,724, 23^rd), Douglas ($1,597, 36^th), and Arapahoe (1,593, 38^th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 86 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2022. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,329. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 269 counties. At $827 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—Broomfield ($2,092) and Pitkin ($1,539) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. San Juan County ($714) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 64 counties in Colorado were considered, 11 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 12 registered wages from $850 to $949, 15 had wages from $950 to $1,049, 8 had average weekly wages from $1,050 to $1,149, and 18 had average weekly wages of $1,150 or higher. (See chart 3.)

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.

For more information see the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release.

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 2022

Area	Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		December 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, December 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Fourth quarter 2022	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, fourth quarter 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	11,785.7	152,317.9	2.6	--	$1,385	--	-2.3	--
Colorado	254.3	2,857.0	2.9	--	1,472	9	-0.9	31
Adams	14.1	243.1	2.8	96	1,367	92	-0.7	140
Arapahoe	27.1	337.0	1.1	250	1,593	38	-1.3	180
Boulder	19.4	195.1	2.1	149	1,724	23	-5.0	330
Denver	44.2	563.6	4.1	28	1,794	15	-1.4	184
Douglas	16.2	142.6	2.1	149	1,597	36	-1.5	189
El Paso	25.7	299.7	1.7	181	1,241	172	-1.0	162
Jefferson	25.4	245.6	2.9	90	1,464	66	0.6	65
Larimer	15.3	172.5	2.3	136	1,310	124	1.0	47
Weld	9.4	113.3	3.4	53	1,218	186	1.1	41
(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 2022

Area	Establishments	Employment December 2022	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,785,706	152,317,914	$1,385
Colorado	254,280	2,856,983	1,472
Adams	14,097	243,097	1,367
Alamosa	624	8,313	952
Arapahoe	27,117	337,042	1,593
Archuleta	704	4,449	867
Baca	124	1,189	764
Bent	98	1,155	890
Boulder	19,355	195,130	1,724
Broomfield	3,590	43,353	2,092
Chaffee	1,240	8,581	998
Cheyenne	103	695	1,107
Clear Creek	423	3,627	1,071
Conejos	214	1,544	808
Costilla	112	934	747
Crowley	78	1,110	1,033
Custer	198	1,003	809
Delta	1,054	8,321	895
Denver	44,205	563,644	1,794
Dolores	112	587	806
Douglas	16,167	142,629	1,597
Eagle	4,013	36,080	1,244
Elbert	864	4,452	1,127
El Paso	25,653	299,666	1,241
Fremont	1,128	13,681	1,048
Garfield	3,107	25,723	1,228
Gilpin	233	4,323	1,247
Grand	1,026	8,031	1,014
Gunnison	1,379	9,522	1,016
Hinsdale	86	227	1,023
Huerfano	211	1,709	882
Jackson	95	549	887
Jefferson	25,426	245,643	1,464
Kiowa	52	464	810
Kit Carson	320	2,952	891
Lake	290	2,625	1,074
La Plata	3,169	26,545	1,190
Larimer	15,325	172,456	1,310
Las Animas	613	4,917	879
Lincoln	179	2,150	949
Logan	681	7,726	985
Mesa	5,720	64,532	1,074
Mineral	84	649	810
Moffat	509	4,533	1,091
Montezuma	1,048	9,135	886
Montrose	1,710	15,858	979
Morgan	861	12,511	1,088
Otero	524	6,097	857
Ouray	391	1,973	958
Park	697	2,704	1,031
Phillips	186	1,676	907
Pitkin	2,165	18,898	1,539
Prowers	398	4,684	866
Pueblo	4,004	63,076	1,045
Rio Blanco	287	2,822	1,201
Rio Grande	496	4,037	993
Routt	2,152	16,661	1,184
Saguache	235	1,487	825
San Juan	94	314	714
San Miguel	826	6,398	1,208
Sedgwick	97	728	752
Summit	2,640	24,775	1,079
Teller	1,130	7,962	957
Washington	158	1,152	807
Weld	9,418	113,292	1,218
Yuma	438	3,882	955
(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 2022

State	Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		December 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, December 2021–22	Fourth quarter 2022	National ranking by level	Percent change, fourth quarter 2021–22	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	11,785.7	152,317.9	2.6	$1,385	--	-2.3	--
Alabama	152.6	2,057.5	2.2	1,158	35	0.4	8
Alaska	24.9	303.9	1.5	1,299	18	-0.8	26
Arizona	211.7	3,157.8	3.1	1,272	22	-0.8	26
Arkansas	101.0	1,272.9	2.9	1,065	50	-0.1	13
California	1,768.8	18,051.3	2.3	1,679	4	-6.9	51
Colorado	254.3	2,857.0	2.9	1,472	9	-0.9	31
Connecticut	142.8	1,667.9	1.6	1,593	6	-0.9	31
Delaware	40.5	464.6	2.4	1,346	15	0.4	8
District of Columbia	49.7	757.7	0.9	2,291	1	-1.1	35
Florida	882.6	9,616.3	3.9	1,284	20	-0.8	26
Georgia	397.5	4,794.5	3.7	1,289	19	-0.3	18
Hawaii	54.0	638.1	3.7	1,227	28	-0.2	16
Idaho	89.5	827.0	3.1	1,114	44	0.3	10
Illinois	409.8	5,997.3	2.0	1,432	11	-2.8	46
Indiana	189.5	3,154.4	2.1	1,131	40	-1.9	40
Iowa	110.8	1,543.9	0.9	1,153	37	-0.3	18
Kansas	96.4	1,416.2	2.6	1,125	41	-0.7	25
Kentucky	146.0	1,967.4	2.5	1,099	46	-0.9	31
Louisiana	151.5	1,880.4	1.1	1,134	39	-0.8	26
Maine	63.1	626.7	2.0	1,165	34	0.0	12
Maryland	190.0	2,668.5	0.3	1,462	10	-2.4	43
Massachusetts	293.6	3,620.2	1.8	1,790	2	-2.5	45
Michigan	302.6	4,350.0	2.3	1,274	21	-1.2	37
Minnesota	205.6	2,870.0	1.6	1,357	14	-1.5	38
Mississippi	83.3	1,161.6	1.2	947	51	0.2	11
Missouri	239.9	2,860.4	2.0	1,172	33	-0.6	21
Montana	62.6	500.6	2.4	1,118	42	0.9	5
Nebraska	79.1	995.5	1.7	1,154	36	1.2	4
Nevada	105.3	1,503.3	4.7	1,244	25	-0.1	13
New Hampshire	64.7	678.9	2.4	1,484	8	-6.1	50
New Jersey	331.2	4,235.5	2.7	1,534	7	-1.9	40
New Mexico	67.5	844.1	2.7	1,115	43	1.6	1
New York	683.5	9,449.3	2.7	1,736	3	-5.1	49
North Carolina	354.8	4,771.4	2.7	1,235	26	-0.6	21
North Dakota	34.8	416.0	2.0	1,204	30	0.9	5
Ohio	333.8	5,439.4	1.6	1,203	31	-1.6	39
Oklahoma	125.9	1,662.2	3.0	1,073	48	-0.6	21
Oregon	188.0	1,960.1	2.1	1,302	17	-2.2	42
Pennsylvania	391.9	5,944.5	2.1	1,320	16	-2.4	43
Rhode Island	47.0	485.8	2.2	1,261	23	-4.3	48
South Carolina	171.0	2,218.6	3.2	1,111	45	0.9	5
South Dakota	39.7	444.6	2.1	1,096	47	-1.0	34
Tennessee	207.8	3,221.9	3.8	1,254	24	-0.8	26
Texas	811.6	13,576.6	4.2	1,372	13	-0.2	16
Utah	137.3	1,675.6	3.2	1,230	27	-0.1	13
Vermont	31.6	304.6	1.7	1,207	29	1.4	3
Virginia	337.4	4,010.6	2.2	1,416	12	-0.6	21
Washington	236.8	3,540.6	3.2	1,631	5	-3.0	47
West Virginia	56.6	682.6	1.1	1,067	49	1.5	2
Wisconsin	204.0	2,899.1	2.1	1,188	32	-1.1	35
Wyoming	30.1	272.7	1.9	1,137	38	-0.5	20
Puerto Rico	50.8	976.7	4.3	665	(3)	2.9	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.7	35.7	1.6	1,021	(3)	3.8	(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.