Employment rose in the four largest counties in Kansas from June 2022 to June 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Johnson and Sedgwick Counties had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.9 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Kansas, June 2023

County	Percent change, June 2023
Johnson	3.9
Sedgwick	3.8
Shawnee	3.7
Wyandotte	3.4

National employment increased 2.4 percent over the year, with 337 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest increase in employment (+7.0 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.7 percent).

Among the four largest counties in Kansas, employment was highest in Johnson County (373,500) in June 2023. Within Johnson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Kansas counties accounted for 58.0 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 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 101 counties in Kansas with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 101 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

All four large Kansas counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023, exceeding the national rate of 3.2 percent. (See chart 2.) Wyandotte County had the largest gain (+6.2 percent), followed by Shawnee County (+5.8 percent), Sedgwick County (+4.3 percent), and Johnson County (+3.4 percent).

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Kansas, second quarter 2023

County	Percent change, second quarter 2023
Wyandotte	6.2
Shawnee	5.8
Sedgwick	4.3
Johnson	3.4

Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 332 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+17.2 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-13.2 percent).

Weekly wages in all four of the largest counties in Kansas were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in Johnson County ($1,317, 96^th) and Wyandotte County ($1,202, 171^st) were ranked in the upper half of large counties nationwide. The remaining two counties, Sedgwick County ($1,078, 276^th) and Shawnee County ($1,074, 281^st), ranked among the lower half of large counties nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 88 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2023. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,321). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 272 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($795).

All 101 smaller counties in Kansas—those with employment below 75,000— reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Coffey County ($1,197) reported the highest average weekly wage, followed by Leavenworth County ($1,102). Osage County reported the lowest average in the state at $634 per week.

When all 105 counties in Kansas were considered, 17 reported average weekly wages of $749 or less, 32 registered wages from $750 to $849, 38 had wages from $850 to $949, and 18 had average weekly wages of $950 or higher. (See map 1.) The higher-paying counties were located in and around the metropolitan areas of Kansas City, Wichita, and Dodge City.