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County Employment and Wages in Utah — Fourth Quarter 2024
Employment rose in all five of the largest counties in Utah from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Washington County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.3 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Utah, December 2024
County
Percent change, December 2024
Washington
3.3
Salt Lake
1.4
Davis
1.0
Weber
0.7
Utah
0.5
Among the five largest counties in Utah, employment was highest in Salt Lake County (807,300) in December 2024. Together, the five largest counties accounted for 84.2 percent of total covered employment within the state. 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 2024
All five large Utah counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Salt Lake County had the largest gain (+5.7 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Utah’s other four large counties ranged from 4.4 percent to 2.5 percent.
Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Utah, fourth quarter 2024
County
Percent change, fourth quarter 2024
Salt Lake
5.7
Weber
4.4
Utah
3.7
Washington
2.8
Davis
2.5
Weekly wages in 4 of the 5 largest counties in Utah were below the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages were higher than the national average only in Salt Lake County ($1,537). In the four remaining large counties, average weekly wages ranged from $1,255 to $981.
Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 24 small counties in Utah, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 24 smaller counties were below the national average. Summit County reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,425). Piute County reported the lowest average weekly wage ($753) in the state.
Among all 29 Utah counties, 8 reported average weekly wages of $949 or lower, 7 registered wages from $950 to $1,049, 5 had wages from $1,050 to $1,149, and 9 had average weekly wages of $1,150 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)
Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Utah, fourth quarter 2024
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.
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.
QCEW Moves to One Data Release Beginning with Fourth Quarter 2024 Publication
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.
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the five largest counties in Utah, fourth quarter 2024
(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 Utah, fourth quarter 2024
(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, fourth quarter 2024
(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
