Employment increased in 2 of the 4 largest counties in Kansas from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Jerome Watters noted that Shawnee County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 2.9 percent. (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, September 2025

County	Percent change, September 2025
Shawnee	2.9
Johnson	0.4
Sedgwick	-0.2
Wyandotte	-0.8

Among the four largest counties in Kansas, employment was highest in Johnson (371,800) in September 2025. Together, the four largest counties accounted for 58.2 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.2 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 2024.)

All four large Kansas counties reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) Shawnee had the largest increase (+5.4 percent). Over-the-year wage changes for Kansas's other large counties ranged from 4.6 percent to 3.2 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Kansas, third quarter 2025

County	Percent change, third quarter 2025
Shawnee	5.4
Sedgwick	4.6
Wyandotte	4.0
Johnson	3.2

Weekly wages in all four large counties in Kansas were below the national average of $1,459. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,424 in Johnson to $1,171 in Sedgwick.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 101 small counties in Kansas, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 101 smaller counties were below the national average. Coffey reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,266). Wallace reported the lowest average weekly wage ($658) in the state.

Among all 105 Kansas counties, 24 reported average weekly wages of $849 or less, 15 had wages from $850 to $899, 23 had wages from $900 to $949, 19 had wages from $950 to $999, and 24 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)