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News Release Information

25-1423-BOS
Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (646) 264-3600

Planning Region Employment and Wages in Connecticut — First Quarter 2025

Employment rose in 4 of the 6 largest planning regions—a county-level equivalent—in Connecticut from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Mark J. Maggi noted that the Capitol and Southeastern Connecticut Planning Regions had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, each with a gain of 0.8 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

Among the six largest planning regions in Connecticut, employment was highest in the Capitol Planning Region (526,300) in March 2025. Together, the six largest planning regions accounted for 88.9 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 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.)

Large planning region average weekly wages in the first quarter 2025

All six large Connecticut planning regions reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Western Connecticut had the largest gain (+5.6 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Connecticut’s other five large planning regions ranged from 4.7 percent to 1.6 percent.

Weekly wages in 2 of the 6 largest planning regions in Connecticut were above the national average of $1,589. Average weekly wages ranged from $3,483 in Western Connecticut to $1,443 in Naugatuck Valley.

Smaller planning region average weekly wages in the first quarter of 2025

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the three small planning regions in Connecticut, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all three smaller planning regions were below the national average. Lower Connecticut River Valley reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,427). Northeastern Connecticut reported the lowest average weekly wage ($1,163) in the state.

Among all 9 Connecticut planning regions, 4 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,450, 1 had wages from $1,450 to $1,499, 2 had wages from $1,500 to $1,549, and 2 had average weekly wages of $1,550 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by planning region in Connecticut, first quarter 2025

(U.S. Average = $1,589)

Additional Statistics and other Information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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 second quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

County Changes for the 2025 County Employment and Wages News Releases

Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2024 are included in this release and will be included in future 2025 releases. Four counties have been added to the nationwide publication tables: Pinal, AZ; Henry, GA; Wood, OH; and Comal, TX. One county has been dropped from the publication tables: Gregg, TX.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the six largest planning regions in Connecticut, first quarter 2025
Area Establishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
March 2025
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2024–25 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
First quarter
2025 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
first quarter
2024–25 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,249.3 154,523.8 0.4 -- 1,589 -- 4.1 --

Connecticut

148.5 1,671.7 0.5 -- 1,980 4 3.8 23

Capitol

36.7 526.3 0.8 105 1,797 41 1.6 309

Greater Bridgeport

10.9 114.5 -0.4 278 1,546 93 3.5 153

Naugatuck Valley

13.5 158.4 0.2 189 1,443 134 4.7 71

South Central

20.8 276.1 0.0 222 1,548 92 3.9 121

Southeastern

9.1 126.7 0.8 105 1,477 117 4.2 101

Western

33.4 283.8 0.7 127 3,483 5 5.6 34

Footnotes:
(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 planning regions in Connecticut, first quarter 2025
Area Establishments Employment March 2025 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,249,320 154,523,785 1,589

Connecticut

148,458 1,671,651 1,980

Capitol

36,719 526,334 1,797

Greater Bridgeport

10,867 114,491 1,546

Lower Connecticut River Valley

6,780 72,653 1,427

Naugatuck Valley

13,505 158,394 1,443

Northeastern

2,976 28,616 1,163

Northwest Hills

4,662 37,111 1,273

South Central

20,757 276,057 1,548

Southeastern

9,069 126,670 1,477

Western

33,423 283,784 3,483

Footnotes:
(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, first quarter 2025
State Establishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
March 2025
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2024–25
First quarter
2025 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter
2024–25
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,249.3 154,523.8 0.4 1,589 -- 4.1 --

Alabama

163.3 2,102.3 0.3 1,245 39 3.8 23

Alaska

25.3 323.5 1.3 1,452 20 5.8 4

Arizona

226.1 3,259.3 0.3 1,431 21 3.8 23

Arkansas

107.6 1,304.4 0.7 1,236 40 5.6 6

California

1,945.4 18,066.2 0.1 1,905 6 4.2 13

Colorado

242.4 2,862.7 0.1 1,681 8 4.2 13

Connecticut

148.5 1,671.7 0.5 1,980 4 3.8 23

Delaware

45.4 474.3 0.8 1,535 15 3.4 30

District of Columbia

51.5 748.9 -1.4 2,606 1 7.2 1

Florida

886.5 9,958.4 0.9 1,456 19 5.1 8

Georgia

394.8 4,860.7 0.4 1,491 17 3.4 30

Hawaii

60.3 644.8 0.6 1,363 27 6.7 2

Idaho

102.7 848.2 1.2 1,178 48 4.2 13

Illinois

407.1 5,988.9 0.2 1,662 9 3.2 38

Indiana

194.8 3,161.4 0.3 1,323 30 4.2 13

Iowa

111.3 1,537.7 -0.5 1,253 36 3.2 38

Kansas

104.3 1,428.0 0.8 1,246 38 4.0 19

Kentucky

159.6 1,986.3 0.0 1,213 44 2.4 51

Louisiana

157.0 1,921.2 0.5 1,227 42 2.8 49

Maine

66.6 629.6 0.1 1,283 34 2.7 50

Maryland

197.7 2,739.0 -0.2 1,634 10 3.2 38

Massachusetts

289.8 3,575.8 -0.7 2,107 3 4.6 11

Michigan

307.3 4,337.3 -0.3 1,391 24 2.9 48

Minnesota

211.8 2,878.6 -0.1 1,570 14 3.7 27

Mississippi

91.3 1,160.4 -0.4 1,018 51 4.1 17

Missouri

252.4 2,886.9 0.1 1,310 31 3.2 38

Montana

67.1 505.8 0.6 1,189 46 5.6 6

Nebraska

78.6 1,008.4 -0.1 1,231 41 3.1 42

Nevada

106.1 1,541.2 0.2 1,359 29 4.1 17

New Hampshire

66.3 681.0 0.1 1,606 11 4.8 9

New Jersey

338.9 4,259.0 1.1 1,815 7 3.0 44

New Mexico

66.8 868.2 0.3 1,203 45 3.9 22

New York

716.1 9,757.0 1.4 2,213 2 6.2 3

North Carolina

373.2 4,888.5 0.2 1,467 18 4.8 9

North Dakota

36.4 422.8 0.6 1,302 33 3.3 34

Ohio

344.2 5,466.8 0.2 1,361 28 3.5 28

Oklahoma

130.9 1,700.2 0.5 1,186 47 3.0 44

Oregon

186.2 1,965.7 -0.8 1,420 23 3.3 34

Pennsylvania

394.5 6,003.5 0.6 1,500 16 3.5 28

Rhode Island

49.0 489.3 1.0 1,429 22 3.0 44

South Carolina

198.7 2,304.9 1.7 1,247 37 4.4 12

South Dakota

40.5 450.5 0.2 1,163 49 3.0 44

Tennessee

221.0 3,251.5 -0.4 1,364 26 4.0 19

Texas

847.6 14,015.9 1.2 1,587 13 3.1 42

Utah

138.1 1,720.5 1.1 1,365 25 4.0 19

Vermont

33.5 306.8 -0.4 1,280 35 3.8 23

Virginia

321.9 4,108.8 0.8 1,605 12 3.4 30

Washington

240.9 3,583.7 0.9 1,935 5 5.8 4

West Virginia

61.9 694.6 0.0 1,149 50 3.3 34

Wisconsin

208.9 2,898.4 -0.2 1,305 32 3.4 30

Wyoming

31.0 274.6 0.0 1,216 43 3.3 34

Puerto Rico

52.0 946.1 -0.7 699 (3) 3.2 (3)

Virgin Islands

2.9 33.8 -7.5 1,034 (3) 2.7 (3)

Footnotes:
(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.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025