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News Release Information

24-15-BOS
Friday, January 05, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

County Employment and Wages in Maine — Second Quarter 2023

Employment rose in Maine’s two large counties, Cumberland and York, 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.) Regional Commissioner William J. Sibley noted that Cumberland County’s employment gain ranked 188th among the 360 large U.S. counties. (See table 1.)

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).

Employment in Cumberland County was 191,000 in June 2023; York County reported 81,300 employed. Within Cumberland County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment share. Together, the two largest Maine counties accounted for 41.6 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 14 counties in Maine with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of these smaller counties were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

The two large Maine counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023. The 3.0-percent wage increase in Cumberland County ranked 157th among the 360 largest U.S. counties. York County’s 2.8-percent wage increase ranked 179th.

Nationwide, wages increased by 3.2 percent over the year. 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).

Large county average weekly wages

Cumberland County’s average weekly wage of $1,272 was below the national average of $1,332 and ranked 124th among the 360 large U.S. counties in the second quarter of 2023. York County’s average weekly wage of $1,091 ranked 261st.

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).

Average weekly wages in Maine’s smaller counties

Among the 14 smaller counties in Maine—those with employment below 75,000—Sagadahoc County ($1,123) reported the highest average weekly wage. Piscataquis County ($883) and Washington County ($884) reported the lowest average weekly wages in the state.

When all 16 counties in Maine were considered, all had weekly wages lower than the national average of $1,332. Two had wages of $899 or lower, five had wages from $900 to $949, three had wages from $950 to $999, three had wages from $1,000 to $1,049, and three had wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.) The highest-paid counties were located in the southwest portion of the state within the Portland-South Portland metropolitan area.

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Maine, second quarter 2023

U.S. average = $1,332

 
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 for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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 County Employment and Wages release for the third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. The County Employment and Wages full data update for the third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the two largest counties in Maine, second quarter 2023
AreaEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2023
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,964.6154,308.52.4--$1,332--3.2--

Maine

65.0654.12.1--1,123343.330

Cumberland

16.4191.01.91881,2721243.0157

York

8.081.30.92921,0912612.8179

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. 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 Maine, second quarter 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment June 2023Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,964,606154,308,523$1,332

Maine

64,955654,1161,123

Androscoggin

3,36348,7741,042

Aroostook

2,31825,627934

Cumberland

16,420191,0281,272

Franklin

1,06010,288925

Hancock

2,83925,622937

Kennebec

4,13063,0851,048

Knox

2,16118,035974

Lincoln

1,69212,162915

Oxford

1,70317,113921

Penobscot

4,95469,6491,024

Piscataquis

5855,463883

Sagadahoc

1,25716,7471,123

Somerset

1,48816,403966

Waldo

1,34811,922985

Washington

1,12710,357884

York

8,04881,3421,091

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. 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, second quarter 2023
StateEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2022–23
Second quarter
2023
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,964.6154,308.52.4$1,332--3.2--

Alabama

156.72,079.22.71,107354.013

Alaska

25.3342.43.61,285153.917

Arizona

219.13,091.73.01,265183.917

Arkansas

103.21,284.82.61,033503.819

California

1,767.718,151.10.91,62443.426

Colorado

256.62,914.32.71,42684.85

Connecticut

148.01,692.01.81,51163.819

Delaware

41.6476.23.01,248192.344

District of Columbia

51.3762.62.22,19313.723

Florida

891.89,547.73.71,234214.38

Georgia

384.54,802.82.21,247202.639

Hawaii

56.5636.03.21,198244.013

Idaho

94.3855.83.11,038483.330

Illinois

410.86,101.21.91,357122.639

Indiana

191.13,164.71.51,102372.047

Iowa

110.51,581.81.11,082422.639

Kansas

98.71,428.63.21,081434.013

Kentucky

150.11,974.52.81,100383.035

Louisiana

153.81,887.31.71,093402.738

Maine

65.0654.12.11,123343.330

Maryland

187.12,716.42.11,40292.245

Massachusetts

296.43,703.41.21,67022.047

Michigan

318.44,463.02.51,220233.426

Minnesota

205.72,964.02.31,315142.245

Mississippi

87.71,158.01.4924514.38

Missouri

246.72,908.72.01,150324.013

Montana

65.5521.03.01,072464.47

Nebraska

76.81,022.13.01,092413.426

Nevada

106.71,522.83.21,189272.936

New Hampshire

65.3694.82.31,387103.232

New Jersey

330.24,341.42.81,46471.650

New Mexico

66.7859.13.81,107356.51

New York

699.69,623.82.41,62152.542

North Carolina

370.94,857.53.31,198243.426

North Dakota

35.4430.42.91,184284.93

Ohio

341.85,521.91.71,160313.134

Oklahoma

129.71,669.03.11,052473.625

Oregon

200.82,010.72.21,281162.443

Pennsylvania

393.06,014.81.91,277172.047

Rhode Island

48.0498.81.31,22122-0.351

South Carolina

175.92,248.62.81,079443.723

South Dakota

39.6466.82.71,035493.819

Tennessee

215.93,254.23.01,195263.819

Texas

824.913,716.33.91,322133.232

Utah

135.71,699.42.81,183294.211

Vermont

31.8310.32.31,175304.112

Virginia

357.14,082.32.81,371114.38

Washington

241.03,639.82.71,64934.93

West Virginia

58.8695.72.91,075456.12

Wisconsin

204.42,975.81.91,126332.936

Wyoming

30.5288.62.71,096394.66

Puerto Rico

52.6929.71.6622(3)4.2(3)

Virgin Islands

3.836.34.7992(3)1.1(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. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, January 05, 2024