Employment increased in 7 of the 16 largest counties with published data in New York from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Michael G. Phinney noted that Dutchess County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 1.9 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 New York, September 2025

County	Percent change, September 2025
Dutchess	1.9
Kings	1.3
Bronx	0.7
Monroe	0.5
Broome	0.4
New York	0.4
Albany	0.2
Queens	0.0
Richmond	-0.1
Suffolk	-0.1
Nassau	-0.3
Saratoga	-0.4
Westchester	-0.6
Erie	-0.7
Orange	-1.1
Oneida	-2.0

Among the 18 largest counties in New York, employment was highest in New York County (2,472,700) in September 2025. Together, the 18 largest counties accounted for 85.9 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 16 large New York counties with published data reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) New York County had the largest increase (+5.9 percent). Over-the-year wage changes for New York's other large counties ranged from 5.4 percent to 1.4 percent.

  

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

County	Percent change, third quarter 2025
New York	5.9
Albany	5.4
Dutchess	5.1
Broome	4.3
Saratoga	4.1
Erie	3.9
Bronx	3.8
Queens	3.7
Orange	3.5
Monroe	3.4
Kings	3.3
Oneida	3.3
Rockland	2.9
Suffolk	2.9
Nassau	2.6
Westchester	1.4

Weekly wages in 4 of the 18 largest counties in New York were above the national average of $1,459. Average weekly wages ranged from $2,837 in New York County to $1,187 in Oneida.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 44 small counties in New York, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 44 smaller counties were below the national average. Steuben reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,437). Hamilton reported the lowest average weekly wage ($914) in the state.

Among all 62 New York counties, 8 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,050, 16 had wages from $1,050 to $1,149, 16 had wages from $1,150 to $1,249, 9 had wages from $1,250 to $1,349, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,350 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)