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Municipio Employment and Wages in Puerto Rico — Fourth Quarter 2023
Employment in Puerto Rico’s only large municipio, San Juan, increased 0.8 percent from December 2022 to December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties and county-equivalent entities, like municipios in Puerto Rico, are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner William J. Sibley noted that in December 2023, San Juan’s employment level of 266,000 accounted for 27.3 percent of total employment in the commonwealth. (See table 1.)
National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 318 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hays, TX, had the largest increase in employment (+5.0 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-6.9 percent). Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 73.0 percent of total U.S. employment.
The average weekly wage in San Juan Municipio was $839 in the fourth quarter of 2023, a 4.5-percent increase over the year. In the United States, the average weekly wage increased 3.6 percent to $1,435. Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages at or above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2023. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,699). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 275 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($842).
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 77 municipios in Puerto Rico with employment below 75,000. All 77 municipios had wages below the national average of $1,435 in the fourth quarter of 2023 (See table 2.) Juncos, located on the eastern part of the island, had the highest average weekly wage at $941. Sixteen municipios had average weekly wages below $500, with the lowest wages reported in Guánica ($403). (See map 1.)
Map 1. Average weekly wages by municipio in Puerto Rico, fourth quarter 2023
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 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the largest county in Puerto Rico, fourth quarter 2023
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.
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 Puerto Rico, fourth quarter 2023
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, fourth quarter 2023
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.
United States Department of Labor
